Goosebump Viscerosity

[Granny Smith]

Some corps play and there is no emotional connection whatsoever between their program and the crowd. Conversely, other corps do connect: THINK 2008 REGIMENT.

Most people (emphasis added) like the shows where they feel emotion. They like the tears from a melodic ballad that is lush and rich. They like the excitement from a raw in-your-face hornline marching a company front. They like the goosebumps from a long impact chord.

Most in the crowd don't like the show that ends leaving them saying, "meh" even if it was technically superior.

So, my question fellow DCPers...

Who do you think succeeds at connecting viscerally with the crowd? What emotions do you think they impart through their performance?

[rkfdPRphan]

Now that I have ALL the top 25 corps at least twice, my 2 favorites are:

1. No surprise here, Phantom's Elsa's. Every time I hear that piece it brings back memories - some from drum corps and some from other experiences I have had in attending musical events.

2. Madison Scouts ending with Empire State of Mind. I've tried to explain the show to a couple of people the last few days, and some get it - some don't, but EVERYONE loves ESOM.

[skywhopper]

Of the shows I've seen live, the ones that best grabbed the audience were (in ascending order of emotional connection):

Troopers, mostly the ending from the Infinity Chord on

Cadets, with the glow-stick battle and the personalities of the opposing sides

Cavaliers, by virtue of doing extraordinary things on the field throughout the show

Crown, by directly interacting with the audience throughout the pre-show and actual show

Phantom, just all around fabulous music well played and a mesmerizing guard coupled with a tear-jerker of an ending

Note that I saw most of these at Rockford, so the crowd was in Phantom's pocket long before the show started, BUT, I'm not a Phantom homer and the show itself sucked me in. This is a show where you want to sit as close as possible and just bathe in the sound and take in the detail.

Edited July 18, 2011 by skywhopper

[GREENBLUE]

so i was looking at recaps for the new TOC format and i understand what Cesario is doing by trying to make the show designs more "user friendly". But my ownly qualm with the GE scores is that im afraid that this will cause every corps to try and bring an "emotional" (emotion like tears) feeling from the audience.

Kudos to PR and Cadets for their scores last night, but they are the two shows that have that tear jerker type ballad/ending. IF, the corps with the emotional shows get the high GE scores then are we going to have 23 show designs that all try to make us cry?

For Example: Last night Phantom scored higher then both Crown and Cavies in VISUAL GE. While I agree that Phantom has a beautiful show, there is no way that their show has better visual effect then either corps. Many on DCP will agree, as many have said that this is Phantoms weakness.

How does a show that finishes FIFTH in combined visual categories finish SECOND in visual GE and FIRST in visual GE performance?

What makes drum corps so amazing is the different emotions that it can bring out of people. If we had 12 corps on finals night in 2008 all trying to give us the emotion that Spartacus gave us, would Spartacus still have had the same effect? If every show were the same this year would Phantom/Madison/Cadets have the same effect?

My Point: PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE if this is going to be the new standard for judging in the future I hope that the judges recognize that there are more emotions then tears. And please dont make this become a cookie cutter art form where everyone has to be the same to succeed. Drum Corps is special because each corps has their own identity, lets keep it that way.

And for the record, it doesnt take an emotional ballad to make me tear up. I find myself emotional sometimes at a show simply by how amazing a performance was or how genius a show design, etc... MAD WORLD made me tear up last year because those men out on the field at finals sold the hell out of that show

Edited July 18, 2011 by GREENBLUE

[ShouldveMarchedAgeOut]

I'd say the one part of any show that gives me the biggest chills is the Troopers' infinity chord/salute. I couldn't see any other corps recreating that moment.

[JerseyDCyanks]

so i was looking at recaps for the new TOC format and i understand what Cesario is doing by trying to make the show designs more "user friendly". But my ownly qualm with the GE scores is that im afraid that this will cause every corps to try and bring an "emotional" (emotion like tears) feeling from the audience.

Kudos to PR and Cadets for their scores last night, but they are the two shows that have that tear jerker type ballad/ending. IF, the corps with the emotional shows get the high GE scores then are we going to have 23 show designs that all try to make us cry?

What makes drum corps so amazing is the different emotions that it can bring out of people. If we had 12 corps on finals night in 2008 all trying to give us the emotion that Spartacus gave us, would Spartacus still have had the same effect? If every show were the same this year would Phantom/Madison/Cadets have the same effect?

My Point: PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE if this is going to be the new standard for judging in the future I hope that the judges recognize that there are more emotions then tears. And please dont make this become a cookie cutter art form where everyone has to be the same to succeed. Drum Corps is special because each corps has their own identity, lets keep it that way.

You would be correct if crying was the only emotion... think 1988 finals.. SCV and Madison were both two very emotional shows but couldn’t be any more different. We need shows that captivate the audience.. I really appreciate last years BD show for how technically proficient it was. If we are going to make GE more about communication with the audience that still leaves 60pts of proficiency so a corps like BD 2010 doesn’t have to be first in GE to win.. But it has to have some accountability to the audience connection.

[eutocoatrompa]

I'd say the one part of any show that gives me the biggest chills is the Troopers' infinity chord/salute. I couldn't see any other corps recreating that moment.

I totally agree.

[GREENBLUE]

You would be correct if crying was the only emotion... think 1988 finals.. SCV and Madison were both two very emotional shows but couldn’t be any more different. We need shows that captivate the audience.. I really appreciate last years BD show for how technically proficient it was. If we are going to make GE more about communication with the audience that still leaves 60pts of proficiency so a corps like BD 2010 doesn’t have to be first in GE to win.. But it has to have some accountability to the audience connection.

I totally agree with you that "crying" is not the only emotion and that is exactly my point. But im afraid that the judges under the new system, will think that is the only emotion and the corps that make us cry will consistently have the high GE

[BRASSO]

please dont make this become a cookie cutter art form where everyone has to be the same to succeed. Drum Corps is special because each corps has their own identity, lets keep it that way.

Fear not. Since the dawn of DCI itself, before the formation of DCI even, there has never been a period of time when the Corps all looked and sounded alike, or did not have identifible unique characteristics, styles, etc " their" own identity", if you will. I'm not concerned that with any new changes proposed that all the Corps will somehow begin to look and sound all alike. That would unprecedented.. and of course very boring for most people. Most fans I'd imagine, want MORE variety, not less variety. So I don't think your fears are really warranted, imo. ( not yet, anyway ).

Edited July 18, 2011 by BRASSO

[BRASSO]

I totally agree with you that "crying" is not the only emotion and that is exactly my point. But im afraid that the judges under the new system, will think that is the only emotion and the corps that make us cry will consistently have the high GE

I'd give the judges a little more credit to understand that not all Corps will have shows that will make fans and judges begin to cry.

Taken to it's logical ( but silly conclusion ) if all Corps developed shows that made us cry... and they were successful with that desired emotion, the judges and fans would all be a physical and emotional wreck after a show. ( and DCI could contact the Kleenex and Visine Corporation as the'd be floored to sponsor and advertise with DCI )

Com'on Man. Not all Corps under any new system implemented will attempt to reach fans and judges with shows designed to make us all want to break down and " cry ". And say what we will about Judges, but they're not stupid. They are smart enough to be able to handle an emotional show vs. a more cerbral show that attempts to reach us with different emotions than through the level of tears in one's eyelids at the end of the show.

Edited July 18, 2011 by BRASSO