State of drum corps manifesto

[comeonfhqwhgads]

WRONG...you want exactly the same thing that we have ALL wanted through generations of drum corps...the problem is that you don't realize what exactly is being changed again by those who are at the top and currently in control of the organizations. Get real, the kids don't have say on electornics, valves, bugles etc, who are you kidding...this is the reason why...the activity is hemmoraghing alumni fans and fans in general...OUR generation got what we wanted from Corps...in your face, emotional, muscial performances with pagentry...what is offered today is DCI Marching Band. I can sing most every Corps tune from 80's thru late 90's if given half a chance...today not only do I not really care about what ends up on the field...it doesn't seem to resonate...hell right now most of us only want to hear Space Cords...Canon or Phillip Bliss and a few of our favorite drumlines warming up in the lot and we can call it a day...now that's sad...not to mention that even some of those Corps are struggling to maintain their identity and quality of sections...ahem I could name one in particular this season.

Supposedly one of the major points of moving away from Bugles and into Three Valved Trumpets was to increase the ability of the performer...really well I'll take any of the sounds, arrangements, orchestrations and musicianship of the 70's-80's and 90's over what is being offered in this generation and we played on one and two valve G bugles for the most part...I can handle the change from bugles for cost purposes...but don't feed me a line of BSH_t about musicianship...otherwise go listen to Madison 83 as an example Strawberry Soup and you will get my drift.

Sir, your argument is self-contradictory. You state that the individual corps members have little say as to the arrangement (both visual and musical) of their performance, which is quite accurate. You then go on to say that you can't sing anything they play and that this equates bad musicianship. If I may be so bold, I would venture that you haven't been to I&E lately, where the members play things they have individually prepared and musicianship is patently obvious, even judged upon. "Don't feed me a line of BSH_t about musicianship" when 148/150 of any world class corps membership has been through a high school and college music program. How many music majors marched '83 Madison? My respect for '83 Madison comes from the fact that they sound so good with so little prior training and despite their equipment. Your respect for '10 Madison should come from the fact that they sound so good with so little popular influence to draw from and despite their arrangers.

Edited July 10, 2010 by comeonfhqwhgads

[The Other Mike]

As a kid that performed some of those shows that were labelled on here as boring and not fan friendly, I appreciate that sentiment. I also think you've hit the nail on the head - my generation simply wants something different out of drum corps than those that proceeded us.

Does your generation realize that once upon a time it was all about the cake ? The visual was the icing on the cake to highlight the music.

Today, the cake has become perfect, but somewhat bland so that it can "support" the icing.

Thats not " always" the most pleasing to the taste buds, but to those who have never tasted a great cake where the cake was the main feature, all they want is icing.

< heading back to the kitchen for another slice of 5 am snack >

[ewubrassman1]

Here's how I see it.

The state of the activity then, now, good, bad, or otherwise is always going to be an OPINION. There is no absolute solution to comparing any two years or decades to each other. Yes, if you were truly dedicated to doing so, you could watch every single show and count the number of standing ovations year after year, show after show. As I see it, there are too many variables to determine what deserves a standing ovation then, now or ever.

Some love the past, and long for it. Others live in the now, and bask in what is currently being produced. Others still, look forward to the next big thing, or the evolution of the activity. It's ok to feel how you feel, but please don't drag this generation of performers through the mud. They work just as hard as you did, and deserve the same respect. Whether you intend to "bash" the design staff or the performers, it's the performers who...well...performed the show.

Maybe, instead of seeing what's "wrong" with the activity today, and just ranting about it on DCP, try BEING the change. You don't like the fact that these kids aren't having a so-called "great" experience? Perhaps create it for them.

I believe one must maintain an open mind in order to receive fulfillment. That's how I see it, anyway...

[btracht]

On Wednesday in Dublin, I felt the corps performances were generally flat and the audience was dead. Why?

Some of the corps productions may have been largely uninteresting to some if not most people in the stadium. Every year there are shows that are performed very well but just don’t seem to be very entertaining to some if not most people. This has been my experience for almost 40 years now. This year is no exception.

An open aluminum stadium often does not adequately showcase the true power of these top units.

A 90+ degree day with it still being in the 90s when the show start time doesn’t often bode well for performers or fans.

Two Days later, Akron Ohio. I felt the corps performances without exception were full of energy and the audience was alive.

What could have made such a change since Wednesday?

A brick and concrete closed stadium, that made for corps producing full, loud music. (it was the loudest stadium I have been to in years – sat in lower deck - wow!)

A nice cool evening, cooler temperatures for the corps to rehearse in (some spent lots of time rehearsing inside because of the rain). Crowd seemed relaxed and comfortable (not hot and tired). Energy seemed to resonate from every corps, even as they entered the stadium.

Maybe the crowd was more into the show because most did not have to think about getting home late and going to work the next day as was the case for most people who attended the show on Wednesday in Dublin.

Maybe the crowd was just grateful that the show went on as scheduled after a day of rain and a continued forecast of rain for the evening.

A different line-up of corps? Madison, Cavaliers, Crown, and Bluecoats were at both shows. Phantom, Boston, and Spirit were additions to the Akron show. It seemed most people in the stands at the Akron show really liked what the saw, top to bottom.

If Wednesday was the only show I went to all year, I would have left feeling very unsatisfied. But I have attended three other shows this year (Louisville, Bowling Green, and Akron) and I left those shows feeling very satisfied.

Darren, I hope you do venture out again this summer to see another show or two and have a better experience like I have had at the other three shows I attended.

[Mello Dude]

Here's how I see it.

The state of the activity then, now, good, bad, or otherwise is always going to be an OPINION. There is no absolute solution to comparing any two years or decades to each other. Yes, if you were truly dedicated to doing so, you could watch every single show and count the number of standing ovations year after year, show after show. As I see it, there are too many variables to determine what deserves a standing ovation then, now or ever.

Some love the past, and long for it. Others live in the now, and bask in what is currently being produced. Others still, look forward to the next big thing, or the evolution of the activity. It's ok to feel how you feel, but please don't drag this generation of performers through the mud. They work just as hard as you did, and deserve the same respect. Whether you intend to "bash" the design staff or the performers, it's the performers who...well...performed the show.

Maybe, instead of seeing what's "wrong" with the activity today, and just ranting about it on DCP, try BEING the change. You don't like the fact that these kids aren't having a so-called "great" experience? Perhaps create it for them.

I believe one must maintain an open mind in order to receive fulfillment. That's how I see it, anyway...

Yes, everything is always an opinion of some kind. A standing "O" (is)was instantaneous, didn't have to be explained, and was something really cool...and we just don't see a lot of it these days. Change for changes sake is well, stupid for lack of a better word. If that change is to BETTER drum corps that's great, to change it into something that it's not or there is another medium that is the same then drum corps ceases to exist and it simply becomes MBA with no woodwinds. And yes people, there are marching bands that march brass only and have for years. The change to Bb instrumentation and loss of that unique and powerful sound has made this worse, but G vs Bb is another story.

Here's the deal, say I don't WANT to be the change to MBA? What if I want the kids to have some more free time on the road (you know see the where they are and stuff), or play to a crowd with a show that would give them something to remember forever the way they moved the masses? THAT is the DCI art. It doesn't have to have a story (or show theme), explained or anything else...it just is. When art has to be explained...it is epic FAIL.

The OP isn't dragging ANYONE through the mud here. They simply are expressing a VERY common (this means a majority rather than minority btw) view to a VERY introverted activity that is becoming less relevant every year. Drum is a great activity and is AWESOME...unfortunately, due to "change" it isn't really drum corps anymore and THAT is what the problem is IMHO.

[FTNK]

The music of the Classical era (the time of Mozart and Haydn primarily) was defined by clarity, simplicity (in form mostly), and melody. Some of the grandest music composed came from this roughly 70 year span (1750-1820). Certainly brilliance in music history surrounds this period. The music of Bach and the baroque era was typified by ornamentation and an almost stoic nature. The music of the romantic period (set off by Beethoven) expanded chromaticism and expression as well as form. Music has constantly evolved (just as drum corps seems to have evolved from its almost archaic past….remember, we used to only have one line on the field). I look at what is going on today in drum corps as the kind of movement from a “classical style” of drum corps to a more elaborate form of the idiom (I don’t want to call it “romantic” because that’s not really what it is). However, the activity as a whole really isn’t better.

I hate it when people try to be armchair musicologists to justify their DC rants.

[ewubrassman1]

Yes, everything is always an opinion of some kind. A standing "O" (is)was instantaneous, didn't have to be explained, and was something really cool...and we just don't see a lot of it these days. Change for changes sake is well, stupid for lack of a better word. If that change is to BETTER drum corps that's great, to change it into something that it's not or there is another medium that is the same then drum corps ceases to exist and it simply becomes MBA with no woodwinds. And yes people, there are marching bands that march brass only and have for years. The change to Bb instrumentation and loss of that unique and powerful sound has made this worse, but G vs Bb is another story.

Here's the deal, say I don't WANT to be the change to MBA? What if I want the kids to have some more free time on the road (you know see the where they are and stuff), or play to a crowd with a show that would give them something to remember forever the way they moved the masses? THAT is the DCI art. It doesn't have to have a story (or show theme), explained or anything else...it just is. When art has to be explained...it is epic FAIL.

The OP isn't dragging ANYONE through the mud here. They simply are expressing a VERY common (this means a majority rather than minority btw) view to a VERY introverted activity that is becoming less relevant every year. Drum is a great activity and is AWESOME...unfortunately, due to "change" it isn't really drum corps anymore and THAT is what the problem is IMHO.

Sorry, I should be more clear. I don't mean to imply that OP is the one doing the mud dragging. It's just scattered around this thread, and around DCP in general. Not many will admit to it, but MANY will allude to it.

[SFZFAN]

I like waffles.

Edited July 10, 2010 by SFZFAN

[parkbench]

I like waffles.

That's just ridiculous; everyone knows pancakes are better! Waffles waffling shape distorts the denture line when biting and thus prevents a complete and healthy chewing experience one gets from pancakes.

/insanity of this thread

[SFZFAN]

That's just ridiculous; everyone knows pancakes are better! Waffles waffling shape distorts the denture line when biting and thus prevents a complete and healthy chewing experience one gets from pancakes.

/insanity of this thread

If we really argue about this point it will probably make more sense!