When are corps going to come back to their roots?

[Jeff Ream]

this is insane. amplification and electronics actually cuts costs...there are corps who left the tympani at home and instead used electronics.

You could purchase at least 4 complete electronics packages for the cost of a set of tympani.

There are fewer corps today because fewer kids want to march corps and drum corps' management failed to address their budget issues and went on long tours when they shouldn't have. Why did they? They were afraid if they stayed local, they wouldn't be able to retain their membership.

Membership? Well, like I said earlier...there are more choices for young people now and most do not choose drum corps.

fewer kids want to march? we keep hearing about the record turnouts at camps. so which is it?

now if you say fewer places in which to march, then yes, you are right

[Jeff Ream]

Also, drum corps once represented a completely different approach to marching music than HS band. That includes instrumentation, style of music/drill, and approach to guard among many other differences. Nowadays there is virtually no distinction. HS Bands are all 'corps style' and DCI is on the fast track to becoming summer marching band. Just need the woodwinds and we all know they are are around the corner...

you'd be surprised to know at best maybe 50% of the bands out there are "corps style"

[Jeff Ream]

Everything, including the birth of George Hopkins, is David Gibbs's fault.

Remind me to explain the concept of "a joke" to you sometime.

Nah, why bother.

NEXT

well, George had a higher midi-chlorian count

[Jeff Ream]

You misconstrue praise for encouragement. Further, criticism of the staff and organization shoud be done in private, not an open forum. As for their show, it is a celebration of who they are and what they believe, not a tool to convert anyone to christianity. Since this country is primarily Protestant and Catholic, it is "political correctness" at the extreme to worry about hurting a Muslim's feelings. Sorry sir, but we will continue to agree to disagree. I respect your right to express your opinion, just don't care much for the opinion itself.

no offense, but in a public forum, criticism of their show should be seen and heard, and I dont think anyone tied to the corps expects otherwise.

[Jeff Ream]

One thing about evolution (of drum corps) that I think many don't think about is:

If today's show were exactly like the shows in the 1970s.... would kids of marching age even want to participate?

If today's show were exactly like the shows in the 1980s.... would kids of marching age even want to participate?

80's stand a better chance

[Ed from Kansas]

no offense, but in a public forum, criticism of their show should be seen and heard, and I dont think anyone tied to the corps expects otherwise.

If you read my post, I said nothing about criticism of the show. I said that criticism of the staff and organization should be done in private. I agree that it's ok to criticize a show if you feel you want or need to but it's quite another thing to attack the staff and organization.

[Jeff Ream]

If you read my post, I said nothing about criticism of the show. I said that criticism of the staff and organization should be done in private. I agree that it's ok to criticize a show if you feel you want or need to but it's quite another thing to attack the staff and organization.

my bad, i meant to type staff. some unfortunately take criticism as an attack..be it the staff, the kids whatever.

if a football team gets killed every week, should we not criticize the coaches? sorry, not happening, and the same with drum corps.

signed, a guy who really hates what Corssmens designers have been giving them the last few years and i'm not afraid or ashamed to say it

[Ed from Kansas]

my bad, i meant to type staff. some unfortunately take criticism as an attack..be it the staff, the kids whatever.

if a football team gets killed every week, should we not criticize the coaches? sorry, not happening, and the same with drum corps.

signed, a guy who really hates what Corssmens designers have been giving them the last few years and i'm not afraid or ashamed to say it

Jeff,

In the case of Pioneer, since this corps seems to be the center of the controversy here, it goes back to the mission of the corps. They are a "teaching" corps. That is how they started and that is how they are today. BD has a different mission, for example, than Pioneer. That doesn't make them any better or worse. I don't like the BD show this year but have a great deal of respect for their organization. They, like all corps, have helped a lot of kids in their musical endeavors but their goal and mission is to win. Pioneer's goal and mission, on the other hand, is to make the kids the winners. This is the good and bad of Pioneer. Many of the kids get their initial training at Pioneer, which is their stated mission, and then move on to upper echelon corps after a year or two.

I would not say that Pioneer is a bunch of losers because they have stayed true to their traditions, beliefs and mission. So, I guess it all comes down to point of view. If a person is going to criticize a staff or organization, it is always wise to understand the thinking of said staff and organization. That's just my thought on the issue.

[Sayre Kulp]

absolutely unnecessary? YES

Unncessary? NO!

It's just as unfair for dino's to trash today's activity as it is for the younger generations to disregard the past as obsolete when they don't even bother to know where they came from.

[Tom Brace]

fewer kids want to march? we keep hearing about the record turnouts at camps. so which is it?

now if you say fewer places in which to march, then yes, you are right

fewer corps = more record turnouts Jeff. That's easy.

Fewer kids want to march, Fact.