Peel Paint Posted August 13, 2012 Share Posted August 13, 2012 After watching the show on fan network and at the theater I am questioning if the much hyped Artistic Director is really working. let me give some basis for my questions and hopefully others will join the discussion. One of the big things that the position was supposed to create a more crowd friendly presentation. While I agree the shows are more crowd friendly I question how a show that got golf claps could be the champion. Don't get me wrong I do not think anyone else was necessarily a better corps but the show did not relate to the crowd. We are know the groups who aspire to be the champion will use that show as some what of a basis for their next approach. A second question is if there is an artistic director, why did we end up with some many groups playing the same pieces as part of thier show. Anything from Firebird (many times) to Music of the night. I agree with your points about the crowd-friendly presentation--and did comprehend in the original post that you did realize that execution was as important as design. But I don't blame Michael Cesario or any weakness in his position for any of this. He was not appointed Czar to approve show design. It's more of a consultant role, and if you read the interview with him, it's one he took on reluctantly (as would anyone with any sense in this activity ). This was also the first set of shows under the new rules, and it's too early to deem the initiative a success or failure. As to the parade of drum corps greatest hits including Firebird and Music of the Night, there were two things going on there. One, I think many corps did take seriously the idea that they needed to use music fans could relate to--unfortunately in some cases, they picked the same ones, and in other cases, went with tried-and-true from successful shows in DCI's 40-year history. Two, corps are tired of the licensing and rights fight, and this also is making some of them reluctant to pay and take the time to fight this battle and run the risk of losing content late in the season or after the season on media. It's not a long term winner to keep playing the same pieces over and over again, I agree, but that's why we had so many reruns this year. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jonnyboy Posted August 13, 2012 Share Posted August 13, 2012 The fox is watching the hen house. In 2010, it was announced that Cesario was going to shows to judge and explore crowd reactions and making fan friendly shows. I distinctly remember hearing him interviewed after Allentown that year and he talked about crown reaction and applause. What I remember distinctly was the crowd going NUTS for the Madision Scouts, and the Blue Devils getting polite applause. Remember this was Madision's first year back in finals after falling for a few seasons, and the Devils did "Through a Glass, Darkly". What Mr. Cesario said in that interview blew my mind. Essentialy he acknowledge the crowd response to the Scouts and a few others, but said something like "the crowd really loved the Devils and what they are doing, this is a game changer". HE obviously loved what the Devils were doing, but the way he described the crowd reaction to the show was WAY OFF BASE. The crowd did not react to the Devils show in the way he reported. I was there on the 50 soaking it all in and golf clapping for the champs. Mr. Cesario has made similiar comments about this season's Blue Devils. Words like game changer, audience interest, crowd reaction etc. This is not a slam on the Devils, but it is a slam on the spin Mr. Cesario seems to putting on how fans like the direction of artistic programing of some of the top corps. I don't know Mr. Cesario, and I don't hate the Blue Devils. I know that some DCP users love the "layers and complexity" of the Devils. Many staffs are seemingly tired of putting out shows that Mom and Dad will love....whatever. Just don't have the artistic director spin that this direction is what the fan base wants and likes. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peel Paint Posted August 13, 2012 Share Posted August 13, 2012 The fox is watching the hen house. In 2010, it was announced that Cesario was going to shows to judge and explore crowd reactions and making fan friendly shows. I distinctly remember hearing him interviewed after Allentown that year and he talked about crown reaction and applause. What I remember distinctly was the crowd going NUTS for the Madision Scouts, and the Blue Devils getting polite applause. Remember this was Madision's first year back in finals after falling for a few seasons, and the Devils did "Through a Glass, Darkly". What Mr. Cesario said in that interview blew my mind. Essentialy he acknowledge the crowd response to the Scouts and a few others, but said something like "the crowd really loved the Devils and what they are doing, this is a game changer". HE obviously loved what the Devils were doing, but the way he described the crowd reaction to the show was WAY OFF BASE. The crowd did not react to the Devils show in the way he reported. I was there on the 50 soaking it all in and golf clapping for the champs. Mr. Cesario has made similiar comments about this season's Blue Devils. Words like game changer, audience interest, crowd reaction etc. This is not a slam on the Devils, but it is a slam on the spin Mr. Cesario seems to putting on how fans like the direction of artistic programing of some of the top corps. I don't know Mr. Cesario, and I don't hate the Blue Devils. I know that some DCP users love the "layers and complexity" of the Devils. Many staffs are seemingly tired of putting out shows that Mom and Dad will love....whatever. Just don't have the artistic director spin that this direction is what the fan base wants and likes. Now that's a valid criticism. So I'll agree that he would not make a good "entertainment judge" in the context of audience response. (He is of course qualified to judge entertainment personally, just as each of us is.) But I still don't think the Blue Devils were following his lead. They may have just read the new rules more carefully than some. Wouldn't be the first time, as their record attests. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jonnyboy Posted August 13, 2012 Share Posted August 13, 2012 A two part interview with Cesario on DCI and his Artistic Director position, from December 2010, Cesario Field Pass Part 1 Cesario Field Pass Part 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jonnyboy Posted August 13, 2012 Share Posted August 13, 2012 Now that's a valid criticism. So I'll agree that he would not make a good "entertainment judge" in the context of audience response. (He is of course qualified to judge entertainment personally, just as each of us is.) But I still don't think the Blue Devils were following his lead. They may have just read the new rules more carefully than some. Wouldn't be the first time, as their record attests. I am suggesting he is following the Blue Devils lead. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TastyWaves Posted August 13, 2012 Share Posted August 13, 2012 So did everyone think that the new sheets were going to turn the competition into an "Applaus-o-meter"? I read the sheet and heard the explanation of the sheet and nowhere in there did I get that impression. When looking at DCI top to bottom, I certainly saw a great deal of "Audience connection" the last two years. And even though the "My team didnt win so the system sucks" crowd wants to deprive me of the distinction, I AM A FAN. I loved the Blue Devils show and I thought it deserved to win this time out. For some reason, your opinion never counts on DCP unless your rooting for the team who didnt win. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trh Posted August 13, 2012 Share Posted August 13, 2012 So did everyone think that the new sheets were going to turn the competition into an "Applaus-o-meter"? ... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bchorn Posted August 13, 2012 Share Posted August 13, 2012 So did everyone think that the new sheets were going to turn the competition into an "Applaus-o-meter"? I read the sheet and heard the explanation of the sheet and nowhere in there did I get that impression. When looking at DCI top to bottom, I certainly saw a great deal of "Audience connection" the last two years. And even though the "My team didnt win so the system sucks" crowd wants to deprive me of the distinction, I AM A FAN. I loved the Blue Devils show and I thought it deserved to win this time out. For some reason, your opinion never counts on DCP unless your rooting for the team who didnt win. The backlash happening now is more than "My corp didn't win so I'm going to pout". People are frustrated that the Blue Devils have been dominating the activity over the last 6 years with relatively (to prior world champions) unentertaining shows. I think Crown's loss this year was the straw that broke the camels back given how extremely entertaining their show was compared to the Blue Devils' show (at least judging by the crowd I was part of Saturday night). I would be thrilled if any of the last four Blue Devil champions were as entertaining as 2003's Phenomenon of Cool. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quad Aces Posted August 13, 2012 Share Posted August 13, 2012 I clarified Quad Aces. BD/Crown were announced as a tie for the Visual Performance Award. Someone forgot to break that tie for the announcement. Is this clear enough? And FYI, Percussion and Color Guard are Performance Captions as well as Music and Visual Analysis. Crown did NOT dominate with a drill lacking clarity at times--or an "ok" drumline. Crown won the Visual award outright via the tiebreaker, so that means that in the end there was no tie for the award. There were two oops in the announcements on Sat. - this one (which was not corrected by Brandt Crocker, probably because it wasn't noticed until later), and the Brass award, which was corrected several seconds after. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mobrien Posted August 13, 2012 Share Posted August 13, 2012 (edited) My only question for DCI is "who decided on the title of 'artistic director', when the position in question is nothing like an artistic director in the real world?" Didn't 'creative consultant' (which is what you call someone who offers opinions but has no actual programming responsibilty) have a sexy enough ring to it? Edited August 13, 2012 by mobrien Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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