DCI,1993 Star and Carolina Crown 200? and...

[Eric M. Buckman]

There are many threads about when did DCI really change...and it just dawned on me...it really wasn't one, two or three valved bugles, trumpets drill etc...alot of things led up to the shift...but one of the most profound things i've come to realize is that as mentioned previously how far ahead STAR OF INDIANA was or is for there time when they left DCI and how much of a profound affect they would have on what is considered Drum Corps of today...as I watch the reincarnation of Star(Crown and many of todays Drum Corps) you understand what I mean...if you really go back thru the years and look at the shows whether they have themes, or not...pit up front or any other changes...it really doesn't seem to be the backlash for change that has occurred until there was a definate move to all this "body movement" and the like with this show..I am waiting to see a corps do the moon walk...and I don't mean VK in 87 or 88...1993 star had a unique emotion, music you really can't hum or repeat later... but it does somehow resonate within you from Bartok...I just find it odd all these years later...and the year Star packs up there stuff to go in another direction...and to me it really does seem that the pardigm shift started in that moment...there are alot of things that led up to that season...but now I watch the shows...and think that this was the NEW Drum Corps...and that which was OLD and Still somewhat Traditional, was now on life support...it is interesting that the kids of today speak of tradition...but the shift is definately more torward..."band" and not really that which most of us think as Traditional Drum Corps. This is merely a THOUGHT...not an attack or bashing of anykind..just an observation...as I have alot of friends apart of Star and Crown and I love what they do...I just miss that which I consider Drum Corps. But no matter what it's the kids that make the activity what it is...and will always be. I think that show would play very well today...but consider if you were able to bring back shows of yesteryear and put them against shows of today...how would they stack up? I know personally I would smile and go crazy...probably alot like most fans...which is probably the same reason we have so many people watching in the parking lot and not in the stadiums. But would Devils 86 SCV 89 Garfield 87 score as well as say 93 Star TODAY which IMHO...seems to fit right in to todays...Drum Corps World.

[JFitz19]

I think that drum corps' new era really started with the Santa Clara Vanguard in1972. That corps’ routine was the watershed program that placed us on the road we are still on today. SCV introduced the "cool" show, as to what I would refer to as "hot" shows that corps had always done. It was sophisticated, understated and, one can surmise, directed to the judges. After all, Gail Royer had been a judge. SCV really introduced esoteric to the drum corps world. I think that everything that followed stems from that. They opened the door to innovation. Next Madison fought back with the big sound concept in brass. The Blue Devils improved on that and made proper musical technique a requirement for competitiveness. That knocked the 27th Lancers out of the game. Then SCV, once again, pushed the boundaries with its asymmetrical drill in 1980, and George Zingali became the most innovative drill writer in drum corps history, beginning, in 1982 with his precedent shattering, dizzying drills for Garfield. Star added body movement. Big deal. Corps had been dancing for a long time, and body movement just added a new dimension to something already ongoing. 'Spirit of Atlanta had introduced the modern color guard back in the 80's with more dance and choreography. And Brubaker, with the Cavaliers, fought back against Zingali with his symmetrical and computer generated drills. As for concept shows and story telling, that's been around forever. Just take a look at the Madison Scouts and Cavalier shows from 1971. Star was a great corps, but other than incorporating body movement, not a major factor in my book, presented no innovations in drill or color guard.

[TerriTroop]

And you have to also go look at Suncoast Sound. They were already pushing those envelopes a good few years before Star hit their stride.

[BRASSO]

I thought '93 Star of Indiana was good, don't get me wrong. Even the judges thought they were the 2nd best Corps in 1993. I'm looking forward to their Reunion Corps performance at Championships too. But to be honest with you, their show in '93 wasn't " a paradigm " shift " in the Drum Corps activity at all, imo.. What is interesting ( to me anyway ) t is that when Star left DCI, their staff utilized all the great visual, creative moves that Corps in the 70's and 80's used.... then instituted some of their own creative ideas with that.... and moved Drum Corps inside a theatre.... and took an essentially traditional Drum Corps show, added some nice sound effects and props and made an international, decade long award winning hit with their mostly traditional based elements of a Drum Corps show and called it " BLAST ! ". They used guard, percussion, brass in a MOST creative way... and in a brand new VENUE for the genre, including Broadway. In first class theatres... in front of many new fans unfamiliar with Drum Corps , and took it world wide to them too. THIS was new and fresh for the activity. THAT was the" paradigm shift" in the Drum Corps movement that the staff of Star created in my view. Not their 1993 2nd place Corps finish show on a football field in Jackson, Mississippi at DCI Championships there. But again, this is just one poster's opinion here too.

Edited June 17, 2010 by BRASSO

[RBarron10]

Star 93 was 17 years ago ... and we're still talking about it. I think that show was ahead of it's time - not for the drill, guard, or music, but how it approached designing a show. That show was all about the the Boxes on the judging sheet. MAXIMUM impact for judges. Star didn't care if the fans got the show, they didn't care how loud the horn line was, but what they did care about was being in control of everything in that show. The Cavies made Control look easy and won all those Championships in the 2000s doing it.

Star 93 was a shift ... nothing more. IMO here are the shifts that have changed drum corps thus far.

• Grounded Pit Equipment in front of the corps
  
• Asymmetrical Drill
  
• 128 corps members
  
• Dance in the Guard
  
• Body Movement
  
• B flat horns
  
• Amps
  
• 150 corps members
  

[BRASSO]

Star 93 was 17 years ago ... and we're still talking about it. I think that show was ahead of it's time - not for the drill, guard, or music, but how it approached designing a show. That show was all about the the Boxes on the judging sheet. MAXIMUM impact for judges. Star didn't care if the fans got the show, they didn't care how loud the horn line was, but what they did care about was being in control of everything in that show. The Cavies made Control look easy and won all those Championships in the 2000s doing it.

Star 93 was a shift ... nothing more. IMO here are the shifts that have changed drum corps thus far.

• Grounded Pit Equipment in front of the corps
  
• Asymmetrical Drill
  
• 128 corps members
  
• Dance in the Guard
  
• Body Movement
  
• B flat horns
  
• Amps
  
• 150 corps members
  

We could add LOTS more to this list too ( singing, pre show playing, guitar utlilization, purge of inspections, prop useage, and 20 others)

The '93 Star of Indiana show ushered in no single new concept that I'm aware of, frankly. Again, not a boring or bad show. I did enjoy it. And I thought they did well enough to earn their 2nd place finish with the judges that year with their show and peformance too.

Edited June 17, 2010 by BRASSO

[BRASSO]

The Blue Devils improved on that and made proper musical technique a requirement for competitiveness. That knocked the 27th Lancers out of the game. Star was a great corps, but other than incorporating body movement, not a major factor in my book, presented no innovations in drill or color guard.

What " knocked the 27th Lancers out of the game " was not the " Blue Devils musical technique".

What knocked them ( 27th )" out of the game " was what knocked most Corps" out of the game " : Insufficient funds

I do agree with you, that Star of Indiana, while a short lived top 3 Corps for a couple of years there was good ( winning the title once, actually ), there was nothing particularly innovative that they broke the mold with while they competed in that time period.

Edited June 17, 2010 by BRASSO

[bstar82]

What " knocked the 27th Lancers out of the game " was not the " Blue Devils musical technique".

What knocked them ( 27th )" out of the game " was what knocked most Corps" out of the game " : Insufficient funds

I do agree with you, that Star of Indiana, while a short lived top 3 Corps for a couple of years there was good ( winning the title once, actually ), there was nothing particularly innovative that they broke the mold with while they competed in that time period.

What Star was doing in the early 90's, Zingali had Garfield doing in the late 80's. But as Steve Rondinaro said, "This is the year of the drill" That would have been 1980 and then Garfield took that concept more than a few steps forward with their 1982 show. A musical and visual book that blended so well together, I think that year alone set them up for their success as we know today. I also recall the stories how they barely fielded a full corps the year before. And I'm not a huge Garfield fan at all. But I respected what did on the field especially in the 80's.

[BRASSO]

What Star was doing in the early 90's, Zingali had Garfield doing in the late 80's. But as Steve Rondinaro said, "This is the year of the drill" That would have been 1980 and then Garfield took that concept more than a few steps forward with their 1982 show. A musical and visual book that blended so well together, I think that year alone set them up for their success as we know today. I also recall the stories how they barely fielded a full corps the year before. And I'm not a huge Garfield fan at all. But I respected what did on the field especially in the 80's.

Agree. Cadets were awful through most of the 70's, falling mostly way out of the TOP 12 most years in that decade, after being pretty decent in some of the years in the 60's. Then they got Zingalli to go to the Cadets to do the visual, and that single hire alone did more to bring the Cadets back. And they've beeen at or near the top most years since. Cadets were also helped by the fact that in the 80's one time top eastern Corps either began to struggle badly.. or folded altogether. Boston was a top Corps in the 60's, but almost disappeared a couple of times in the 70's and 80's . 27th, North Star, Bridgemen, Crossmen all beat the Cadets throughout much of the 70's and early 80's but most of them folded in the 80's. This vaccum in the northeast was then filled by the Cadets. But getting Zingalli to come and write the drill for the Cadets in the early 80's, was THE seminal moment for them, imo.

Edited June 17, 2010 by BRASSO

[Room_101]

To the OP, I see what you're saying, but I think it's a REAL stretch to make the connection with Carolina Crown in this decade. I know why you're making this connection, but I just don't think it's strong enough to merit.

I think Star 1993 was an innovative year, but I think everyone talks it up too much just because they chose to leave the activity.

Case in point:

If the Cavaliers had up and left after 2002, I think there would be a lot more Cavie fans here, not to mention even more love for the 02 production. The same can be said about 2006, and possibly 2004.

If the Phantom Regiment had up and left after 2008, Jesus Christ...I can't even imagine the lovefest that would be happening here.

Cadets, 2005...Carolina Crown, 2009...etc, etc.

My point is that YES, it was an innovative show. I just think that people had blown this innovation way out of proportion since Star decided to leave.

Edited June 17, 2010 by Room_101