MilesandCassius Posted August 16, 2011 Share Posted August 16, 2011 OK, it was a great year. GO Cadets!! Very proud alum! I saw the show in Lawrence, MA, and BD, Cadets, Boston, and SCV were all great. Fantastic corps, one and all! As an alum, like I said, I'm very proud of the final results for the year. I can see how BD were so close, as back in early August when I saw them they were clean as all get out. The fact that Crown beat them in horns at finals means that Crown must've been PHENOMENAL because BD were incredible sounding when I saw them! OK, I digress- At the Lawrence MA show, it was well attended, I'm thinking 2000+ easy for attendance. It was Boston's show, so I'm sure someone has the actual attendance #'s somewhere. There may have been more. The crowd was enthusiastic, polite, and respectful. All corps were given their due as far as reactions. Here's my concern: There were almost NO young people. If there' were 2000+, there were 150 people below the age of 20. It was startling. The mean age was EASY 53 years old. I'm 43 myself. I was proud to attend. But I think there's a real issue here. Not one I've ever really thought about, but really struck me at the show. Now, I know, NE is not the hotbed of marching band it is in the other parts of the country, but that fact only reinforces my point: Where's the groups of young people? Those familiar groups of 4 or 5 at the shows cheering that are the real meat and bones of the activity? It was BAD. I'm happy to have gone to the show, but this is a youth activity. Where's the youth? What's happened to the craving to see the "pros" in the summer? Is the product so spread thin that the activity doesn't have the draw? It bothers me. It makes me nervous for the long-term viability of the activity. Please tell me that the shows are well attended in different parts of the country when it comes to young people! Any thoughts? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oldbandguy Posted August 16, 2011 Share Posted August 16, 2011 I attended about 10 shows this year and at each I saw MANY kids that were of high school age. I think as long as there are high school marching bands the future of DCI is secure. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kamarag Posted August 16, 2011 Share Posted August 16, 2011 I think it may just be that particular show. I remember staff from the corps I was teaching last summer making that same comment in Lawrence. Every show I went to this summer as a spectator had a very high percentage of high school age (and below) in attendance. The Lawrence DCI show has really struck me as more of a DCA crowd. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
badoo Posted August 16, 2011 Share Posted August 16, 2011 OK, it was a great year. GO Cadets!! Very proud alum! I saw the show in Lawrence, MA, and BD, Cadets, Boston, and SCV were all great. Fantastic corps, one and all! As an alum, like I said, I'm very proud of the final results for the year. I can see how BD were so close, as back in early August when I saw them they were clean as all get out. The fact that Crown beat them in horns at finals means that Crown must've been PHENOMENAL because BD were incredible sounding when I saw them! OK, I digress- At the Lawrence MA show, it was well attended, I'm thinking 2000+ easy for attendance. It was Boston's show, so I'm sure someone has the actual attendance #'s somewhere. There may have been more. The crowd was enthusiastic, polite, and respectful. All corps were given their due as far as reactions. Here's my concern: There were almost NO young people. If there' were 2000+, there were 150 people below the age of 20. It was startling. The mean age was EASY 53 years old. I'm 43 myself. I was proud to attend. But I think there's a real issue here. Not one I've ever really thought about, but really struck me at the show. Now, I know, NE is not the hotbed of marching band it is in the other parts of the country, but that fact only reinforces my point: Where's the groups of young people? Those familiar groups of 4 or 5 at the shows cheering that are the real meat and bones of the activity? It was BAD. I'm happy to have gone to the show, but this is a youth activity. Where's the youth? What's happened to the craving to see the "pros" in the summer? Is the product so spread thin that the activity doesn't have the draw? It bothers me. It makes me nervous for the long-term viability of the activity. Please tell me that the shows are well attended in different parts of the country when it comes to young people! Any thoughts? One word: Massachusetts. It's how those northeastern shows are. In the south east, it's mostly high school kids at shows, which is great. So is older people. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kamarag Posted August 16, 2011 Share Posted August 16, 2011 (edited) One word: Massachusetts. It's how those northeastern shows are. In the south east, it's mostly high school kids at shows, which is great. So is older people. It's definitely not "those northeastern shows". At least, not as you'd traditionally think of the Northeast. West Chester and Allentown had a very healthy mix of high school, middle school, and families in addition to older folks, as did the various New Jersey and New York shows. Maybe it's a Massachusetts/Connecticut issue? I know the Bridgeport, CT show certainly skews older. Edited August 16, 2011 by Kamarag Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Liahona Posted August 16, 2011 Share Posted August 16, 2011 OK, it was a great year. GO Cadets!! Very proud alum! I saw the show in Lawrence, MA, and BD, Cadets, Boston, and SCV were all great. Fantastic corps, one and all! As an alum, like I said, I'm very proud of the final results for the year. I can see how BD were so close, as back in early August when I saw them they were clean as all get out. The fact that Crown beat them in horns at finals means that Crown must've been PHENOMENAL because BD were incredible sounding when I saw them! OK, I digress- At the Lawrence MA show, it was well attended, I'm thinking 2000+ easy for attendance. It was Boston's show, so I'm sure someone has the actual attendance #'s somewhere. There may have been more. The crowd was enthusiastic, polite, and respectful. All corps were given their due as far as reactions. Here's my concern: There were almost NO young people. If there' were 2000+, there were 150 people below the age of 20. It was startling. The mean age was EASY 53 years old. I'm 43 myself. I was proud to attend. But I think there's a real issue here. Not one I've ever really thought about, but really struck me at the show. Now, I know, NE is not the hotbed of marching band it is in the other parts of the country, but that fact only reinforces my point: Where's the groups of young people? Those familiar groups of 4 or 5 at the shows cheering that are the real meat and bones of the activity? It was BAD. I'm happy to have gone to the show, but this is a youth activity. Where's the youth? What's happened to the craving to see the "pros" in the summer? Is the product so spread thin that the activity doesn't have the draw? It bothers me. It makes me nervous for the long-term viability of the activity. Please tell me that the shows are well attended in different parts of the country when it comes to young people! Any thoughts? Yep I'm old(41)according to your post and I was at the Lawrence show...Got a problem with that?!? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Forevergreen Posted August 16, 2011 Share Posted August 16, 2011 OK, it was a great year. GO Cadets!! Very proud alum! I saw the show in Lawrence, MA, and BD, Cadets, Boston, and SCV were all great. Fantastic corps, one and all! As an alum, like I said, I'm very proud of the final results for the year. I can see how BD were so close, as back in early August when I saw them they were clean as all get out. The fact that Crown beat them in horns at finals means that Crown must've been PHENOMENAL because BD were incredible sounding when I saw them! OK, I digress- At the Lawrence MA show, it was well attended, I'm thinking 2000+ easy for attendance. It was Boston's show, so I'm sure someone has the actual attendance #'s somewhere. There may have been more. The crowd was enthusiastic, polite, and respectful. All corps were given their due as far as reactions. Here's my concern: There were almost NO young people. If there' were 2000+, there were 150 people below the age of 20. It was startling. The mean age was EASY 53 years old. I'm 43 myself. I was proud to attend. But I think there's a real issue here. Not one I've ever really thought about, but really struck me at the show. Now, I know, NE is not the hotbed of marching band it is in the other parts of the country, but that fact only reinforces my point: Where's the groups of young people? Those familiar groups of 4 or 5 at the shows cheering that are the real meat and bones of the activity? It was BAD. I'm happy to have gone to the show, but this is a youth activity. Where's the youth? What's happened to the craving to see the "pros" in the summer? Is the product so spread thin that the activity doesn't have the draw? It bothers me. It makes me nervous for the long-term viability of the activity. Please tell me that the shows are well attended in different parts of the country when it comes to young people! Any thoughts? ALOT of young folk at the shows here in the Midwest. I used to live in Massachusetts, and now that I think of it there was always an older crowd at the Bean Pot, East Coast Classic and the show in Bristol, RI Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeffe77 Posted August 16, 2011 Share Posted August 16, 2011 Out in the West Coast, half the people watching are under 21 aspiring to march BD or SCV. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
badoo Posted August 16, 2011 Share Posted August 16, 2011 It's definitely not "those northeastern shows". At least, not as you'd traditionally think of the Northeast. West Chester and Allentown had a very healthy mix of high school, middle school, and families in addition to older folks, as did the various New Jersey and New York shows. Maybe it's a Massachusetts/Connecticut issue? I know the Bridgeport, CT show certainly skews older. I think of Massachusetts and north as the northeast. I think of New York and South as the mid-atlantic. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
liebot Posted August 16, 2011 Share Posted August 16, 2011 I honestly think the East Coast (New England, to be more specific) crowd skews older for three reasons: 1) There were A TON of corps in Massachusetts back in the day -- a lot of those people still attend shows 2) The high school band scene isn't nearly as active there as it is in other parts of the country (southeast, Texas, West Coast, etc.). Don't know what the cause of this is, but it's true (as someone who was a member of a Connecticut high school band). 3) There's only one World Class corps from the area, and it carries out a large portion of its operations in Florida. Maybe not as much of the local favorite that younger people will gravitate towards, go to see their friends in shows, etc.? Just thoughts. The New England shows are always some of the smallest of the season (at least in my experience), but also some of the loudest and most passionate. I love those shows (Lawrence, Lynn, Beverly, Bristol, etc.) because they feel so intimate and because the crowd is--for the most part (maybe Bristol's the exception)--experienced and knowledgeable. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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