Tonight I felt like an old timer!

[GMichael1230]

How I feel ?? Ive been addicted to this activity for 30 years. Its in my blood, intertwines in my "real" life and is a part of everything I do. I'm a competitive persona nd I live for the competition that takes place on the field.

I can remember sitting in the stands in the eighties and early nineties, at Allentown and getting goosebumps just from seeing whpo was going to enter the field next...seeing the trucks and busses ride by in the back caused butterflies in my stomach..

Should I stop and really think about it...what we have today is a sad pale shadow of what used to be a full, diverse activity. All of the corps that are left literally apply to the same design and approach to design as each other and all corps have lost their general identity.

I know many will disagree and cite examples....like I said, sure you know who BD is, or Cadets are..but lost along the way are the things that made these corps unique and diverse.

I too remember audiences jam packed with folks of all walks of like just constantly howling, screaming, leaping to their feet, cheering and just generally having a good time because what was being presented on the field.

Rivalries were celebrated, traditions were honored and through it all.....Competition was always primary. Kids mattered the most. There were no "RV"'s full of elite staff, trucks full of extra equipment, glitzy costumes and props, No need ot be on the road 30 days at a time.

You didnt need to "audintion" or send an "audition tape" You were accepted, taught and thrived due to the comraderie and desire to be the best. Everyone was there to be their best and entertain the folks in the stands..

What we have now is an activity that is full of inflated egos, greed, and the desire to keep up with the jones's but the Jones's are falling by the way-side.

Instructors and staff, mostof who are playing dual roles as marching band staff and faculty are trying to turn the activity into what they want and totally missing the boat on entertainment, inovation, and entertainment.

There is nothing wrong with progress, change and evolution, however to use these terms and create something totally different that is not cuased by the natural evolution of things is a travesty in the name of try inovation. Too many things have been altered, pushed into play, shoved down our throats, changed and tinkered with. Its really funny how nobody that is in charge cannot see how all these changes are just hurting and destroying the activity......

Yet, they move forward with their visions and ideas, and to heck with tradition and history. Now, I love what I see today..but do I ?? Is it me grasping onto it like an aging actor...trying to recapture a little bit of what was and hopig, begging, something will happen out there to restore my faith and keep me coming back ?? Sometimes I groan at the start of shows, sometimes I ask.."Isnt it time to move on" ?? Maybe I dont know any other way and I still am lucky enough to find a reason to keep doing what I do and liking, just enough, what is being presented on the field.

Knowing the kids still enjoy what they do gives me great incentive to keep coming back...but I wonder. do they know what it feels like to get rauccous aplaus and endless standing ovations ?? I dont know..just rambling.

Dear OP..you are not alone.........someday, there will be nobody left to respnd to you.

G

[Lance]

the next two weeks when I'm in the audience, i'll gladly let you know what they're doing

and your anecdotes will be as meaningful as anybody else's.

it's amazing how different perceptions are by indifviduals within an auidenc.e

[GMichael1230]

and your anecdotes will be as meaningful as anybody else's.

it's amazing how different perceptions are by indifviduals within an auidenc.e

SO true........so true.

G

[garfield]

You know, I love drum corps. Every bit of it. When I go on the road and teach, I still pull up to shows and get the same nervous butterflies I got when I was 17 and marching for the first time. I love seeing kids have that same feeling. I love watching them come off the field and see them become a part of something so much bigger than themselves and not even know it. I love it. I love it. I love it. All of it and every corps. I think drum corps is ####### awesome! There was a year there....2002...that I thought, "Okay, what the hell is going on here?" But then 2003 happened and all was forgiven. So, just give it time. Like everything in life, drum corps is on a constant pendulum. You don't like it this year, give it another go next year.

A bit off topic: What would be rad, though, would be to see a corps get a reaction out of both the crowd, and the judge, like this corps did. Of course, make the show contemporary and fit into today's design formulas.

Now THAT would be awesome!

Yes, that's the emotional level.

Fantastic outtake. Can't believe they cut it, frankly.

[The Other Mike]

POINT OF ORDER:

I've been thinking about this for a long time now ( hey, I'm SLOW ) and I wonder if we are not using the correct terms ?

Both old and new ARE entertaining.

What I REALLY miss is the "showmanship" of the old shows. hear me out before flaming

I think many of us agree that more and more we see a generic show formula.

We used to see so much more showmanship that highlighted each corps PERSONALITY.

I miss the days when corps personalities were something special.

Of course back then, it was usually the concept and personality of the corps director / founder. Each one had a vision of what that corps was and what they wanted to portray and made sure it stayed to it's roots. ( most, not all )

Todays corps are like a blended scotch and I miss the single malt scotch where each one had a unique flavor.

[Lance]

no problem. Look, i'm not saying the on field product makes me dance for joy the last few years. But, after the Januals, I have hope they're looking at some things, and can tke some feedback to the corps. In January, when most corps have picked their shows, it may be a little too late.

While seeing one show a year ( minus 08, there was 2) that had people throwing babies DURING the show isn't the best way to capture the paying public, it shows it's not dead yet either.

Do I have hope for change? Sure I do. Even when I ##### on here at my worst, I have some hope....after all, I'm returning to finals thisyear for the first time since 02, even tho i despise drum corps in a ####### dome.

I do see tho, all G7 stuff aside, people listening in the corps. I do see potential this year in terms of fan friendlier design that doesnt require a doctorate level reading course to get.

but I despise the attitude of "if you dont like it, go the #### away".

Why? Because too many people have been told that, and far too many walked away.

And that is stupid business, because with fewer corps, and kids not having the loyalty they used to, the numbers of fans to replace those who have walked or will soon walk is NOT enough to replace those already gone or on their way out the door.

walking away is the best means at anybody's disposal of trying to affect change. if enough do it and the doomsday scenario you predicted in your last sentence happens, then things might change.

it's something you and others keep threatening but never do. if you and people who just hate all of the "problems" you percive keep going, you're contributing to the "problems".

freelancer has the right idea about simply walking away and not contributing anymore to that which he doesn't like.

I realize that attacking me for saying this is what will happen, and I bear no hard feelings to anybody about it.

[ecamburn]

IMO, the underlying premises of this and 99% of all debates on DCP is flawed - that drum corps is some sort of monolithic thing that can be neatly summed up in general terms, and that peoples' perception of drum corps is (and maybe should be) universal.

These two things just aren't true and never will be and the very reason people never quit arguing about these kinds of things on DCP is because drum corps is highly variable and perceptions of drum corps are highly variable and you'll never be able to resolve arguments by boiling things down into definitive answers.

All completely MHO of course.

for the record, I was first exposed to drum corps in the early 70s, marched in the mid and late 70s. I've been to two shows this year and was moved in multiple ways by Phantom's and Madison's shows.

different strokes...

Edited July 31, 2010 by ecamburn

[garfield]

How I feel ?? Ive been addicted to this activity for 30 years. Its in my blood, intertwines in my "real" life and is a part of everything I do. I'm a competitive persona nd I live for the competition that takes place on the field.

I can remember sitting in the stands in the eighties and early nineties, at Allentown and getting goosebumps just from seeing whpo was going to enter the field next...seeing the trucks and busses ride by in the back caused butterflies in my stomach..

Should I stop and really think about it...what we have today is a sad pale shadow of what used to be a full, diverse activity. All of the corps that are left literally apply to the same design and approach to design as each other and all corps have lost their general identity.

I know many will disagree and cite examples....like I said, sure you know who BD is, or Cadets are..but lost along the way are the things that made these corps unique and diverse.

I too remember audiences jam packed with folks of all walks of like just constantly howling, screaming, leaping to their feet, cheering and just generally having a good time because what was being presented on the field.

Rivalries were celebrated, traditions were honored and through it all.....Competition was always primary. Kids mattered the most. There were no "RV"'s full of elite staff, trucks full of extra equipment, glitzy costumes and props, No need ot be on the road 30 days at a time.

You didnt need to "audintion" or send an "audition tape" You were accepted, taught and thrived due to the comraderie and desire to be the best. Everyone was there to be their best and entertain the folks in the stands..

What we have now is an activity that is full of inflated egos, greed, and the desire to keep up with the jones's but the Jones's are falling by the way-side.

Instructors and staff, mostof who are playing dual roles as marching band staff and faculty are trying to turn the activity into what they want and totally missing the boat on entertainment, inovation, and entertainment.

There is nothing wrong with progress, change and evolution, however to use these terms and create something totally different that is not cuased by the natural evolution of things is a travesty in the name of try inovation. Too many things have been altered, pushed into play, shoved down our throats, changed and tinkered with. Its really funny how nobody that is in charge cannot see how all these changes are just hurting and destroying the activity......

Yet, they move forward with their visions and ideas, and to heck with tradition and history. Now, I love what I see today..but do I ?? Is it me grasping onto it like an aging actor...trying to recapture a little bit of what was and hopig, begging, something will happen out there to restore my faith and keep me coming back ?? Sometimes I groan at the start of shows, sometimes I ask.."Isnt it time to move on" ?? Maybe I dont know any other way and I still am lucky enough to find a reason to keep doing what I do and liking, just enough, what is being presented on the field.

Knowing the kids still enjoy what they do gives me great incentive to keep coming back...but I wonder. do they know what it feels like to get rauccous aplaus and endless standing ovations ?? I dont know..just rambling.

Dear OP..you are not alone.........someday, there will be nobody left to respnd to you.

G

Out-da*n-standing post, G.

We are the old actors, no doubt. And the only standing O's like we remember may only now show up at our funerals.

But we hang on...hoping...

[Lance]

But Lance, they are a legitimate part of this community. They contributed to the history of this activity and their opinion is important. Good or bad, right or wrong, their feelings, and thoughts are vaild and they have the right to post them here and should expect a decent amount of respect and maturity..

G

There is little respect or maturity showed towards anybody in the OP. he has a right to his opinion, of course. I find it baffling. If anybody went into the historical forum and started ####### all over those shows, it would be interesting to see the reactions of the #### talkers who come into this thread and spew their hate. Respect is a two-way street.

People keep saying everybody is entitled to their own opinions. This is mine.

some of my favorite responses that this has generated:

Oh they will try to tell you that it's still drum corps but we know it's not. Like you said the kids are still aspiring to be great and they get a cool experience touring the country, but that's about it.

Keep the faith, the numbers of people who have walked away will always outnumber those who sit wide eyed ready to pounce on the first person who dares speak against the ONLY thing they know. It's not their fault, they just haven't experienced what we have. And that really irks them

Yep, Drum Corps has definitely "jumped the shark" for about the last decade. Newer fans will of course love what is going on now but are simply ignorant of what made drum corps unique and God forbid entertaining in the recent past. As they say ignorance is bliss.

Stop calling todays drum corps BANDS!! BANDS PLAY RECOGNIZABLE MUSIC !!!

That sound has been diluted and destroyed with the addition of more gimmicky crap. All in the name of growing the art form. What BS. So sad!

Classy and respectful....hmmmmm...two-way street, I think.

Respect is reciprocated in most threads on here that aren't devoted to ####### all over what goes on today.

Saying "I appreciate you, but what you choose to do is garbage" is not respectful.

[BRASSO]

You can't make both old school and new school happy at the same time.

There is too little overlap, if any at all.

I disagree with this broad brush generalization and mischaracterization . It seems to me that most " old school " and " new school " fans liked 2008 Phantom Regiment DCI winning Title show. Additionally, it would not surprise me at all if the " new school " fans of today gave the " old school "1993 Star Reunion Corps a better hand than the DCI " new school " Blue Devils show in Indy.

But we'll see.