These are the glory years

[BariBone]

Having followed the activity since the late 70's, I am convinced that this period in DCI history is the apex in terms of collective talent across all sections as well as administrative talent and creative talent. Never in the history of the activity has so much quality been on display from top to bottom. Sure there are issues still out there that need to be resolved and there have been controversial changes over the years. Why do I like this new era in DCI?? Here are my theories....

1. Talent...Kids today ( as a whole ) are basically musical athletes. The evolution of the modern drill and body movement is evident in HS and these kids are comming up through the ranks trained at a high level to begin with. One of the biggest threats to the activity will be states cutting school funding and eliminating top flight HS band programs.

2. This is the 2nd generation ..I think this is overlooked. Think of all the talent in DCI that marched in the other glory era of the early 80's. Those people have kids that are at the DCI age right now. How many of them were inspired by their parents to march or inherited the drum corps bug.

3. Numbers...DCI benefitted from the baby boom generation..there were a lot of kids born in the late 50's and early 60's...which meant there was a lot of 19-21 year olds in the late 70's and early 80's. The baby boom echo peaked in the early 90's when the baby boomers had kids. Those kids are huge in numbers...and are in the 18-21 year old age range now.

4. Expansion to 150....the greatest rule change ever! 70-80 person hornlines are now the norm. Or 40 plus in the guard. The hornlines are blowing me away. The visual package is stunning with the extra bodies and it creates a lot of expermintation in show concept and ideas.

5. The rise of Carolina Crown, the re-emergence of the Blue Stars and the Troopers comeback.....All would not be possible without the leadership and organizational skills of highly talented and dedicated people. Crown was formed in 1990, at a time when the odds of getting anything off the ground, especially a drum corps in an area where there was no drum corps history, was a longshot. The Blue Stars are a drum corps fan's dream come true..a perennial finalist that came all the way back from oblivion. The Troopers...another unbelieveable comeback against long odds. You cant do that without the foundation of a great organization.

6. Tom Blair.....I dont know the guy personally but think of all the kids that are first introduced into drum corps via DVD. They are mostly likely looking at a finals performance directed by Tom Blair. Video is very powerful. Images and sequences can resonate in a young person's mind. Tom Blair consistently captures this with his direction. I was inpsired myself watching the PBS live broadcast back in the 70's. On UHF rabbit ears.

7. I'm starting to hum tunes once again after a show...thanks to talented horn arrangers in the activity. I am starting to pay more attention to who is arranging shows now, besides Wayne Downey. Key Poulan, JD Shaw and Micheal Kletch are favorites.

8. Finally I just want to say I am in total awe of the performers in today's corps. 2010 is shaping up to be a season to remember. I am still waiting for a DCI to top 1980 (my personal fave) ...this could be the one. There will be echos of 1980 on the field this year with Cadets playing Procession of the Nobles and BD playing Kenton.

[VoC]

How dare you think that Drum Corps today is a better animal today than it was in the 70s-80s!

Blasphemy!

:sarcasm off:

[FTNK]

I completely agree with you, but I doubt many others will.

[Lord Denning]

Not even close.

[contrajedi8]

Not sure.

I dig your post. I think you bring up some great points. Obviously very well thought out.

I agree the talent level is higher now than it was BITD.

I tend to think the peak of the drum corps activity was from the late 70's to the early 90's. Anyone agree? Disagree?

[Plan9]

I've said it before and I say it to you now...... "You sir, are a steely-eyed missle man!"

I fear you will not get much support on this subject here, but us "this millenniumers" can raise our goblets of praise to these new age, new history-making corps.

"Hey, what's that out there on the field .......Look out kids, you're marching on dinosaur bones!!!"

Kick ###....2010! (hey, why did you censor me.....the President said it yesterday on NBC!)

Edited June 10, 2010 by Plan9

[MikeD]

I completely agree with you, but I doubt many others will.

Well, this person who has followed corps since 64 absolutely agrees with the OP....it was a great post!

[Fran Haring]

Not sure I agree 100 percent with the OP.... but there are a lot of good points there.

I marched in a championship-winning corps on the DCA side, and for our era we were a great corps (Mike Davis can attest to that... we were one of his favorite DCA corps back then!).... but I can't even imagine doing what is being done now, an average, in DCI and DCA.

The bar has been raised quite a bit in recent years. I tip my hat to the staffs and performers for their efforts.

Edited June 10, 2010 by Fran Haring

[MikeD]

Not sure I agree 100 percent with the OP.... but there are a lot of good points there.

I marched in a championship-winning corps on the DCA side, and for our era we were a great corps (Mike Davis can attest to that... we were one of his favorite DCA corps back then!).... but I can't even imagine doing what is being done now, an average, in DCI and DCA.

The bar has been raised quite a bit in recent years.

Absolutely agree...Sun was a GREAT DCA corps back then!

[Captncontra]

I still listen to recordings of corps from '80 to about '97. Current shows? Not so much. Everything is too disjointed and cobbled together, with the rare exception. Not denying the talent, but in general the music has been bleh for about 12 years or so.