What show whould you rather see....

[Jeff Ream]

The Cumberland crowd. The Barnum Festival crowd.

Two DCA shows where the stands were filled with fans who were not "drum corps nuts" (or music people or whatever) by any means... but just folks from the local town(s) who came to that one show a year to be entertained.

I'm sure there are any number of examples like this on the DCI side, too.

I went to the Barnum Festival in 1985 just as a fan.... some non-drum corps friends of mine from the Bridgeport area had seats in the VIP seating area (their daughter was part of the Barnum Festival celebration....which involved a number of local events besides the drum corps show) and they invited me up.

Until that day when I had the chance to watch the entire show (I marched in a number of Barnum shows but never saw the entire thing), I had no real idea how cool it was, with the "pre-show" festivities featuring the "Ringmaster" being brought into the stadium by helicopter (every year a local or national celebrity was chosen to head the Barnum events as the Ringmaster), a Mummers string band, various other stuff related to PT Barnum's local history, and I seem to remember, either a flyover by some military aircraft or some military paratroopers parachuting into the stadium.

Then came the drum corps show, the awards ceremony and the post-show march-offs of all the corps and the winners' encore. Talk about getting your money's worth! And most of the folks sitting around me had little or no clue about the "larger drum corps/marching music community"... they just came to that one show a year to have some fun.

Jeff, you're right. Competitive drum corps...DCI and DCA... needs more people (and shows) like that.

I can name a few just here by me...the hershey show, the Carlisle show and the Mechanicsburg show. the Reading show, and my God, Lewisburg too.

[Jeff Ream]

you really think that calling something with which you disagree "revisionist history" makes you sound like you know what you're talking about, brasso?

i hope not, because it really doesn't.

thanks to mike and fran for voicing their opinions. nice to see.

no Lance, as someone who has been to Allentown pretty much every year since 1977, he's right.

[JamMan]

2005 Cadets

Agreed.

[Lance]

no Lance, as someone who has been to Allentown pretty much every year since 1977, he's right.

yet plenty of people who have also been there a lot have said something that doesn't align with what you're saying.

thanks to all who are willing to share their experiences!

[Mello Dude]

Poll on BD crowd response 70's 80's.

[MikeD]

Drum Corps fans gave mostly a golf clap this year to the Blue Devils in Allentown after their performance. I was present. I talked with other fans, and they said that this was the typical BD response to their show at most venues this year. The tepid response the BD got this year in Allentown was, in fact, quite unusual.

I was in Allentown also throughout the 70's . The Blue Devils performed there often. Allentown back then naturally rooted for the East Corps Corps to do well. But not once... not a single time... did the Blue Devils show generate a polite golf clap where many of the fans in attendance felt this degree of unfullfilled expectation in the entertainment value of the show. The suggestion that the response that the audience gave the Blue Devils at the completion of their show this year in Allentown was in any way comparable to the Allentown audience reception to their show performances there in the 70's is simply false.... and revisionist history at it's worst, imo.

I was not comparing their 70's reception to their 2010 reception...I was making a comment about them as they were back then, and the reaction they generated here in the East as compared to the Eastern corps I mentioned. I saw them all over the Northeast.

[JimF-LowBari]

I can name a few just here by me...the hershey show, the Carlisle show and the Mechanicsburg show. the Reading show, and my God, Lewisburg too.

LOL, first show I ever saw was Hershey 1974.... Freaking place was SOLD OUT concert side for a regular season 5 corps DCA show. IIRC, each side seats 8,000 so my guess was 9-10,000 paying customers. Of course seat prices of about $4-$5 (can't remember helped).

Was an usher at Carlisle for years and usually at the same section. Saw some familiar faces and got to talk to many of them. Over half of the folks I talked to didn't know anyone in the corps, they just thought the show was a good way to spend an evening.

Lewisburg crowd..... wow... just wow.... considering the location not near any big population center, #### wow...

[GMichael1230]

Wow, 3 moths later ad there is still disdain for 2010 BD !! LOL

G

[BRASSO]

Wow, 3 moths later ad there is still disdain for 2010 BD !! LOL

G

BD is the current DCI Champion... and they are undefeated to boot. As a result of their supremacy at the moment, then naturally people would discuss them ( in a good or bad way ) more than for example The Mandarins.

Drum Corps discuss the Blue Devils from Concord as much as college basketball fans discuss the Blue Devils from Durham. Nationwide, college basketball fans are not caught up in the discussion of the South Florida Bullls basketball squad, ya know what I'm sayin' ? The Blue Devils Corps show last year generated disappointment on the part of many nationwide fans, despite BD's obvious execution and talent on display. This year, who knows, maybe they won't win it all win, but could be the fan favorite. Or maybe they win it all AND become the #1 fan favorite for 2011. Every year is different. BD will get another bite at the apple again this season. I wouldn't get my undies in a bunch over some fans feeling unsatisfied with BD's 2010 production. June will be here before you know it.

Edited November 17, 2010 by BRASSO

[GMichael1230]

BD is the current DCI Champion... and they are undefeated to boot. As a result of their supremacy at the moment, then naturally people would discuss them ( in a good or bad way ) more than for example The Mandarins.

Drum Corps discuss the Blue Devils from Concord as much as college basketball fans discuss the Blue Devils from Durham. Nationwide, college basketball fans are not caught up in the discussion of the South Florida Bullls basketball squad, ya know what I'm sayin' ? The Blue Devils Corps show last year generated disappointment on the part of many nationwide fans, despite BD's obvious execution and talent on display. This year, who knows, maybe they won't win it all win, but could be the fan favorite. Or maybe they win it all AND become the #1 fan favorite for 2011. Every year is different. BD will get another bite at the apple again this season. I wouldn't get my undies in a bunch over some fans feeling unsatisfied with BD's 2010 production. June will be here before you know it.

Oh, my "undies" are far from in a bunch....I am in touch with reality and know very well how things work, and how much DCP hates the Blue Devils for their consistent success, unmatched and unprecedented competition results and...thankfully, in the real world, they have plenty of fans that love their 2010 show...carry on with your less than complimentary proceedings here at DCP !!

G

Edited November 17, 2010 by GMichael1230