Jeff Ream Posted January 4, 2013 Share Posted January 4, 2013 Take your argument and consider that for those of us who like our brass undiluted with synths,etc. To me and many others, that sound needs nothing to "make things more interesting." I feel that people who like music with marching music with synths, electric guitars, basses, etc., have HS Marching band, some College bands and DCI. I don't care what goes on in those circuits. Folks can do what they like there. They can have Kanye, Kim and the baby rapping with one of the units for all I care. But why are the fans of that style of music so intent on converting the last bastion of brass and percussion music(DCA)? Why does every marching form have to be exactly the same? After they finish with DCA will they go after the fife and drum corps and drum and baton units? the problem is this: the generations of fans drum corps needs to capture like, or tolerate the brass sound coupled with synths etc...they are used to it. the DCA fan base is old. At times the last few years at the age of 43, I felt really young at some shows. My dad, who is 67 and I recently talked about it.....his era of fans are going less and less, and are starting to die off. Without replacing those fans with newer blood, in the not so near future, DCA could be seeing crowds of 3,000 or so at finals. Sure, even many people of my age bracket would like to see drum corps with all of the plugged in stuff. But in the not so far off future, we will be the old ####s in the stands #####ing about "back in my day...." and I'd hate to think my generation will basically be all thats there. you want to capture age outs to march from todays DCi corps? you need the stuff they are used to. You want band kids to join, get training for DCI, go do that, then come back? You need the stuff they are used to. Really, it's not that hard to figure out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JimF-LowBari Posted January 4, 2013 Share Posted January 4, 2013 (edited) the DCA fan base is old. At times the last few years at the age of 43, I felt really young at some shows. My dad, who is 67 and I recently talked about it.....his era of fans are going less and less, and are starting to die off. Without replacing those fans with newer blood, in the not so near future, DCA could be seeing crowds of 3,000 or so at finals. And I'm stuck right in the middle at 55 and saying the same thing for the last couple of years. No idea what the answer is but can usually only go to DCA and sit in the higer price seats. From there I see a lot of grey and no hair. From the average age I see walking around during Prelims/Finals makes me wonder if it was anything like this in the 70s. To be blunt, almost all of the under 30 crowd are usually corps members. Just scarey that the apparent average age of corps are going down but average audience age is going up. Don't really think electronics/no electronics will make that big of a difference in getting new people to attend as think costs and other issues are hitting more. But I'll go untill I'm not entertained anymore. Or until physical difficulties get too bad which a lot of people at DCA can say. And as for the Alumni type standstills and audience..... Did see some younger people at the last show I attended but no idea if family members or who they were. But saddest line I ever heard was "Did you get the idea we're playing for each other?" IOW - corps members playing to other corps members. So it's not like going "old scholl" brings in new audience either. And average age of some of the Alumni type members is another issue that IMO will change things in another 10-15 years in that world. Edited January 4, 2013 by JimF-LowBari Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
donincardona Posted January 4, 2013 Share Posted January 4, 2013 And I'm stuck right in the middle at 55 and saying the same thing for the last couple of years. No idea what the answer is but can usually only go to DCA and sit in the higer price seats. From there I see a lot of grey and no hair. From the average age I see walking around during Prelims/Finals makes me wonder if it was anything like this in the 70s. To be blunt, almost all of the under 30 crowd are usually corps members. Just scarey that the apparent average age of corps are going down but average audience age is going up. Don't really think electronics/no electronics will make that big of a difference in getting new people to attend as think costs and other issues are hitting more. But I'll go untill I'm not entertained anymore. Or until physical difficulties get too bad which a lot of people at DCA can say. And as for the Alumni type standstills and audience..... Did see some younger people at the last show I attended but no idea if family members or who they were. But saddest line I ever heard was "Did you get the idea we're playing for each other?" IOW - corps members playing to other corps members. So it's not like going "old scholl" brings in new audience either. And average age of some of the Alumni type members is another issue that IMO will change things in another 10-15 years in that world. jim alumni corps will be gone in 7-10 years. max. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fred Windish Posted January 4, 2013 Share Posted January 4, 2013 Polka fans are a mostly older crowd, too. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gary Matczak Posted January 4, 2013 Share Posted January 4, 2013 Polka fans are a mostly older crowd, too. hey,..........you callin' me old? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JimF-LowBari Posted January 4, 2013 Share Posted January 4, 2013 jim alumni corps will be gone in 7-10 years. max. I'm thinking a good bit less corps and the current way of doing things will be changed big time...... but that's for another thread if I feel like I need to warm up with the flames I'd generate. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fred Windish Posted January 4, 2013 Share Posted January 4, 2013 Relax, Gary! New "older" fans are being created everyday. Welcome to the party! What we need to do is step back, analyze, and identify what qualities make any form of entertainment appealing to a willing audience of unattached people. That's a mouthful, but like everything else, there MUST be a common thread somewhere. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kamarag Posted January 4, 2013 Share Posted January 4, 2013 (edited) jim alumni corps will be gone in 7-10 years. max. Yep, this is true. Alumni corps will be the first to die out, and rightly so, simply because they refuse to change and cater to a younger membership (never mind audience). They've been playing to nothing but themselves for some time, and it's only going to get worse. The young people who *might* be interested in joining an alumni corps are turned off because they don't want to trot out "It's a Grand Old Flag" and "Cherry Pink and Apple Blossom White" for the nine thousandth time, and the powers that be won't cater to their needs. There is one exception that proves the rule...the Reading Buccaneers Alumni. They have been playing a nice mix of recent "hits" with the older stuff. And, surprise...they have some younger members as a result. Edited January 4, 2013 by Kamarag 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JimF-LowBari Posted January 4, 2013 Share Posted January 4, 2013 (edited) Yep, this is true. Alumni corps will be the first to die out, and rightly so, simply because they refuse to change and cater to a younger membership (never mind audience). They've been playing to nothing but themselves for some time, and it's only going to get worse. The young people who *might* be interested in joining an alumni corps are turned off because they don't want to trot out "It's a Grand Old Flag" and "Cherry Pink and Apple Blossom White" for the nine thousandth time, and the powers that be won't cater to their needs. There is one exception that proves the rule...the Reading Buccaneers Alumni. They have been playing a nice mix of recent "hits" with the older stuff. And, surprise...they have some younger members as a result. John... Buccs Alum aren't the only ones who changed over the last few years and gotten younger members as a result. But since I don't know anything about how other corps operate I won't guess why they perform the way they do. Bu there are some that I am "not much of a fan" of their style and that has to do with my era.... Edit: Oh Hell I'll say it out loud without naming names... Some corps come across as "If loud is good, then louder must be better". ahhhh not to us... Edited January 4, 2013 by JimF-LowBari Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kamarag Posted January 4, 2013 Share Posted January 4, 2013 John... Buccs Alum aren't the only ones who changed over the last few years and gotten younger members as a result. That's a good thing. They all (Bucs included) should make bigger deal out of that fact. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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