donincardona Posted October 17, 2010 Share Posted October 17, 2010 Don, I do not disagree with you at all... But what is the solution? OUR Activity is obscure to the point that it cannot be brought to the masses and have anything happen but failure... It is just plain out of style. There are many many reasons for the decline of the activity but there are really NO solutions... what we have to do is try to make it last as long as we are able... I guarantee that even with VERY VERY accessable shows and easy to understand and get excited about show designs, that we will still only get a luke warm reception. NO MATTER WHAT WE DO DRUM CORPS WILL END SOMEDAY... This is why I choose to try to enjoy it in whatever form it takes on, as it will be taking on NO form in the fairly near future... i agree. it is what it is. just sad. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GUARDLING Posted October 17, 2010 Share Posted October 17, 2010 i agree. it is what it is. just sad. TOTALLY agree with ya here. Many things sad or have been forgotten. So many things different about the activity. Many great creative things and of course many different. My biggest issue sometimes is the lack of respect within our own activity sometimes...BUT maybe another sign of the times....guess thats another topic..lol....But as you said sad! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Big Bad Bari Posted October 17, 2010 Share Posted October 17, 2010 i agree. it is what it is. just sad. I hope I didn't make it sound like I was happy that things are headed to hell in a handbasket... I am NOT! But what I am is realistic and want to hold onto Drum Corps as long as I am able! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JimF-LowBari Posted October 17, 2010 Share Posted October 17, 2010 I hope I didn't make it sound like I was happy that things are headed to hell in a handbasket... I am NOT! But what I am is realistic and want to hold onto Drum Corps as long as I am able! Agreed... and for the record I predicted Senior corps would be dead by 2000 when 1993(?) Prelims had 13 corps. Just enjoy what's left each year and be happy the older recordings (audio and video) are coming out so we have a record of what went on. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ajlisko Posted October 17, 2010 Share Posted October 17, 2010 Agreed... and for the record I predicted Senior corps would be dead by 2000 when 1993(?) Prelims had 13 corps. Just enjoy what's left each year and be happy the older recordings (audio and video) are coming out so we have a record of what went on. We seem to have swayed a bit OT from Jimmy's original question, which focused on how long the Alumni Corps segment of our activity could last ... I believe this is being brought on by the Yankee Rebels Alumni Corps' decision to pack it in this year ... they were one of the "early" Alumni's, performing at DCA in the late 80's ... Archie was the earliest I know of, forming a performing Alumni Corps in 75 or 76 ... the CT Alumni (ex-Hurcs) was formed around 84 ... not sure when Reading's Alumni appeared on the scene ... most of the current crop sprung into action in the mid to late 90's ... speaking for myself, I lasted from the beginning of Sky's Alumni in 94 (Grand Street Boys) until 2006, when my body just gave out and I could no longer perform to my own expectations ... most of the people I know playing with Alumni's are now in the 60-70 age range ... I do not foresee the 40 something crowd getting involved in how Alumni's currently perform ... I do see the possibility of various "reunion" corps popping up here and there, performing either once or, a handful of times ... I see the current set of Alumni Corps becoming more fraternal ans social, possibly ressurecting the Courus scene again and having a heckuva GAS Reunion every year ... :-) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dom Posted October 18, 2010 Share Posted October 18, 2010 TOTALLY agree with ya here. Many things sad or have been forgotten. So many things different about the activity. Many great creative things and of course many different. My biggest issue sometimes is the lack of respect within our own activity sometimes...BUT maybe another sign of the times....guess thats another topic..lol....But as you said sad! I think this tread can lead to stimulating debate because there are some deeper issues involved. Do we really matter? Do those competing both in DCI and DCA really understand who we are? What our purpose is? Do we have a purpose? Is there a place in drum corps for the alumni activity? I have been in the activity for six years. I have to admit, I wonder if we really matter to Drum Corps or did the activity just pass us by and if the only reason we exist is for own purposes; that feeling usually hits big time when I'm getting ready to go on at DCI East. In the past, we have gone on after the scores were announced (which I thought was really disrespectful especially being the majority of the alumni members were the building blocks of what the activity has become), and before the star spangled banner with only about 50 - 100 people in the stands. After a while you start questioning why do it??? I'll never forget the first time at DCI East warming up in the park; a member of Carolina Crown came up to me and said, "For old dudes you play pretty well." I thought to myself if he really knew who was in the corps. Members who were ground breaking with triple tonguing during their judged portion of their show, members of the famous Muchachos, members of the first corps ever to go undefeated in back to back years, members who were the first to transcend from the military type drills to the fan friendly shows, and members of the first eastern corps to win DCI. So do we really matter, will the alumni activity continue? I guess to those few that continue to post to forums like this it does matter and their hope is it will, if only we got the same type of respect from the group we were instrumental in building; maybe then it will. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LegalEagle50 Posted October 18, 2010 Share Posted October 18, 2010 I do not foresee the 40 something crowd getting involved in how Alumni's currently perform ... I Agreed. AND will the typical alumni crowd want to see something that is 10 or 15 years old or will they write it off as "not "REAL" alumni corps? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeff Ream Posted October 18, 2010 Share Posted October 18, 2010 We seem to have swayed a bit OT from Jimmy's original question, which focused on how long the Alumni Corps segment of our activity could last ... I believe this is being brought on by the Yankee Rebels Alumni Corps' decision to pack it in this year ... they were one of the "early" Alumni's, performing at DCA in the late 80's ... Archie was the earliest I know of, forming a performing Alumni Corps in 75 or 76 ... the CT Alumni (ex-Hurcs) was formed around 84 ... not sure when Reading's Alumni appeared on the scene ... most of the current crop sprung into action in the mid to late 90's ... speaking for myself, I lasted from the beginning of Sky's Alumni in 94 (Grand Street Boys) until 2006, when my body just gave out and I could no longer perform to my own expectations ... most of the people I know playing with Alumni's are now in the 60-70 age range ... I do not foresee the 40 something crowd getting involved in how Alumni's currently perform ... I do see the possibility of various "reunion" corps popping up here and there, performing either once or, a handful of times ... I see the current set of Alumni Corps becoming more fraternal ans social, possibly ressurecting the Courus scene again and having a heckuva GAS Reunion every year ...:-) that 40 something crowd, at least in 2 cases I know of, have two corps going in PA, as Westshore is annually the youngest corps at Serenade, and Bucs have gotten younger the last few years as well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JimF-LowBari Posted October 19, 2010 Share Posted October 19, 2010 (edited) Who knows what the future will bring but few years ago Lancers were asked for suggestions on helping the corps for the future. From what I understand, a lot of responses included the phrase "play something other than our usual parade-type stuff". My translation was the members were getting bored. How no idea if that is helping with getting some "yutes" <$1 to My Cousin Vinnie> but is more fun to play and (hopefully) listen to. LOL after reading Lizs' post as this year we are playing two numbers that were done 30 years ago. Thank goodness they're not parade tunes. Back OT: Why do I get the idea the DC movement is going back to the smaller corps that were around at the beginning. Reading about AL Nationals between the wars and phrases like "2nd biggest corps at 48 members" keep sticking out. Mebbe Alumni type will be around a bit longer than expected but more than a bit smaller than what we're used to. Edited October 19, 2010 by JimF-LowBari Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GUARDLING Posted October 19, 2010 Share Posted October 19, 2010 Agreed. AND will the typical alumni crowd want to see something that is 10 or 15 years old or will they write it off as "not "REAL" alumni corps? Agree also. Ive already heard from some of the 40/50 somethings that they dont mind playing some of the tunes from the 50s 60s and 70s BUT would love to mix it up with more contemporary things. As time goes on ,like everything the new old will be the 90s and 2000s and alumni will change with it's membership as well as audiance. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.