Revamped Classic Countdown

[kickhaltsforlife]

if the idea is to get the younger generation into DCI, especially High School students, I think a show from the 80's/70's would put them to sleep. while the 70's/80's were great and everything, I think the more modern performances and programs would hook better than an older show. Season Opener on screen seems like a good idea...unless your actually with the corps performing. whoever thought it was a good idea to bring all the top 8 to TEXAS IN THE BEGINNING OF JUNE is not smart at all. stick with the showing of the previous years finals for the sake of the performers health and so the staff's of each corps aren't trying to through together there show just to have something in early June.

Ya know there is a drum corps that does spring training in Texas at the same time... they haven't had problems... just saying... it's the nature of the beast... the whole south tour pretty much sucks... every year.

[Tom Brace]

Ya know there is a drum corps that does spring training in Texas at the same time... they haven't had problems... just saying... it's the nature of the beast... the whole south tour pretty much sucks... every year.

and of course if Texas is too cold for you in June, you can alwys try rehearsing/having a show in Arizona in June.

[MikeD]

if the idea is to get the younger generation into DCI, especially High School students, I think a show from the 80's/70's would put them to sleep. while the 70's/80's were great and everything, I think the more modern performances and programs would hook better than an older show.

Sadly, I agree. I went to the first countdown, and I heard laughter in the theater at the oldest shows...inc one of my own all time faves, the 27th Lancers.

[bariman321]

"Ya know there is a drum corps that does spring training in Texas at the same time... they haven't had problems... just saying... it's the nature of the beast... the whole south tour pretty much sucks... every year."

ya, try going from 70-80 degrees spring training to 105 Texas heat. That is just plain unhealthy and dangerous to the performers. also the long bus rides from the spring training sites to Texas didn't help either causing dehydration and stiffness of the joints. when you have 3 weeks to be in Texas for spring training, your body becomes adjusted to the weather. not for the corps that came to Texas at the beginning.

Edited November 4, 2011 by bariman321

[ibexpercussion]

Sadly, I agree. I went to the first countdown, and I heard laughter in the theater at the oldest shows...inc one of my own all time faves, the 27th Lancers.

When we took our kids to the Countdowns, the laughter was not at the show itself, but more of the hairstyles of the time (ie: 80s Hair), or just the shear amazement of marching tympani, etc.

[JimF-LowBari]

When we took our kids to the Countdowns, the laughter was not at the show itself, but more of the hairstyles of the time (ie: 80s Hair), or just the shear amazement of marching tympani, etc.

My alumni-type corps usually watches older DCI shows on DVD for our few bus trips a year. Even guys from that era (including moi) laugh at some of the stuff they see. Folks from that era usually comment on the equipment and how it helped break down certain body parts (toes, knees, backs, etc) it's "We did it like that?"

And the younger folks are "You did it like that?".

And yes lot of comments on the equipment from both sides. Especially the former tymp player and his son.....

Edited November 4, 2011 by JimF-LowBari

[MikeD]

When we took our kids to the Countdowns, the laughter was not at the show itself, but more of the hairstyles of the time (ie: 80s Hair), or just the shear amazement of marching tympani, etc.

I wish that is what it was, but in this case it was the show they were laughing at. I heard the comments.

[DrillmanSop06]

Without context, the older shows are either boring or silly. Some of them are awesome. But ONLY if you close your eyes. I can't WATCH old drum corps because they're all visual atrocities. Posture that today is associated with bad marching band technique, etc. makes it painful to watch those shows. I can listen to lots of 'em all day because tuning isn't terribly important to me when a hornline is melting your face off.

[CrunchyTenor]

could be as easy as many of the DCP polls. Send DCI:

Your top 5 percussion features from the 70s-80s and the 90s-2000s. (generating 10 top features)

Your top 5 brass moments (same decades)

Your top 5 guard moments

Your top 5 finales, openers, etc.

Then the historians should put together some really awesome clips from pre-DCI as well as early DCI through perhaps the early 80's.

Complete shows? There could be maybe.... 3-5.

Just some ideas.

The problem with the sectional features is that the camera always seemed to be focused somewhere else on the field instead of where the real action was. Visual elements were supposed to augment drum solos, but you don't see the drum line for more than 30% of the time.

As far as bad camera shots go, I only need to present one example: end of 1812 for Regiment in 1984, and all we saw was that ###### bell!!!

Garry in Vegas

Edited November 5, 2011 by CrunchyTenor

[year1buick]

"Ya know there is a drum corps that does spring training in Texas at the same time... they haven't had problems... just saying... it's the nature of the beast... the whole south tour pretty much sucks... every year."

ya, try going from 70-80 degrees spring training to 105 Texas heat. That is just plain unhealthy and dangerous to the performers. also the long bus rides from the spring training sites to Texas didn't help either causing dehydration and stiffness of the joints. when you have 3 weeks to be in Texas for spring training, your body becomes adjusted to the weather. not for the corps that came to Texas at the beginning.

Long bus rides and hot rehearsals? In drum corps? Crazy...