LSU GRAD 82 Posted July 18, 2011 Share Posted July 18, 2011 Here's what a fellow Cavalier alum posted on our alumni forum: "All sarcasm aside, it was an enjoyable broadcast to watch. To me it seems like more of the corps are doing actual drum corps shows and trying to entertain the audience as opposed to presenting pseudo-intellectual performance art pieces that attempt to explain our government's position on gulf coast oil drilling as it relates to the impact of the greek debt crisis on cuban-martian-swedish fusion culinary trends as interpreted through the historical lens of the art deco period and great unicorn extinction of 526 BC." I agree with him, because entertainment is why people go to drum corps shows. The artsy-fartsy shows of recent years were not designed or written for the audiences, IM not-particularly HO. They were what they were to impress the other designers, writers and drum corps intelligentsia (now there's an oxymoron for you.) I have been going to drum corps competitions since 1953, the first 6 years as a participant, the remainder as a spectator. While story lines are nice, when they aren't so abstruse as to be invisible, they aren't necessary. The same goes for "themes." Give us good-sounding music, precisely done drill, some "hits" to get the blood flowing and wake up Grandma, astounding percussion and guard work that amazes one and all and the activity will be better off for it. Whoever posted that must be an Alien that beamed down into my house and performed a Mind Meld on me while I was asleep to extract my thoughts. Sounds like comments pulled directly from me, down to the Artsy Fartsy comment. Maybe, just maybe, some of these Corps Directors and other DCI Powers that Be are starting to listen. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BOBSMYTH Posted July 18, 2011 Share Posted July 18, 2011 I agree. Let's give credit where credit is due. THANK YOU GEORGE HOPKINS AND THE G7 for forcing the change. I can't tell if you are serious or sarcastic. So before this thread goes off on a tangent - there is no cause & effect relationship between the madness of last spring (known as the G7 proposal) and the artistic, entertainment and programming choices that are on the field today. Let's give credit where credit is really due. Michael Cesario was appointed to be the new Artistic Director of DCI. He is the point person - but not the only person - working on a series of initiatives that most of us will never see - except to witness the results on the field. The genesis of this change in direction and emphasis began long before the G7 proposal was a gleem in somebody's eye. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
actucker Posted July 18, 2011 Share Posted July 18, 2011 I'm still not on board with the whole "shows weren't being designed for the fans" idea. The fact is, there is no general consensus on what the fans want. The fans are a hugely diverse group, full of all kinds of musical and artistic backgrounds. Some groups in recent years have gone after the musicians in the crowd, with esoteric or subtly complicated musical ideas. Others have gone after the story board crowd, creating an atmosphere where the fan will get swooped up in the progression of the show. Others go after the crowd that really enjoys seeing a spectacle, where people do unbelievable things in unbelievable ways, with in your face aggressive music and marching. And here's the kicker. None of them were wrong. I can't think of a single corps or show in the last 15 years that didn't have a contingent of fans who really enjoyed it. Trying to force corps to do things a certain way is extremely dangerous. Should crowd enjoyment be considered as a possible factor in the new sheets? Sure. But should it be so significant that a group like Vanguard who wants to cater to a slightly different crowd can't succeed. No. Then you've stripped any artistic freedom the designers had in the first place. Now feel free to flame away. 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BRASSO Posted July 18, 2011 Share Posted July 18, 2011 (edited) Sorry GTC, but I think you couldn't be more wrong. It is still one of the best shows I think. And it does seem to be getting better every day. Must be that you don't like modern music, because the drill could not be more beautifully written for the music. This may be true with you, but unfortunately, this " modern music " isn't sitting too well right now with some DCI Judges either. For example, on Saturday DCI Judge Nola Jones judged " General Effect Music ". In this caption, Jones had both the Blue Knights and the Blue Stars ahead of SCV on this " General Effect Music " repetoire caption. Additionally, in the " Music Ensemble ( Mus.) caption, DCI Judge Ed Warren, had SCV behind even the Troopers in this caption. Look, I would love to have the Santa Clara Vanguard find themselves fan friendly once again. I really would. When SCV begins to get better applause in their intro than when they finish their shows, and when judges are giving them low scores in General Effect Music and Music Ensemble Music, one would think that at SOME point some SCV alums, SCV donors, etc HAVE to go to Fielder and tell him that things have gone amiss here of late, and we need to go in a different direction as this so called " modern music " biz with SCV isn't working. Edited July 18, 2011 by BRASSO 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GUARDLING Posted July 18, 2011 Share Posted July 18, 2011 (edited) listen to judges....ok change whatever because the want to?...ok become fan friendly....ok listen to Alums or Donors.....ur kiddin right? what a can of worms that would open for any corps!!!!!!!!! As Ive heard Michael C. say many times ( good for this thread) every xxxxxx person thinks they are a designer....lol Edited July 18, 2011 by GUARDLING 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lead Posted July 18, 2011 Share Posted July 18, 2011 Cerebral or not, cheese or no cheese, shows like Crown 2011 are inherently more 'watchable' by the untrained viewer and young music students than some of the more thought-provoking and modern stuff... and for DCI to survive they need to harness that crowd... and then educate them. The 'modern music' mentioned above isn't going to draw in people who don't have a clue what drum corps is... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GeneralTsoChicken Posted July 18, 2011 Share Posted July 18, 2011 This may be true with you, but unfortunately, this " modern music " isn't sitting too well right now with some DCI Judges either. For example, on Saturday DCI Judge Nola Jones judged " General Effect Music ". In this caption, Jones had both the Blue Knights and the Blue Stars ahead of SCV on this " General Effect Music " repetoire caption. Additionally, in the " Music Ensemble ( Mus.) caption, DCI Judge Ed Warren, had SCV behind even the Troopers in this caption. I genuinely think that brass performance is the primary thing holding SCV's GE Music scores back. Same with Music Ensemble. Composition and Effect do involve a multitude of things, but if the brass isn't performing to the level needed, they aren't conveying the intent, composition, or GE. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kbbandman Posted July 18, 2011 Share Posted July 18, 2011 If I recall correctly, I think Michael Cesario said something on Field Pass about each corps establishing their own identity. Maybe there is room for a corps like SCV that is going to be "cerebral". I am really enjoying the entertainment value of all the corps this year, and I think that this might the first time in a long time that I will enjoy all of the finalist corps. However, part of the problem I see is that corps performances over the years became very generic (with exceptions here and there). I think that many corps lost the sense of who they were, not in terms of internal traditions, but in terms of their public persona, if you will. It seems to me like some of the corps are starting to re-discover what their identity is. Clearly, Madison has been very deliberate in their approach to re-establishing their "brand" of drum corps. If a corps like SCV wants to be leading as innovators (the "vanguard" of the activity in some way), knowing that with next year's sheets they could take a hit, I say that is OK. I would not want the pendulum to swing the other way, where every corps is trying to copy Carolina Crown or Madison because they are connecting with the crowd. My first post here - should I be looking for a flame-retardant suit? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
actucker Posted July 18, 2011 Share Posted July 18, 2011 If I recall correctly, I think Michael Cesario said something on Field Pass about each corps establishing their own identity. Maybe there is room for a corps like SCV that is going to be "cerebral". I am really enjoying the entertainment value of all the corps this year, and I think that this might the first time in a long time that I will enjoy all of the finalist corps. However, part of the problem I see is that corps performances over the years became very generic (with exceptions here and there). I think that many corps lost the sense of who they were, not in terms of internal traditions, but in terms of their public persona, if you will. It seems to me like some of the corps are starting to re-discover what their identity is. Clearly, Madison has been very deliberate in their approach to re-establishing their "brand" of drum corps. If a corps like SCV wants to be leading as innovators (the "vanguard" of the activity in some way), knowing that with next year's sheets they could take a hit, I say that is OK. I would not want the pendulum to swing the other way, where every corps is trying to copy Carolina Crown or Madison because they are connecting with the crowd. My first post here - should I be looking for a flame-retardant suit? I think that's where Cesario might actually be onto something. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oldbandguy Posted July 18, 2011 Share Posted July 18, 2011 Cerebral or not, cheese or no cheese, shows like Crown 2011 are inherently more 'watchable' by the untrained viewer and young music students than some of the more thought-provoking and modern stuff... and for DCI to survive they need to harness that crowd... and then educate them. The 'modern music' mentioned above isn't going to draw in people who don't have a clue what drum corps is... But that begs the question...what do you do after they've "been educated?" Give them a show like SCV? What's wrong with having BOTH available to cover a wide range of tastes and degrees of education? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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