DCI story on CNN.com

[Michael Boo]

Interesting to find that, according to corpsreps, they never have played it.

It was the warm-up in 1978, which they did to movement decades before we had pre-shows as we know it.

[HockeyDad]

I think we should totally ostracize the fans. Obviously, drum corps hates performing to people

Done!

[TwoValves]

I'd think you'd have a hard time getting 18-22 year olds of now to march a 70's (whatever decade) style show and enjoy it

I can probably find you 150 kids in Scouts uniforms who might strongly disagree with this statement.

[oldschooldbc]

Sorry to tell you this Elmer but it certainly happens. Don't kid yourself. I forget who it was but someone from Blue Knights was talking about this just last night. I know about kids just this year who left Open Class corps' IN THE SPRINGTIME to join a World Class corps and nothing is thought about it. It's just wrong.

How is that possible?

When you sign a contract with a corps, don't you sign a letter, stating that you cannot march with another corps, until the following season? I distinctly remember signing one of these back when I marched, and I am 99% sure that my son had to sign the same.

Doesn't DCI require these letters to be signed, and this rule to be enforced? Or is it all just being treated as one big joke now?

[mikita21]

As someone who marched in the 60s this slow steady metamorphasis of Drum Corps has been a slow steady sadness. I no longer call it Drum Corps; I call it, for my own peace of mind, "Field Theater" And it is musically and visually stunning in the moment, perhaps more so than ever before. But it is no longer memorable in the lasting impact of a performance as were so many shows, or even single numbers within a show (Madison's ever-present Maleguena) back in the 60s, 70s and 80s and only on occasion today. The moment today's Corps show is over, only a few hooks remain in the memory. Ask 10, 000 people leaving a show (tonight's or tomorrow's) "Can you hum or whistle what ___________played out there?" I suspect 95% might give you a snippet and little more.

But ask someone to hum the New York Skyliners "Little Old New York" or the Chicago Royal Aires "Those Magificent Men in Their Flying Machines" or the Cavaliers "Bully" or yes, Maleguena, and legions of corps fans can duplicate with their throats and their hands not only the tune itself, but the specific corps arrangment of any of those. And the people who can do that are the ones who will go back and back and back to watch corps to that stuff, but who are staying home more and more and more today.

DCI in particular has a problem of not recognizing its own failure to get more bums in seats; no, wait. I'm sure it recognizes the steady audience erosion: it just has no idea why!!! So it keeps tumbling down the rabbit hole. I so dearly love the Cavaliers. But The Cavaliers with woodwinds would not be "The Cavaliers" if you know what I mean and I think you do.

My solution? Bring back the 30 and 36 horn Corps in small towns; fill the stands with mom and dad and Aunt Jenny and Uncle Bert and all the relatives of the guy from the hardware store who is sponsoring the best drumline trophy. Bring back the small regional competitions that let corps travel but not all that far. Bring back the regional shows with better names than DCI East and DCI South (read: Dream, CYO, World Open). and send the best of the local corps to the national (not world) championship. **by that, I do not mean to exclude corps from Canada, or anywhere else -- just tone down the pomposity of it all.

And bring back "music"! The 4 most dreaded words a show announcer can say are "....an original compostion by....."

Someone on Broadway once opined that when people leave your show, they'd better be whistling your tune. I cannot hum or whistle much of the Cavalier 2004 show "007 Returns" although I still beleive it to be one of the greatest modern corps shows I have seen. But I can do all of "Bully".

I recall watching a (then) Division III show and a corps that fielded just 11 horns. what did they play? Dvorak's New World Symphony. I am curious how many of us could make that "soar" with 11 horns (and 1 snare drum, as I recall......) But I think that corps could have scored way better with a popular tune better suited to 11 voices, and I suspect, had a lot more fun, too.

So whatever is going on within DCI in particular, and Drum Corps in general, is finally leaching out into the mainstream media. Have we been treating it like a dirtly little secret we all grunt about at shows? Will mainstream media attention move any of us back towards a more sane, economically- and community-responsible drum corps activity?

Such are dreams.......................

[oldschooldbc]

8) Get back to what the KIDS expect and want from Drum Corps, not what the adults and designers want.

And let's not forget point 9:

Develop a real marketing plan for drum corps. Use the excess revenues from DCI to start a real marketing program - not the shambolic mess that DCI has now. That is the only way that you will build your revenue base over time, as you continue to cope with rising operating costs.

If this had been done 10 years ago, we wouldn't be facing this G7 catastrophe at this point in time.

I really can't wait for Bob Jacobs to come back in here in the fall. He doubles as DCI's marketing director. Hopefully, DCI (in whatever format it exists) will get its marketing act together, and Bob can lead the way.

[N.E. Brigand]

Ask 10, 000 people leaving a show (tonight's or tomorrow's) "Can you hum or whistle what ___________played out there?" I suspect 95% might give you a snippet and little more.....

The 4 most dreaded words a show announcer can say are "an original compostion by--"

Well, to start with the top two corps tonight: Cavaliers do a pretty straight up version of "Smile", which is a very familiar melody, and Blue Devils play variations on another melody, "Laura", that I would have assumed most people know. As for original compositions, were there any this evening? Aren't they fairly uncommon? Who else has done original work in recent memory besides the Cavaliers? (Granted I think only one of their original shows, "Spin Cycle", works without the visuals--I've enjoyed listening to it on CD many times. Well, "Machine" has good moments.)

[dc oldtimer]

It takes 5-7 clarinets to make up the sound a trumpet can produce, and that is not even playing the trumpet loud! Woodwinds have no place on the marching field....."

And you know what? He is right.

One word;

mics

[silvertrombone]

Oh sure, NOW Drum Corps makes CNN!

What he said.

[silvertrombone]

And let's not forget point 9:

Develop a real marketing plan for drum corps. Use the excess revenues from DCI to start a real marketing program - not the shambolic mess that DCI has now. That is the only way that you will build your revenue base over time, as you continue to cope with rising operating costs.

If this had been done 10 years ago, we wouldn't be facing this G7 catastrophe at this point in time.

I really can't wait for Bob Jacobs to come back in here in the fall. He doubles as DCI's marketing director. Hopefully, DCI (in whatever format it exists) will get its marketing act together, and Bob can lead the way.

Correction...if it had been done 20 years ago Bluecoats, Carolina Crown and about 5 other corps who have not would have won championships, we would have expanded the number of corps rather than contracting to <50 and EVERYBODY would be better off.

See also the NFL in the EXACT SAME TIME PERIOD. Monopoly = big bucks for the few, worse off for the many. Antitrust is antitrust for a reason. And the NFL is MUCH more profitable annually now than even 20 years ago due to everyone being within 3 years of competing for a championship/division title/playoff spot.

Parallel...

Imagine if Finals had 6 different corps next year compared with this year compared with last year...

Last year's champion placed 8th this year...

And next year's champion wasn't even in finals this year...

Now THAT would be exciting! And excitement generates revenues. Don't ask where from. Paducah, Kentucky. Casper, Wyoming. Who cares 'where'? Excitement generates INTEREST...which begets REVENUES.

Mirrors produce championship after championship after championship. (snotty retort) And isn't it interesting who has all the money in the legacy system, who has all the mirrors, who has all the ego and who has all the trophies?

See also the Cowboys, 49ers, Steelers, Redskins and Giants of old.

Unfortunately, DCI finally made the press. Unfortunate because it was not due to excitment or awesomeness...but ego and B.S.

Let 'em go. Good luck paying for the stadium rental for anything grander than, say, J. Birney Crum. Nice view. No roof. One way to get 8 new Finalists next year, huh?