Why Aren't Crowd Reactions Like They Used to be?

[charlie1223]

"What is human life? The first third a good time; the rest remembering about it."

-Mark Twain

[Nine White Russians]

Don't know if this has already been said, but two reasons I can think of;

1) There is much less melodic content in today's programs overall compared to back in the 1970s/80s.

Not just snippets of melodies or quotes, but long melodic phrases where you can hear actual "songs".

There's got to be a way to balance the two more than is currently being done.

2) The sheets are written that way. Back in the day, the emphasis was clearly music first, then visual...now

it's the other way around. Visual first, then music. Some Corps even pick music that will fit their visual theme.

[Kevin Meadows]

I figured I might get flamed, or at least chided for my post. But I stand by it. Cipher's initial question is simplistic and subjective, and (at least to me) obviously fishing for responses that support the p.o.v. that things were better in the good old days. Kevin's answer is equally simplistic and subjective, and gives Cipher just what he's looking for.

Maybe I should have said: "Ask a simplistic, subjective question, worded so as to elicit a particular response..." But that doesn't have quite the same ring to it.

Holiday regards - thanks for the dialogue,

Fred O.

Well that's the way I feel so....there you go. Maybe it is "simplistic". But sometimes the answer to questions are right in front of us yet we can't see them. I do think things were better in the "good old days". One of the things that made drum corps exciting in my opinion, besides the technical achievement and high talent of the performers, was simply the volume in which they played. I've been attending shows for 25+ years and for the last 10 I can count on one hand the times I've been truly moved and excited enough to stand and applaud a performance. When I look back at what excited me in years past, it was when I was getting my face blown off. The performance level and sophistication is certainly better now....but it's not very exciting at mf. Until and unless DCI goes back to G bugles, Drum Corps will continue to die a slow death.

Edited December 8, 2012 by Kevin Meadows

[garfield]

Well that's the way I feel so....there you go. Maybe it is "simplistic". But sometimes the answer to questions are right in front of us yet we can't see them. I do think things were better in the "good old days". One of the things that made drum corps exciting in my opinion, besides the technical achievement and high talent of the performers, was simply the volume in which they played. I've been attending shows for 25+ years and for the last 10 I can count on one hand the times I've been truly moved and excited enough to stand and applaud a performance. When I look back at what excited me in years past, it was when I was getting my face blown off. The performance level and sophistication is certainly better now....but it's not very exciting at mf. Until and unless DCI goes back to G bugles, Drum Corps will continue to die a slow death.

Not if the amps are big enough!

:devil:/>

[drumno5]

Well that's the way I feel so....there you go. Maybe it is "simplistic". But sometimes the answer to questions are right in front of us yet we can't see them. I do think things were better in the "good old days". One of the things that made drum corps exciting in my opinion, besides the technical achievement and high talent of the performers, was simply the volume in which they played. I've been attending shows for 25+ years and for the last 10 I can count on one hand the times I've been truly moved and excited enough to stand and applaud a performance. When I look back at what excited me in years past, it was when I was getting my face blown off. The performance level and sophistication is certainly better now....but it's not very exciting at mf. Until and unless DCI goes back to G bugles, Drum Corps will continue to die a slow death.

You are by all means entitled to your opinion. But I likewise have seen a lot of shows, over a long period of time. Past or present, there's just so much more to the activity than for me to say "well, I used to stand back in the old days (which I did - I loved that old school stuff, and still do), but nothing excites me these days 'cause nobody plays loud anymore" - to say nothing of the fact that I don't necessarily believe that to be true. Are Crown's horn lines not loud enough for you? Cadets 2007? (I didn't particularly care for the show, but those kids could bring it.)

Pundits have been predicting the demise of the activity since before you or I had anything to say about it. I don't think the answer is right in front of us, and I certainly don't think that it would be in the form of a return to the G Bugle - which in any case I don't see happening anytime soon. So....there you go.

Thanks for the discussion,

Fred O.

Edited December 8, 2012 by drumno5

[corpsband]

the GE sheets have one huge thuing I feel is over rewarded...audio to visual cordination. Just going into block form #4 with loud chord and body isn't the best possible way to coordinate the impact or effect. But it's what people do anyways.

ok.

what *is* the best possible way? i'd really like to know.

Edited December 8, 2012 by corpsband

[HockeyDad]

Not if the amps are big enough!

:devil:/>/>

Good one. Hey Garfield AKA Brutus the Buckeye - did you notice - Hockeykids are going to their third Rose Bowl in a row! Three of them this time. This one's the best, because it was completely unexpected. And Barry's coming back to coach one game only. If it can't be Michigan, it might as well be Bucky Badger!

[charlie1223]

you don't have to know the music....it's all in how it's presented. Many of the newer generation of DCI fans had no idea about Spartacus...the visual went a long way in telling the story. Another great example is Cadets Angels and Demons....the visual helped convey the emotion.

the GE sheets have one huge thuing I feel is over rewarded...audio to visual cordination. Just going into block form #4 with loud chord and body isn't the best possible way to coordinate the impact or effect. But it's what people do anyways.

Wouldn't it make sense then that if there WAS a better way to coordinate audio and visual that it would receive more credit than "block form #4 with loud chord and body"? Isn't that point of competition? Here is what is being judged, now find the best ways to do them... Losing you here on this point...

[beingmad]

I figured I might get flamed, or at least chided for my post. But I stand by it. Cipher's initial question is simplistic and subjective, and (at least to me) obviously fishing for responses that support the p.o.v. that things were better in the good old days. Kevin's answer is equally simplistic and subjective, and gives Cipher just what he's looking for.

Maybe I should have said: "Ask a simplistic, subjective question, worded so as to elicit a particular response..." But that doesn't have quite the same ring to it.

Holiday regards - thanks for the dialogue,

Fred O.

Knowing the original poster, the question is not "fishing for responses that support the p.o.v. that things were better in the good old day..." Not every question is designed to trap one into agreeing with them... assuming so could be naive.

To me- based on prior dialogue with the poster- the poster feels that there was more audience response during the shows. As a marching member, it does seem that audiences in the past were more willing to show there excitement during the show, rather than combusting in the final seconds of the show. Personally I feel that the "rules" of the crowd are different now, as it seems like many find it rude to show some emotion during the show-not just after a selection or at the conclusion, but whenever. During the summer I occasionally see on Facebook posts by The Cadets, Crown, and other groups asking "Who's going to be at the show tonight? If you hear or see something you like, make some noise!" I feel that the lack of audience reaction during the show isnot because horn lines aren't as loud (they are loud) or there is no musical content (there is definitely something called "music" there) compared to the "old glory days" of drum corps, but because the unspoken rule of the crowd is keep quite until the end.

Yes there are instances of the crowd going nuts-Look on the first page for examples.

Edited December 8, 2012 by beingmad

[charlie1223]

Yes, a lot of the kids may or may not have known that Phantom did this back then (depending on how much drum corps history they know). However, IMHO, we may even be underestimating their knowledge of the history of the activity. These are the kids who are more zealous about the activity, and soak in more than others would. From my own personal experience, when I was in high school band and first experiencing drum corps, i wanted to learn as much as I could about it - and I don't think I was in the minority on this. I mentioned earlier that all anyone had to do was listen to the Field Pass from earlier that season to know that Phantom did Spartacus back then. And, let's not forget that kids are not the only ones in the audience at Finals - the audience is also made up of fans who have been following the activity for a long time and are certainly aware of the history of the activity.

Again, IMHO, I think it's a stretch to say that "not many" people in the stands at Finals knew of the Spartacus music.

I think you are over estimating kids interest in the history of a corps DCI shows. If you are a hard corps Regiment Fan you would venture that far back, but if you are a hard corps Cavies Fan you probably wouldn't be as interested in what Phantom did in the 80's. While I think the information is READILY available I don't think many actually seek it out.