Has your view of DCI changed lately ?

[stacysquire]

And if my memory serves me right, right in the middle of that pack of Cadets was George Hopkins himself looking entirely impressed. That was one of my favorite drumcorps moments was watching the DCI kids and their staffs just outside our fenced in area looking at us like where did these guys come from.

quote name='markdewine' date='Apr 27 2010, 02:05 PM' post='2777053']

Does anyone remember the "Tie-breaker" show in Buffalo in 2001? Cadets vs Cavaliers, and Brigs vs Empire.

Well, in addition to the contest being judged, there was a fan poll for "Favorite Corps in tonite's show" (more on that in a second)

So the Brigs won the senior portion of the show, and I think the Cavaliers won the junior portion. Our corps was at the gate ready to come back on the field for a victory concert, and we were told by the DCI official running the show, that we would not be allowed to do our victory concert. When our corps director asked why, this DCI official ranted on and on angrily that, "If I have anything to say about it...a DCA corps will never follow a DCI corps on the field!!! Ever again!! There's NO WAY your corps was tonight's best corps!!!" (etc., etc.)

The Brigadiers turned their corps around and went to the nearby tennis courts and set up in concert formation. Along one fenceline of the tennis court was a long line of Cadets. The Green Machine lined the fence that was perpendicular to the Cadets. Then, the Brigs proceeded to rip the faces off our DCI spectators!!! As a member of the Honor Guard, I was positioned where I could see the expressions on the faces of the Cavies and Cadets. Let's just say there was no mistaking the fact they were impressed. After our concert, ALL of their comments were complimentary. I remember thinking that if the members of the two best DCI corps think were pretty good, well then we must not be TOO bad. LOL

So, as far as DCI / DCA interaction...Draw your own conclusion.

[BigW]

Hmm. Lack of Camaraderie? Bah! I say, BAH a thousand times to that accusation!

I watched Spirit and Crossmen play for each other a few years back at East. That shoots that little accusation down in a heartbeat. It's there. Read the DCI forums and you see those old friendships around, just like we have them here.

I correspond off and on with someone in Spirit to encourage them as a growing young person who's trying to find their direction. I went to see a former student in The Cadets on tour and brought out a cooler full of care package stuff (fruit, Coca-Cola, candy bars... nope- no beer LOL) for him and his friends. It was deeply appreciated. We ALL know how we feel after a long hot practice block. I know Hair Bear helps kids trying to scrape up enough cash to do DCI. And we're Senior Corps guys reaching out to our friends and compadres. They reach back too, you know. If you were in a corps, Junior, Senior, whatever- it transcends everyting. We all have shared experiences regardless of where we're from and what we exactly did and those who don't get that are usually regarded as the pretty sad, shallow, and lonely people in this activity.

The camaraderie is there. You're just not looking very hard if you throw that accusation out so quickly.

[zorf]

I remember back in the early 70's when corps were beginning to have non-marching pit instruments. I hated the change at the time, but now I honestly can't imagine drum corps without it. Similarly, there have been a lot of changes over the past few decades within DCI with which I am less than fond, but all in all I truly enjoy the product. There will always be some shows that I just don't connect with, but as it has been said on numerous occasions within DCP, thank heavens everyone is not the same. Every year, I am usually astounded by what the DCI corps accomplish. I have been and will always probably be a supporter. Having said that, last years DCA finals was the most fun I've ever had at a drum corps show and not just because of my MBI bias. I truly enjoyed each finalist show.

And, I agree with Jeff Ream, the decision on the location for the finals was very disappointing. But thank heavens we have DCI Minnesota this year just a few weeks before finals where I'll get a chance to see all the corps in an outdoor environment and at a great stadium.

[BRASSO]

My opinion has not changed.

I loved DCI a while ago and still love it today.

I loved DCA a while ago and still love it today.

Two different versions of the same activity. Both awesome in their own right for what they do. What the members in each circuit accomplish amazes me every time I see it. And I'm always entertained. In different ways depending on what the corps is performing.

Vive la difference!

Your thoughts here for the most part mirror mine. Both DCA and DCI offer value in their own right. Each has some similarities, but each with significant differences as well. I wish sometimes that DCA had a similar component of DCI's Fan Network where DCA fans might be able to go back and view some of the older DCA shows via their computer. DCA has a longer time frame as an organization than DCI and there would be some good shows worth seeing and hearing.... and keeping for posterity. I suspect it's a financial obstacle perhaps for DCA to incorporate something similar to this for fans. That said, I try and take in both DCA and DCI shows each summer now, after marching in both Juniors and Seniors. I enjoy elements of both circuits, and can see also some of what one offers that the other does not. As you said... Vive la difference !

Edited April 27, 2010 by BRASSO

[dcpincollector]

Does anyone remember the "Tie-breaker" show in Buffalo in 2001? Cadets vs Cavaliers, and Brigs vs Empire.

Well, in addition to the contest being judged, there was a fan poll for "Favorite Corps in tonite's show" (more on that in a second)

So the Brigs won the senior portion of the show, and I think the Cavaliers won the junior portion. Our corps was at the gate ready to come back on the field for a victory concert, and we were told by the DCI official running the show, that we would not be allowed to do our victory concert. When our corps director asked why, this DCI official ranted on and on angrily that, "If I have anything to say about it...a DCA corps will never follow a DCI corps on the field!!! Ever again!! There's NO WAY your corps was tonight's best corps!!!" (etc., etc.)

The Brigadiers turned their corps around and went to the nearby tennis courts and set up in concert formation. Along one fenceline of the tennis court was a long line of Cadets. The Green Machine lined the fence that was perpendicular to the Cadets. Then, the Brigs proceeded to rip the faces off our DCI spectators!!! As a member of the Honor Guard, I was positioned where I could see the expressions on the faces of the Cavies and Cadets. Let's just say there was no mistaking the fact they were impressed. After our concert, ALL of their comments were complimentary. I remember thinking that if the members of the two best DCI corps think were pretty good, well then we must not be TOO bad. LOL

So, as far as DCI / DCA interaction...Draw your own conclusion.

What did this have to do with the thread?

Great story! But what does it have to do with the question?

Has your view of DCI changed?

I personnally don't believe the that the comments were made by DCI (IMO), but I am sure you might have heard that someone might have said them. What people say often changes as it is passed person to person.

It's a great story (and I am sure that the DCI kids did enjoy the concert), but I don't believe the comments were made by a DCI "official".

I enjoyed that show. Both the DCI and DCA corps. We should do this a lot more often, but I doubt that it will ever happen with stories like this swirling around.

Do you really think that DCI is the "bad" guy?

[Jeff Ream]

true it could have been a show site person, not a DCI official. And for the most part, no DCI is not the bad guy. Usually, they have great intentions, but sometimes the execution of those intentions lack.

and it's happened in DCA too.

But, I have seen and heard a DCI director mock a DCA corps to his kids in Allentown within the last 3...no 4 years now. Loudly. Loud enough for people not in their circle to hear.

Poor d###### didn't even realize his corps had DCA vets in his ranks.

They weren't pleased either.

[Kyle B]

blah blah

This all coming from the guy who wrote many comments having nothing to do with the thread I created.

[Gary Matczak]

Does anyone remember the "Tie-breaker" show in Buffalo in 2001? Cadets vs Cavaliers, and Brigs vs Empire.

Well, in addition to the contest being judged, there was a fan poll for "Favorite Corps in tonite's show" (more on that in a second)

So the Brigs won the senior portion of the show, and I think the Cavaliers won the junior portion. Our corps was at the gate ready to come back on the field for a victory concert, and we were told by the DCI official running the show, that we would not be allowed to do our victory concert. When our corps director asked why, this DCI official ranted on and on angrily that, "If I have anything to say about it...a DCA corps will never follow a DCI corps on the field!!! Ever again!! There's NO WAY your corps was tonight's best corps!!!" (etc., etc.)

The Brigadiers turned their corps around and went to the nearby tennis courts and set up in concert formation. Along one fenceline of the tennis court was a long line of Cadets. The Green Machine lined the fence that was perpendicular to the Cadets. Then, the Brigs proceeded to rip the faces off our DCI spectators!!! As a member of the Honor Guard, I was positioned where I could see the expressions on the faces of the Cavies and Cadets. Let's just say there was no mistaking the fact they were impressed. After our concert, ALL of their comments were complimentary. I remember thinking that if the members of the two best DCI corps think were pretty good, well then we must not be TOO bad. LOL

So, as far as DCI / DCA interaction...Draw your own conclusion.

I was a fan judge, and got the shirt to prove it,.......................the real thing that I thought was wrong with the show was the order of appearances by the corps,..............it went like this:

Cadets

Cavies

Empire

Brigs

Cadets

Cavies

yep, that's right, the juniors performed and were adjudicated twice,................

[Sayre Kulp]

To answer the original question, I guess I'd have to say that my opinion of DCI has changed a little bit over the recent years. I have weathered the transition from 2V to 3V horns and then G to Bb and come out fine on the other side. I still don't like amplification in drum corps; not because I'm a purist, but because it just doesn't sound good to me [most of the time.] I feel like I have to put that disclaimer in there because I've seen it used in nifty ways, but the great majority narration didn't appeal to me (with some exceptions) and the amplification of keyboards and the like doesn't really sound good to me (again, with some exceptions.) While I can in no way take anything away from the obvious talent of the kids on the field, the other major thing that DCI does a bit differently is in terms of programming. At first it was the "big boys" that went for really esoteric show design and it started to lose me after a while. I always loved going to the Div II/III shows, because I was always interested by how much they can do with more limited resources. But even they have begun to step away from the music I look for on the field in favor of more things I've never heard of. And let's face it, some of them just can't pull it off. Please keep in mind that I was a music education major in college. I don't need to hear "Malaguena" or "Pop Goes the Weasel" to be happy. There is a lot of material out there to be played and drum corps has introduced me to some of it. I guess all I want is more melody and less "let's see what kind of random stabs we can hit before we snap the horns down and run the 50m hurdles while the drum line throws down more notes than should be humanly possible." I know that's a pretty lame generalization and could probably be taken as a bit insulting and for that I apologize. It's just that I can through in a tape from the 80's even up through the mid 90's and get goosebumps from EVERY show. Not only did I not have any real goosebumps this past season, I could count the number of shows I'd want to see again on one hand! I'm not anti-DCI. I can find a few shows that I like every year. But frankly, those are coming fewer and further between. So yes, my opinion of DCI has changed somewhat.

[Brigscontrachik05]

Does anyone remember the "Tie-breaker" show in Buffalo in 2001? Cadets vs Cavaliers, and Brigs vs Empire.

Well, in addition to the contest being judged, there was a fan poll for "Favorite Corps in tonite's show" (more on that in a second)

So the Brigs won the senior portion of the show, and I think the Cavaliers won the junior portion. Our corps was at the gate ready to come back on the field for a victory concert, and we were told by the DCI official running the show, that we would not be allowed to do our victory concert. When our corps director asked why, this DCI official ranted on and on angrily that, "If I have anything to say about it...a DCA corps will never follow a DCI corps on the field!!! Ever again!! There's NO WAY your corps was tonight's best corps!!!" (etc., etc.)

The Brigadiers turned their corps around and went to the nearby tennis courts and set up in concert formation. Along one fenceline of the tennis court was a long line of Cadets. The Green Machine lined the fence that was perpendicular to the Cadets. Then, the Brigs proceeded to rip the faces off our DCI spectators!!! As a member of the Honor Guard, I was positioned where I could see the expressions on the faces of the Cavies and Cadets. Let's just say there was no mistaking the fact they were impressed. After our concert, ALL of their comments were complimentary. I remember thinking that if the members of the two best DCI corps think were pretty good, well then we must not be TOO bad. LOL

So, as far as DCI / DCA interaction...Draw your own conclusion.

I wondered back then if the "kids" (some of them were my age at the time... *sigh*) were saying "wwwwooooooow that's impressive" or "wooooooooooow that's dirty." haha

One thing for sure is that we were loud.