Jump to content

Is the end of drum corps near?


Recommended Posts

The mesoamerican calendar doesn't state the the world will end; it just means the current calendar runs out and there is a new beginning. The Mayans NEVER predicted Doomsday. As for the Rapture; that's been predicted for hundreds of dates over the past 2000 years. And thus far, those people who think they've figured out God have been as wrong as those who have insisted since BEFORE the creation of DCI that drum corps was going to end soon.

This doesn't change the fact that it's a great excuse to party our ##### off on 12/20/12!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Drum corps will survive in the form of DCA and SDCA.

DCI I'm not sure sure of unless it is willing to change with the times - not with electronics and meaningless rule changes, but with adaptation to the current economic reality. Smaller corps, smaller tours, more weekend-only to make marching and volunteering viable.

Rule changes that tinker with instrumentation etc have created animosity with long standing fans like myself and are superficial and amateurish attempts to skirt around the real problems. The current model of DCI is broken. Look to DCA and SDCA for lessons and it might survive.

Do the current powers that be have the ability to set their egos aside to do this? Personally I don't think so. They would rather run it into the ground than reverse a few bad decisions.....

Edited by Grandpa
  • Like 3
Link to comment
Share on other sites

The mesoamerican calendar doesn't state the the world will end; it just means the current calendar runs out and there is a new beginning.

I've never heard of " the mesoamerican calendar ". Is it like the NFL calendar where we find new stars each month ?

Edited by BRASSO
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Your comments beg a few questions: What "is" important in the grand scheme of things? Food? Water? Shelter? Cloths? Video Games? Magic Acts? Where do you draw the line on what is and is not important in the grand scheme?

Well, I'd draw the line of importance at " food, water, shelter, clothes".

Then way down the list would be " cloths, video games and magic acts ".

Edited by BRASSO
Link to comment
Share on other sites

A lot are saying 'they always say its end is near'..

But look at where we are numberswise, not just from 30 years ago. Even in the last 5 years when you look down to d2\3.

Increasing fuel costs arent going anywhere. The fleet sizes of most corps seem to be getting larger, not smaller. Corps are now taking 1000 mile trips to and from shows to start the season, and then beginning their normal tour route...

Edited by AlexL
Link to comment
Share on other sites

A lot are saying 'they always say its end is near'..

But look at where we are numberswise, not just from 30 years ago. Even in the last 5 years when you look down to d2\3.

Increasing fuel costs arent going anywhere. The fleet sizes of most corps seem to be getting larger, not smaller. Corps are now taking 1000 mile trips to and from shows to start the season, and then beginning their normal tour route...

but...but...kids want to sit on busses for millions of miles

that's what we get told

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Fear not fellow bandos!! As long as a lot of folks are willing to pay BIG bucks to participate in an activity that makes BIG bucks for a few, the activity will continue to survive. And, in the event these "few" find their profit margins shrinking, they will simply further monopolize the activity by limiting the shared pool. Perhaps they could call it the "Tour of Champions"...

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

All very excellent points. Especially that we may not recognize the activity in 30 years. One thing that WILL keep drum corps alive (and ANY art form alive) is the willingness to change. If an art form hopes to survive, it must stay relevant. If we want to see drum corps in 30 years, we should be willing to accept that it may look like a very different activity then (indeed, this seems to be a discussion we're already having). Shows may be very different. And that's okay!

I do raise one concern. The arts and music, in the long run, may not be going anywhere, but we should also face that drum corps is a niche activity, so though the arts in general may be sustained through difficult times, smaller niche art forms are at a greater risk of disappearing.

However.

Drum Corps is much less government dependent than many other art forms. BECAUSE it's a niche activity, the fanbase is strong and always aware of the dangers of cuts. In a sense Drum Corps may be able to survive because it funds itself. Remember, these kids are paying to march, which means they want to be there. They're not professional musicans. Drum Corps may be expensive, but its nowhere near as expensive as, say having to pay a yearly salary for every member of a world class orchestra (indeed, the Philadelphia Symphony just filed for bankruptcy). I think that, so long as drum corps fans don't get TOO comfortable with their situation and are always aware of the dangers of falling into obscurity, we'll be fine. It is this exact kind of conversation that sustains the activity.

So thanks for posting!

as a member of a competing DCA Corps we need to reinterate to the alumnis of each of our corps to get on your corps band wagon now a day the Alumnis just dont try to participate in thier corps future that is my opinion on the matter remember people your corp provided you with many long time friends that most you will always remember not to mention all the good times shared together

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Guest
This topic is now closed to further replies.
  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.
×
×
  • Create New...