charlie1223 Posted February 1, 2011 Share Posted February 1, 2011 (edited) > In other words, we should tell the performers and audiences not to bother expanding their horizons and re-imagining the world; rather, they should embrace the lowest common denominator and admire mediocrity. Nope; we should tell the "audience" if you want intellectual stimulation go to a Library and if you want to expand your musical horizons take a music appreciation course at a University (which both are fine activities). But if you want to enjoy yourself, if you want to forget about your troubles for a moment in time, if you want to escape into that powerful euphoric bliss, go see a DCI show. And we should tell the DCI "performers" and "staff" that their function is to provide that powerful euphoric musical roller coaster bliss to the audience so that they can, just for a moment, kick back and engage in nothing but shear pleasure. IMHO. How is that I disagree with the first part but agree with the last part? First of all, I'm in the boat that thinks drum corps has been in recent history hard to "understand". And even the most controversial shows I didn't feel like I was ever being "educated". Have said that... I don't know why you think drum corps should NOT be about "expanding your musical horizons" or even for that matter "intellectual stimulation". To suggest that there is some duality (intellectual vs. entertaining) here in show design is to completely misunderstand the state of drum corps as we know it. There is nothing in drum corps that says it can't "expand your musical horizons" and also be "powerful euphoric bliss". There is no rule that says entertainment can't be held at a high "intellectual" standard (in term of repertoire NOT show design/concept) and there is no rule that says entertainment has to be base halftime show tunes. Can't you agree that entertainment SHOULD and CAN come from any number of unlikely places. Drum corps is not for any specific kind of person which is why we have different shows on the field that should be more unique than the next. We shouldn't have this argument that "drum corps" should be a certain way or shouldn't be another way. We should say that its inspiration can come from anywhere/everything, just in its most entertaining form. Edited February 1, 2011 by charlie1223 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stu Posted February 1, 2011 Author Share Posted February 1, 2011 How is that I disagree with the first part but agree with the last part? First of all, I'm in the boat that thinks drum corps has been in recent history hard to "understand". And even the most controversial shows I didn't feel like I was ever being "educated". Have said that... I don't know why you think drum corps should NOT be about "expanding your musical horizons" or even for that matter "intellectual stimulation". To suggest that there is some duality (intellectual vs. entertaining) here in show design is to completely misunderstand the state of drum corps as we know it. There is nothing in drum corps that says it can't "expand your musical horizons" and also be "powerful euphoric bliss". There is no rule that says entertainment can't be held at a high "intellectual" standard (in term of repertoire NOT show design/concept) and there is no rule that says entertainment has to be base halftime show tunes. Can't you agree that entertainment SHOULD and CAN come from any number of unlikely places. Drum corps is not for any specific kind of person which is why we have different shows on the field that should be more unique than the next. We shouldn't have this argument that "drum corps" should be a certain way or shouldn't be another way. We should say that its inspiration can come from anywhere/everything, just in its most entertaining form. A repeated sentence for Charlie, because he apparently missed it: This is about entertainment and ticket sales at a "commercial event", not music appreciation 101 or theory classes at a university. That is where the rock scene has it together and DCI does not. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stu Posted February 1, 2011 Author Share Posted February 1, 2011 Stu, will you marry me? Sorry, I am taken; and they way I fart, uhhh flirt, there are hundreds waiting for me to become available Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mello Dude Posted February 1, 2011 Share Posted February 1, 2011 A repeated sentence for Charlie, because he apparently missed it: This is about entertainment and ticket sales at a "commercial event", not music appreciation 101 or theory classes at a university. That is where the rock scene has it together and DCI does not. We have a winner and nominee for best concise (and painfully true) post yet! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stu Posted February 1, 2011 Author Share Posted February 1, 2011 I had to green you I give up at this gimme a negative red game; I have went from a -29 to what I have currently have which is a +2 (this mainly happened going up against Howdy in another thread, but I digress). So, I have a new game to play: Maybe I can become known as the Greenie Meanie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mobrien Posted February 1, 2011 Share Posted February 1, 2011 (edited) Nope; we should tell the "audience" if you want intellectual stimulation go to a Library and if you want to expand your musical horizons take a music appreciation course at a University (which both are fine activities). But if you want to enjoy yourself, if you want to forget about your troubles for a moment in time, if you want to escape into that powerful euphoric bliss, go see a DCI show. If you want lowest common denominator, "real people" entertainment, Las Vegas and Branson, Missouri are both easy to find on the road map. Go there, have fun at the Ray Stevens or Osmond Family shows, eat all you want at the buffet, but please don't try to inflict that sort of limited aesthetic range on a group of impressionable kids. There might be a few thousand of them that are actually hoping to experience more ambitious programs and try something new. Bottom line ; if anyone's primary form of entertainment is drum and bugle corps, they need to go get a more interesting entertainment life. It's teenagers with horns and drums and flags - the least we can do is let them try to come up with show designs and musical choices that break past the dorkiness that is otherwise inherent in that mixture of elements. Edited February 1, 2011 by mobrien 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
charlie1223 Posted February 1, 2011 Share Posted February 1, 2011 (edited) A repeated sentence for Charlie, because he apparently missed it: This is about entertainment and ticket sales at a "commercial event", not music appreciation 101 or theory classes at a university. That is where the rock scene has it together and DCI does not. And I must painfully remind you that drum corps IS also about music appreciation because that is also a selling point just as much as entertainment, especially when music appreciation can ALSO be entertaining. There is no distinction and there SHOULDN'T be a distinction! I do not know of single show EVER created that can be compared to a music theory class! Honestly! you're kidding yourself! How terrible that a drum corps decides to indulge in a more sophisticated pallet! Should all corps do this? NO! Should corps have the ability to do it in the most entertaining way, ofcourse! I think you're idea of entertainment is very slim, Stu. Edited February 1, 2011 by charlie1223 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
actucker Posted February 1, 2011 Share Posted February 1, 2011 I don't think expanding musical horizons and entertainment are mutually exclusive. I can tell you that if drum corps were to go entirely to the side of entertainment, none of my students would want to march. The same would be true if every show was intensely intellectual. The fact that different corps are doing different things and creating identities for themselves should be embraced, not discouraged. I haven't liked all of a Cadets show (or any of their drum breaks) since Stonehenge, but I am aware that plenty of people have, and am happy that those people have a reason to come to the shows. On the same token I absolutely love that Vanguard continues to bring new music to the activity, but I know that some people don't care for it. The reason we are still alive as an activity is because of that diversity. You want to talk about butts in the seats? If the pendulum swings to far to one side or the other, that will stop happening. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeff Ream Posted February 1, 2011 Share Posted February 1, 2011 Glad to know you don't want to be educated. if I am educated, cool. But I don't want to have to read 20 websites and listen to designer commentary to get the shows. if you have to explain your show in 4 paragraphs and 11 minutes of commentary to get the hidden meanings, you've over programmed, and odds are, fans will probably feel lost, and eventually stop paying to see it. not that I'm with Stu and his must be like U2 mantra, but really, do you need all of that to get U2? Lady gaga? no. And you shouldnt for drum corps either. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeff Ream Posted February 1, 2011 Share Posted February 1, 2011 > In other words, we should tell the performers and audiences not to bother expanding their horizons and re-imagining the world; rather, they should embrace the lowest common denominator and admire mediocrity. Nope; we should tell the "audience" if you want intellectual stimulation go to a Library and if you want to expand your musical horizons take a music appreciation course at a University (which both are fine activities). But if you want to enjoy yourself, if you want to forget about your troubles for a moment in time, if you want to escape into that powerful euphoric bliss, go see a DCI show. And we should tell the DCI "performers" and "staff" that their function is to provide that powerful euphoric musical roller coaster bliss to the audience so that they can, just for a moment, kick back and engage in nothing but shear pleasure. IMHO. I'm greening you again 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.