Jeff Ream Posted December 13, 2010 Author Share Posted December 13, 2010 1977 allentown was not so impressive. neither was 1980 at hershey. things dropped off after 1974. 1975 it rained like crazy and 1976 was freezing cold and very windy. hershey only holds maybe 8k tops. Allentown can and does hold more, and I've seen it full. In fact, some old DCA yearbooks have pictures showing it, and Fred came in here not that long ago and gave some stats from those days. I won't argue drum corps has lost fans. But, it's due to many things, and not just shows you happen to dislike. Yes programming has played a part, but it's far from the only reason. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JoeDz Posted December 13, 2010 Share Posted December 13, 2010 Drum corps certainly has changed from that of the World War II generation. Several points from this thread need to be emphasized and some debated: 1. Drum corps is a fringe activity / attendance is dropping. Both are true. More often than not, when I mention drum corps as my main interest, I am forced to explain what it is.....more so over the years as there is no longer a corps in every city/parish/Legion Post. Kids at school always had classmates who participated in corps.....we are even "fringier" today than ever. Attendance is dropping and the average age is getting much younger as WWI generationers withdraw from the activity and are replaced with marching band generationers. 2. Drum corps is changing in appeal. This is also true. The move away from emphasis on military bearing and more into the arts is embraced by some, rejected by some, and ADAPTED TO by most. Fortunately the DCI/DCA differences allows for most of us to enjoy the activity while celebrating or bemoaning the changes. 3. The corps of today can march and play circles around the old corps. Oh yeah? Go to the video of the 1975 Madison Scouts (that's 35 years ago)...watch them "march." Today's corps do not do that...that is called marching..... Same corps and year...MacArthur Park....watch the soloist on one valve and a rotor. I doubt that anyone today could produce that sound with those limitations. My personal favorites..... I enjoyed the "junior corps" of the 1960s. I enjoy the all age corps of DCA...in between, I enjoyed the Bridgemen, Velvet Knights, Madison Scouts, Cavaliers, Blue Devils, and Santa Clara of the 1980s. I love the Blue Devils "Phenomenon of Cool" and the Cavaliers "Machine." I love everything DCA....mini, alumni, class A and Open. I LIKE DCI and occasionally find a DCI show that puts me over the top.... I STILL love drum and bugle corps and think it could have a place in high schools, but NOT where a full music program exists. It would be perfect for small schools where a 30-member brass line and 10-member percussion section sans pit could equal a 90-member marching band. Just my $0.02... Joe Dz in NJ 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lovindrumcorps Posted December 13, 2010 Share Posted December 13, 2010 Drum corps certainly has changed from that of the World War II generation. Several points from this thread need to be emphasized and some debated: 1. Drum corps is a fringe activity / attendance is dropping. Both are true. More often than not, when I mention drum corps as my main interest, I am forced to explain what it is.....more so over the years as there is no longer a corps in every city/parish/Legion Post. Kids at school always had classmates who participated in corps.....we are even "fringier" today than ever. Attendance is dropping and the average age is getting much younger as WWI generationers withdraw from the activity and are replaced with marching band generationers. 2. Drum corps is changing in appeal. This is also true. The move away from emphasis on military bearing and more into the arts is embraced by some, rejected by some, and ADAPTED TO by most. Fortunately the DCI/DCA differences allows for most of us to enjoy the activity while celebrating or bemoaning the changes. 3. The corps of today can march and play circles around the old corps. Oh yeah? Go to the video of the 1975 Madison Scouts (that's 35 years ago)...watch them "march." Today's corps do not do that...that is called marching..... Same corps and year...MacArthur Park....watch the soloist on one valve and a rotor. I doubt that anyone today could produce that sound with those limitations. My personal favorites..... I enjoyed the "junior corps" of the 1960s. I enjoy the all age corps of DCA...in between, I enjoyed the Bridgemen, Velvet Knights, Madison Scouts, Cavaliers, Blue Devils, and Santa Clara of the 1980s. I love the Blue Devils "Phenomenon of Cool" and the Cavaliers "Machine." I love everything DCA....mini, alumni, class A and Open. I LIKE DCI and occasionally find a DCI show that puts me over the top.... I STILL love drum and bugle corps and think it could have a place in high schools, but NOT where a full music program exists. It would be perfect for small schools where a 30-member brass line and 10-member percussion section sans pit could equal a 90-member marching band. Just my $0.02... Joe Dz in NJ I'm only commenting on your 3rd point.. "Drum Corps of today can march circles around corps from the past". The answer is unequivically.. YES. You mention what corps did with the limitations they had during that period. Its useless to compare the 70s with current drum corps. Point is.. the statement "running circles" is an accurate assessment. Because kids ARE running in todays shows. I don't care if your playing on a trumpet, valve rotor soprano or a kazoo.. running in the course of a show demands a lot more in terms of stamina and musicality. Simply marching fast either in one place or in one direction back in the day had its merits and in its time pushed the limits of "military bearing". But as its been made clear drum corps has pulled away from its military roots and have taken on a more athletic and theatrical approach. All facets of the activity are sufficiently more demanding. Its not simply apples and oranges.. its horse drown carriges vs fuel injected superchargers in comparison. I won't argue with what one person likes or dislikes. To each their own. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
donincardona Posted December 13, 2010 Share Posted December 13, 2010 I'm only commenting on your 3rd point.. "Drum Corps of today can march circles around corps from the past". The answer is unequivically.. YES. You mention what corps did with the limitations they had during that period. Its useless to compare the 70s with current drum corps. Point is.. the statement "running circles" is an accurate assessment. Because kids ARE running in todays shows. I don't care if your playing on a trumpet, valve rotor soprano or a kazoo.. running in the course of a show demands a lot more in terms of stamina and musicality. Simply marching fast either in one place or in one direction back in the day had its merits and in its time pushed the limits of "military bearing". But as its been made clear drum corps has pulled away from its military roots and have taken on a more athletic and theatrical approach. All facets of the activity are sufficiently more demanding. Its not simply apples and oranges.. its horse drown carriges vs fuel injected superchargers in comparison. I won't argue with what one person likes or dislikes. To each their own. i agree with you here. i know i could never run and play like they do today. what we did was hard enough. i give kudos to those today for that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HeatherM Posted December 13, 2010 Share Posted December 13, 2010 Well, I was on the field in Empire in 88, and I have a hard time remembering. Over the 3 years I was in the corps we had tanks with CO2 and guard members popping out of the top, Uncle Sam top hats,color=pre extravaganzas and a various assortment of "stuff" on the field. Cheezy? Maybe to some, but the crowd loved it. One reason I think it was effective is that we played the hell out of those charts. Had the horn and drum line been less effective, it would have multipled the cheeze factor exponentially. Check out the writers, arrangers and soloists from those years. Some of the biggest names in the activity, and I learned so much from all of them. y Youre right, most of it does apply to Empire now doing it well or not is certainly an opinion. As far as 88 OMG I barley remember my own shows I marched or taught let alone others. I admire others who rattle off oooooooooo..remember that drum break in 1942 or that drill move of 1971 WOW.......lol But I do vagely remember Empire from 88 and youre right. Mostly I can say is I have always been impressed music wise with them...some great horn lines.....But as far as visual thats where it completely leaves me...but hey to each his own...they do know their audiance and play to it thats for sure. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fran Haring Posted December 13, 2010 Share Posted December 13, 2010 doing well is an opinion that seems to be rewarded by fans and judges since they first cracked the top 3 in 1988....and really, how many times have they been out the top 5 since then? Statesmen were 4th in 1988... and have not been out of the top four since then. Not too shabby. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
donincardona Posted December 13, 2010 Share Posted December 13, 2010 Statesmen were 4th in 1988... and have not been out of the top four since then. Not too shabby. is that the all time best? i think it may be. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeff Ream Posted December 13, 2010 Author Share Posted December 13, 2010 Statesmen were 4th in 1988... and have not been out of the top four since then. Not too shabby. i coulda swore i saw 3rd. oops. still...I do remember that show too..loved it! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeff Ream Posted December 13, 2010 Author Share Posted December 13, 2010 is that the all time best? i think it may be. that may be the longest streak for top 4 finishes in DCA. I think in DCI only BD has a longer streak Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fran Haring Posted December 14, 2010 Share Posted December 14, 2010 that may be the longest streak for top 4 finishes in DCA. I think in DCI only BD has a longer streak I know the Caballeros had a "never out of the top 5" streak from 1970 through 2001. Also pretty impressive! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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