MPutnam Posted June 12, 2013 Share Posted June 12, 2013 These are the days, my friends. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DrumManTx Posted June 12, 2013 Share Posted June 12, 2013 I think the number counting stuff is REALLY cool personally, ESPECIALLY in the drum feature before "The Abyss". Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
corpsband Posted June 12, 2013 Author Share Posted June 12, 2013 (edited) I don't agree with this. When I first heard the ballad I was wondering why the narration was there. I then went on YouTube and looked up EotB where I eventually came to Knee 5. At that point I began to see why it was there. My first exposure to EotB goes back to a video of Erte from 80's WGI since yanked from YouTube. If I had not seen that, the "wtf" factor would have been expanded 10 fold. Yet, it's ok to have a show that compels people to look up more about what they are hearing. However, just one year ago BD was severely criticized for causing the same. I think you're over-analyzing. Listening to the ballad (with narration) it's clear that the poem tells the story you're seeing on the field. Asking "why did they use narration during this song" is actually digging deeper into the design choices and their justification. Face value -- the ballad tells the story you're seeing. There's no "onion peeling" necessary to understand that. You need know nothing about EOTB to understand what you're seeing and hearing. OTOH I do agree that you might wonder *why* are they telling that story at this point in the show? And I agree that knowing a little about EOTB would be required to answer that question. But I think equating it with the typical viewer experience of Dada is probably a stretch. Dada was incomprehensible from start to finish without prior knowledge. IMO Crown's production is enhanced by prior knowledge but is perfectly accessible without it. I think we (on DCP) probably automatically dig in deeper, and that's certainly ok but it's NOT taking what you see and hear at face value. Edited June 12, 2013 by corpsband 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeff Ream Posted June 12, 2013 Share Posted June 12, 2013 EotB wouldn't be EotB without them. Crown usually doesn't do a whole lot with narration so if they felt it could be done without it, they probably would have. at least it's not Rent 6 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeff Ream Posted June 12, 2013 Share Posted June 12, 2013 again -- there's no onion peeling necessary. the show reads just fine on first viewing with no knowledge of EOTB. your premise is fine -- I agree with it -- but your facts are in error. perhaps you should wait to see the show live before preaching about onions. just a thought. then maybe it's just me, or seeing it live will change my mind. off of the video I saw...well, when done, I felt like I had just watched BD the last few years. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeff Ream Posted June 12, 2013 Share Posted June 12, 2013 I don't agree with this. When I first heard the ballad I was wondering why the narration was there. I then went on YouTube and looked up EotB where I eventually came to Knee 5. At that point I began to see why it was there. My first exposure to EotB goes back to a video of Erte from 80's WGI since yanked from YouTube. If I had not seen that, the "wtf" factor would have been expanded 10 fold. Yet, it's ok to have a show that compels people to look up more about what they are hearing. However, just one year ago BD was severely criticized for causing the same. shhhh. Don't go there. The Cream team....err Joker costume team honks may get mad :tongue:/> ( and yes, I almost posted that. It's funny what some will go along with in pursuit of the elusive ring) 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crownisking Posted June 12, 2013 Share Posted June 12, 2013 at least it's not Rent Haha, I know that moment in the '04 show wasn't too popular in some circles, but that was the show that made me fall in love with Crown (and drum corps) so it'll always be a special show to me. Even the singing. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Plan9 Posted June 12, 2013 Share Posted June 12, 2013 I don't agree with this. When I first heard the ballad I was wondering why the narration was there. I then went on YouTube and looked up EotB where I eventually came to Knee 5. At that point I began to see why it was there. My first exposure to EotB goes back to a video of Erte from 80's WGI since yanked from YouTube. If I had not seen that, the "wtf" factor would have been expanded 10 fold. Yet, it's ok to have a show that compels people to look up more about what they are hearing. However, just one year ago BD was severely criticized for causing the same. Yes....Watching the avante gard nature of this production (both, in terms of development and DCI audience reception) will be very interesting this year. Are there two standards? Will those that fear modernism "take over" of the top 3 be so pervasive that they rebel in their reactions. I, for one applaud, CC (and any corps) for any exploration away from tradition. Perhaps CC will bridge the GAP that exists between "audience first" and "new & different". 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
N.E. Brigand Posted June 12, 2013 Share Posted June 12, 2013 EotB wouldn't be EotB without them. Crown usually doesn't do a whole lot with narration so if they felt it could be done without it, they probably would have. EotB isn't exactly EotB when it is reduced to 3 or 4 minutes snips (down from 5+ hours) and being marched on a football field. No need to be a purist at this point in the game. Or when they tack the narration on to a completely different song, "The Abyss". I can understand why they might want to do it for continuity and flow, but let’s drop this "true to the original, musical integrity" bit. It’s merely a design choice. Yes, an argument that requires narration is an argument that requires woodwinds or strings. After all, one of Samuel Barber's best-loved works is titled "Adagio for Strings", but that hasn't stopped arrangers from coming up with some fine settings for other kinds of ensembles, including the excellent version SCV presented in 2000. Who's going to claim that SCV's piece doesn't work because it's played on brass not strings? (All that said, I haven't watched any video of Crown's 2013 show, so while I oppose amplified vocals in drum corps on general principle, it's quite possible that I could accept this particular example, as I do also for Bluecoats "Criminal" and Crown's "Triple Crown", the two best uses of miked vocals to date--no matter that Crown was cribbing from Spike Jones: Feetlebaum!) 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SCV84 Posted June 12, 2013 Share Posted June 12, 2013 Watched the run through a few times when it hit YouTube. So disappointed... Was a huge Crown fan the last few years, but this show is everything I hated about Cadets a few years back... Nothing kills my ability to enjoy a corps show faster and more effectively than talking/singing into a microphone; I just can't take it. Lucky for them, I don't matter, because, if I were in control, any talking/singing into a microphone would be an automatic 80 point penalty... That way, you would be free to use it, but we wouldn't be forced to sit through it again after quarter finals. /selfish rant 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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