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


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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.

I'll give you Crown - their hornline is the closest thing to 'loud' that exists today. I realize going back to G bugles probably won't happen - especially if money has anything to do with it. Wasn't that the reason for the switch to multi-key?

Edited by Kevin Meadows
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Maybe lots of fans are just jaded now by the shows, because it is so different than it was in the 70s and 80s. Back then, it was normal to hear a bunch of show tunes, and pop songs fill a show. Now, if the Top 6 came out and said they were doing a 70s style show, I'm honestly not sure if they'd get the same kind of members. I know I joined drum corps to expand my mind and learn about many new kinds of music. If I wanted to do a show based on pop tunes, I can do college marching band. Now most of what we see is symphonic or orchestral works, with a bit of movie or Broadway music mixed in.

And because so many fans have been around for so long, maybe they feel like they've seen everything drum corps can show them, so they don't get as excited anymore. Me, I've only been around since 2003, so I still find tons to get excited by in every show. There is always something in every show to make you clap and cheer, sometimes you just have to look for it, instead of having it handed to you on a silver platter.

Edited by fsubone
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ok.

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

there's a zillion possibilities. What see now is the same option over and over and over and over again.

I think back to 99...BD took the corps to the back right corner, and got louder as they got further back. Genius!

of course you have the 87 Cadets company front. so many options out there to try. What we see is the same option over and over again. Where's the creativity?

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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...

the point is, especially for effect, you look for originality, creativity. How creative is it if you've seen the same #### thing 25 times in a show, yet the numbers just get higher the later you go in the show?

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Where's the creativity?

"Creativity," of course, is a slippery slope. Star '93 was innovative, very "creative" - and got booed. Blue Devils 2010, 2012 - both daring programs, out there on the edge, were not uniformly well received. Folks want to see something new, as long as it looks like the same old stuff they used to cheer for. Isn't that kind of where this thread started?

Peace, holiday regards,

Fred O.

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Just listening to shows past, and crowd reactions are just so much more energetic and emotional than those of today's shows. What's with that?

They are too busy texting and websurfing at shows.

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the point is, especially for effect, you look for originality, creativity. How creative is it if you've seen the same #### thing 25 times in a show, yet the numbers just get higher the later you go in the show?

Don't corps with different/creative elements tend to get the higher score? They are so different sometimes that people hate their shows?

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I won't speak for anyone else, but for me, FanNetwork does "desensitize" me to some extent. Obviously, I don't mean to say that a streaming video over computer speakers is on par with seeing the performance live.

But after seeing them online, I know what to be expecting from the corps when I actually do see them live. There's an element of surprise that no longer exists in today's social media. Add to that the fact that I can continuously re-watch shows, and the "wow" factor will continue to be diluted.

Kind of a double edged sword. I want a constant feed of drum corps throughout the summer, but it loses it's impact after awhile.

Maybe I'll try and switch it up for 2013....

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