Glenn Loving Posted August 26, 2010 Share Posted August 26, 2010 You know drum corps is dying when…………… You replace your marching instructor with a choreographer. You try to improve your front line sound by buying a new amp You publish your repertoire and you play no RECOGNISABLE songs from it You feel the need to amplify your soloists You have to make room in the food truck for the 30 tons of props you are hauling around the country The fans are in the stands complaining that they have to wait for an “exciting” corps……..And they are at the World Finals!!! You have to make room in your corps budget for MICROPHONES It stops being about the corps members and becomes all about the corps administration ego It stops being about horns, drums and pageantry and more about a stage production You cancel a show because your singer lost her voice. Your "The Who" theme show involves smashing your amp at the end. You ditch your Navy oxford shoes for jazz slippers. You have more brass on the field than ever and still need amplification. Your field show cures insomnia. Your drum line cannot execute a single rudiment but moves like Cirque du Soleil. Your color guard makes male figure skaters look brawny, rugged, and manly in comparison. Jazz Running? Your drum major doesn't use a baton or a mace but yells, "Plug it in!" to start the show. Your drum corps auditions includes a voice lesson Your music is not recognizable ……….. by anyone High mark time marching is unique and original someone hears DCI and thinks of old Titleist irons. there are more people in the pit than on the field. rain cancels a show for fear of electrical problems. judges give recaps like Bruno Tonioli critiquing a celebrity on "Dancing With the Stars." drills look like a strand of DNA. the music you play is so obscure the composers forgot they wrote it. You hear comments like “I play third violin for the Troopers.” You think WGI is the bomb but never heard of drum corps. A soloist blames cracked notes on his #### reed being too dry. They give I&E medals to flute and saxophone performances! They start referring to drum corps as BAND! You are a lifelong drum corps nut and you actually question whether you want to go a competition You mention the 27th Lancers, North Star, Freelancers, or the Muchachos to “a drum corps fan” and they say “Who?” The goal of the corps directors is to win a Tony Award Your show requires an MC to explain what is going on. The crowd as a whole does not yell and scream anymore during the performance. People start to compare drum corps sound to that of a concert band The corps is concerned with conveying nuance rather than giving “that chill” Can any one think of more? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DrillmanSop06 Posted August 26, 2010 Share Posted August 26, 2010 Well, guess drum corps is dead. And who in their right mind would wear military dress shoes for drum corps? That just sounds painful. And as someone who performs in them regularly, I think I can safely say that I'd NEVER want to march a modern drum corps show in anything but, say, Vipers...A hybrid marching and DANCE shoe. Drum corps is dead. Time for everyone to disperse. Nothing to see here. Except, you know, fantastic outdoor STAGE PRODUCTIONS by talented young PERFORMERS. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DrinkinOuttaCups Posted August 26, 2010 Share Posted August 26, 2010 You mention a couple of times that corps are playing obscure music. To that, I say...God forbid somebody hear something new that they might like. Y'know? I had never heard Emerson's Piano Concerto until Spirit played it...and now I like it! Go listen to Bizet's "Jeux d'enfants." Have you ever heard of it? I didn't even know it existed until yesterday, and now I love it. Look at that - I was exposed to something new and unfamiliar, and now I like it! Good for all those corps choosing to play music outside of the "norm." Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
3rd Glasgow BB Posted August 26, 2010 Share Posted August 26, 2010 You know drum corps is dying when……………You replace your marching instructor with a choreographer. You try to improve your front line sound by buying a new amp You publish your repertoire and you play no RECOGNISABLE songs from it You feel the need to amplify your soloists You have to make room in the food truck for the 30 tons of props you are hauling around the country The fans are in the stands complaining that they have to wait for an “exciting” corps……..And they are at the World Finals!!! You have to make room in your corps budget for MICROPHONES It stops being about the corps members and becomes all about the corps administration ego It stops being about horns, drums and pageantry and more about a stage production You cancel a show because your singer lost her voice. Your "The Who" theme show involves smashing your amp at the end. You ditch your Navy oxford shoes for jazz slippers. You have more brass on the field than ever and still need amplification. Your field show cures insomnia. Your drum line cannot execute a single rudiment but moves like Cirque du Soleil. Your color guard makes male figure skaters look brawny, rugged, and manly in comparison. Jazz Running? Your drum major doesn't use a baton or a mace but yells, "Plug it in!" to start the show. Your drum corps auditions includes a voice lesson Your music is not recognizable ……….. by anyone High mark time marching is unique and original someone hears DCI and thinks of old Titleist irons. there are more people in the pit than on the field. rain cancels a show for fear of electrical problems. judges give recaps like Bruno Tonioli critiquing a celebrity on "Dancing With the Stars." drills look like a strand of DNA. the music you play is so obscure the composers forgot they wrote it. You hear comments like “I play third violin for the Troopers.” You think WGI is the bomb but never heard of drum corps. A soloist blames cracked notes on his #### reed being too dry. They give I&E medals to flute and saxophone performances! They start referring to drum corps as BAND! You are a lifelong drum corps nut and you actually question whether you want to go a competition You mention the 27th Lancers, North Star, Freelancers, or the Muchachos to “a drum corps fan” and they say “Who?” The goal of the corps directors is to win a Tony Award Your show requires an MC to explain what is going on. The crowd as a whole does not yell and scream anymore during the performance. People start to compare drum corps sound to that of a concert band The corps is concerned with conveying nuance rather than giving “that chill” Can any one think of more? some of that is spot on! ipods instead of ghetto blasters! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hrothgar15 Posted August 26, 2010 Share Posted August 26, 2010 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WestCoaster Posted August 26, 2010 Share Posted August 26, 2010 (edited) Gratuitous attacks from the usual suspects (aka the DCP peanut gallery) notwithstanding, I like this. A lot! Good stuff, funny yet right to the point. Kudos! Edited August 26, 2010 by WestCoaster Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ContraJohn Posted August 26, 2010 Share Posted August 26, 2010 (edited) The highlighted quote below is what defines the death of Drum Corps for me. Example....20 tubas and still the need for synth bass backup? I would classify this as more of a definition of embarrassment Hornline volumes enhanced by a volume control? Bigger embarrassment. You know drum corps is dying when……………... You have more brass on the field than ever and still need amplification. ... Edited August 26, 2010 by ContraJohn Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mobrien Posted August 26, 2010 Share Posted August 26, 2010 Geez Louise. Can the mods just create a "Dinosaur Complaints" sub forum, similar to the World Series forum, where those who want to say that drum corps today sucks can go grouse about how much better it was back whenever they marched? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dckid80 Posted August 26, 2010 Share Posted August 26, 2010 ...people feel the need to start a thread titled "You know drum corps is dying when.........." Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ContraJohn Posted August 26, 2010 Share Posted August 26, 2010 Tough to compete with a generation raised by game consoles, cheat codes, and the easy button. They are now showing their influences on the field and selling tickets doing so. Geez Louise. Can the mods just create a "Dinosaur Complaints" sub forum, similar to the World Series forum, where those who want to say that drum corps today sucks can go grouse about how much better it was back whenever they marched? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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