TooMello Posted August 9, 2010 Share Posted August 9, 2010 I know I'm going to get blasted... and I have read over and over the discussions pertaining to this topic. Last night I went to my first DCI show in a long time and I was so excited to finally see one and I just hated it. I know the kids are working extremely hard and are putting their heart and soul into these shows... that is obvious. And to that extent, every single one of them are great! But these shows are the most boring things I've witnessed in a long time. Who ever is writing the music and the shows should be ashamed of themselves. How can you do that to those hard working kids? I was so disappointed. I couldn't tell when they were starting half of the time, and if it wasn't for a grand chord at the end and a horn pop, I wouldn't know when it was ending. One show actually put a "blip" of pit at the end so I thought, oh... maybe there is another song...nope. Once the pit was miked up so much they drowned out the drums! In all the years I've been marching and watching drum corps... that has to be a first! When has anything ever drowned out a drum line?! Props... what are they thinking? A guard was doing beautiful work, had beautiful flags and you could barely see them because they had placed them BEHIND these god-awful ugly black props! What is the point of that? I watched the kids race all over the field... AND NOT PLAY! What? All this hype over Bb horns and they aren't playing? Ok, cool visuals, but where's the music? And when they did play, it was "park and bark". I thought, probably because after running, that's all they could do.... and all it sounded like when they did what whole notes in big, esoteric sounding chords. I was extremely greatful for the very few soloists. (And I also noticed not one high note from a soprano/ trumpet. It was so "blended". As a matter of fact, I noticed the shift to featuring low brass most of the time. One corps featured the trumpet line technically at one point and it was a total of 8 counts! That's it? That's all?) Don't tell me I don't understand classical, I'm of the age where you HAD to study that in school. Stuff like that was not an option. I could recognize a piece for a couple of measures and I wasn't sure what the heck they were trying to do after that. I do NOT like the electronic talking on the field. The announcer said the corps would "troop the stands". They didn't, it was chaos on and chaos off. To me it was just a big mess. How can you applaud for the kids hard work during that? I didn't like those big black screens they hide behind. I thought it was extremely distracting. I really tried to figure out the new format for the shows. I know we went from "off the line" to "the exit", and I've watched DCA do "opener, the ballad and the closer". Honestly, after about the 4th corps, I still didn't get what the format was... assuming there is one. I know I HATE the show format. Please, pull the names out of a hat and let them go on in whatever order happens. I'm sick of them showing the corps in the order they are going to score them. Why even wait for the scores? You know by the line up who is going to win and who will not and everyone inbetween. DCA is just as guilty on that one. I left the show early. I won't go to another. I left feeling so sad for each and every kid on that field. Everyone of them is giving everything they have, and those are the worst "drum and bugle corps" shows I've ever seen. I thought, leave the orchestra music in the orchestra, get something exciting on those fields. I know, here it comes, blast me... but all this hype about how wonderful all these new changes are, I wasn't expecting shows that just about put me to sleep. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Staxrocks93 Posted August 9, 2010 Share Posted August 9, 2010 Wow! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TomPeashey Posted August 9, 2010 Share Posted August 9, 2010 why is this in the dca thread? moderators? people could read it and miss that you are talking about going to a dci show. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Danielle Posted August 9, 2010 Share Posted August 9, 2010 Topic moved to DCI forum Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TomPeashey Posted August 9, 2010 Share Posted August 9, 2010 Topic moved to DCI forum Thank you Danielle... right on the ball as usual... and TooMello - this was not a criticism of your remarks... they are your opinion and were clearly and professionally stated... just in the wrong place. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Room_101 Posted August 9, 2010 Share Posted August 9, 2010 I thought, leave the orchestra music in the orchestra, get something exciting on those fields. I really wasn't bothered by your post...seriously!...until the above statement. By your logic, then, orchestra music is NOT "exciting." With that in mind, I cannot value your judgment of orchestral music, and I therefore cannot value your judgment of present-day drum corps. Hopefully you will try and give the activity one more chance. There are a few shows this year that are very "fan-friendly" and have pretty "old-school" show designs. Try to check these out, and maybe you'll find things you like! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WOOHOO Posted August 9, 2010 Share Posted August 9, 2010 I'm kinda confused, what is exciting to you? I didn't read that in there. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Liahona Posted August 9, 2010 Share Posted August 9, 2010 I know I'm going to get blasted... and I have read over and over the discussions pertaining to this topic. Last night I went to my first DCI show in a long time and I was so excited to finally see one and I just hated it. I know the kids are working extremely hard and are putting their heart and soul into these shows... that is obvious. And to that extent, every single one of them are great! But these shows are the most boring things I've witnessed in a long time. Who ever is writing the music and the shows should be ashamed of themselves. How can you do that to those hard working kids? I was so disappointed. I couldn't tell when they were starting half of the time, and if it wasn't for a grand chord at the end and a horn pop, I wouldn't know when it was ending. One show actually put a "blip" of pit at the end so I thought, oh... maybe there is another song...nope. Once the pit was miked up so much they drowned out the drums! In all the years I've been marching and watching drum corps... that has to be a first! When has anything ever drowned out a drum line?! Props... what are they thinking? A guard was doing beautiful work, had beautiful flags and you could barely see them because they had placed them BEHIND these god-awful ugly black props! What is the point of that? I watched the kids race all over the field... AND NOT PLAY! What? All this hype over Bb horns and they aren't playing? Ok, cool visuals, but where's the music? And when they did play, it was "park and bark". I thought, probably because after running, that's all they could do.... and all it sounded like when they did what whole notes in big, esoteric sounding chords. I was extremely greatful for the very few soloists. (And I also noticed not one high note from a soprano/ trumpet. It was so "blended". As a matter of fact, I noticed the shift to featuring low brass most of the time. One corps featured the trumpet line technically at one point and it was a total of 8 counts! That's it? That's all?) Don't tell me I don't understand classical, I'm of the age where you HAD to study that in school. Stuff like that was not an option. I could recognize a piece for a couple of measures and I wasn't sure what the heck they were trying to do after that. I do NOT like the electronic talking on the field. The announcer said the corps would "troop the stands". They didn't, it was chaos on and chaos off. To me it was just a big mess. How can you applaud for the kids hard work during that? I didn't like those big black screens they hide behind. I thought it was extremely distracting. I really tried to figure out the new format for the shows. I know we went from "off the line" to "the exit", and I've watched DCA do "opener, the ballad and the closer". Honestly, after about the 4th corps, I still didn't get what the format was... assuming there is one. I know I HATE the show format. Please, pull the names out of a hat and let them go on in whatever order happens. I'm sick of them showing the corps in the order they are going to score them. Why even wait for the scores? You know by the line up who is going to win and who will not and everyone inbetween. DCA is just as guilty on that one. I left the show early. I won't go to another. I left feeling so sad for each and every kid on that field. Everyone of them is giving everything they have, and those are the worst "drum and bugle corps" shows I've ever seen. I thought, leave the orchestra music in the orchestra, get something exciting on those fields. I know, here it comes, blast me... but all this hype about how wonderful all these new changes are, I wasn't expecting shows that just about put me to sleep. I'm not sure if I want to respond to this one. I've been around drum corps for about 25 years personally both part of and as just a fan. Though I'm not necessarily happy with every change that has transpired over the years, I honestly don't think that the state of drum corps is as bad as you describe it here. Why can you just look for something to like instead of all this negative hate? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
md60 Posted August 9, 2010 Share Posted August 9, 2010 Orchestra is not boring but you dont jump up and yell when the violins play. He just remembers drum corps when it was so exciting somtimes you couldnt here the corps because the crowd was so loud. The kids do work hard but 80 percent of the shows are boring and have no melody, and if they do its shortlived. Take the drum and bugle corps off the trucks, its false advertising. Its not drum and bugle corps. THere are no bugles. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MikeN Posted August 9, 2010 Share Posted August 9, 2010 Mike Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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