Fran Haring Posted April 10, 2013 Share Posted April 10, 2013 tics Keep running until you're out of firing range. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jeff_demello Posted April 10, 2013 Share Posted April 10, 2013 What will make the DCI product a better fit for mass audiences and more attractive to former members and fans. I'll start. Less WGI guard influence. Looking at recaps recently and the listings of those in charge of judging it is way too many WGI guard judges. I attended WGI finals last year and found it to be boring and adventures in designers egos.....sound familiar? DCI does not have enough groups to fill the stadium with those there to perform. We need to change direction and remeber thse who brought you here. DCI is a Marketing organization, that (should be) primarily concerned with putting b*tts-in-seats. It also is a regulatory body which has changed it's adjudication rules over the years to allow for different types of "acts". The entities responsible for making the activity more attractive (or "entertaining", or "fun", or ...) are the individual corps (or "acts"). People flock to see a "good act/corps" (whatever that individuals interpretation of 'good' is) ... and there is a general agreement as to what a "good corps" is. Typically (and I don't want to be harsh, but IMHO it is generally accepted that) the "good corps" are on "after intermission". This has been proven to be pretty much true for any show. SO ... where does that leave us? We need "better" (i.e., more entertaining, more pizzaz, whatever your definition of "better") drum corps! How can DCI contribute to "better" drum corps ... that's the real issue (IMHO) of this thread. Does DCI continue with its current business model and force every corps to go on VERY expensive tours for weeks at a time? Or should someone come up with a new model that would allow more local tours for smaller corps, thus freeing up money that each corps would have spent on busses, fuel, food, housing, and allow that corps to hire more/better staff, or to allow for better nutrition for the members on tour, or .... There are a VERY FEW corps that can REALLY afford to go on tour ... probably around 7 (or even LESS!). Those corps should be doing touring nationally, and maybe judged way differently than the smaller, local-touring, corps. And probably even marketed differently! (Sound familiar?) And maybe they don't even compete with the smaller corps (i.e., the "Baseball model", where the Major League team does not play games against a high school team). I would hope that THESE are the types of STRATEGIC issues that I would HOPE the new DCI Board of Directors are talking about ... not TACTICAL details such as "how many judges do we need at early season shows", or "should we allow bigger pits". As always ... IMHO! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FlamMan Posted April 10, 2013 Share Posted April 10, 2013 (edited) This is very simple. Diversity of styles & music is what this activity needs more than anything. Shows have become dull & boring because there is no difference in styles between corps. There aren't any Drum Corps that fans of Spanish-Latin-Mexican, Jazz, British or Scottish music can relate to. EDIT: I agree completely with the following post regarding the Guard & WGI influence. When the Drum Corp activity was at its peak, it was because the music was great. This activity needs to prioritize the music & we need more horn & drum guys in influential positions. The ridiculous costumes that pass as uniforms are a problem too. How many really cool unis are there in the activity today? Scouts, SCV, Cavies, PR, & I'm sure I missed a couple. Lastly, the Drum Corp activity needs spats on the Madison Scouts uniform! Edited April 10, 2013 by FlamMan 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rayfallon Posted April 10, 2013 Share Posted April 10, 2013 What will make the DCI product a better fit for mass audiences and more attractive to former members and fans. I'll start. Less WGI guard influence. Looking at recaps recently and the listings of those in charge of judging it is way too many WGI guard judges. I attended WGI finals last year and found it to be boring and adventures in designers egos.....sound familiar? DCI does not have enough groups to fill the stadium with those there to perform. We need to change direction and remeber thse who brought you here. I'll get in trouble here (especially as a dinosaur): Better (musically) educated audiences. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Slingerland Posted April 10, 2013 Share Posted April 10, 2013 I'll get in trouble here (especially as a dinosaur): Better (musically) educated audiences. I'd argue that the better your musical education is, the more aggravating you find the current WGI/DCI arranging style. Grownup tastes can actually stick with one piece of music for more than 30 seconds before hitting "next" on the iPod wheel. 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Drillwatcher Posted April 10, 2013 Share Posted April 10, 2013 How about a MMA cage match between judges and DM's right after scores ? :shutup:/> What would be a good idea would to actually have intelligent conversation about an activity we all must love to be here. If things don'yt change it will not be around long and you will have to chose cage matches, monster trucks and wrestling. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jordsterr Posted April 10, 2013 Share Posted April 10, 2013 clarinets Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
garfield Posted April 10, 2013 Share Posted April 10, 2013 clarinets Says a clarinet player. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Drillwatcher Posted April 10, 2013 Share Posted April 10, 2013 clarinets Apparently as close as you can come to intelligent conversation Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BRASSO Posted April 10, 2013 Share Posted April 10, 2013 (edited) I'll get in trouble here (especially as a dinosaur): Better (musically) educated audiences. DCI Corps ( and its primary fanbase ) eventually might find challenges in their future financial backing as its future fans most likely are going to be coming from an " education " milieu that frankly does not pay as much as other fields such as business, finance, economics, self employment, the skilled trades, etc. Nothing against the vast numbers of current marchers ( and future fans ) being "educated" to become future Music Ed teachers and school Band Directors in the private and public schools, ... its a very commendable, fulfilling, and noble endeavor of youth service...... but these are not particular " education " fields of higher education disciplines that lead to long term great incomes for those with these " music education " degrees. They did not select these Higher ED. Majors principally to " make lots of money "..... and so naturally, most of them won't in their selected careers after graduation. Any enterprise, such as DCI Drum Corps, does not need so much " better musically educated audiences " as much as it will need future audiences with the high interest levels to become long term fans, and also many with large financial resources neccesary to personally underwrite an increasingly costly endeavor such as DCI Drum Corps, particularly as its older " Dinosaurs " that have supported the activity for decades eventually pass on. Thats how I see things anyway in the future and what DCI Drum Corps will need for its future " audiences " looking thru my arguably very foggy crystal ball. Plus, any performing artist, or group , company, organization, etc that finds fault with the " audience "., ie " the customer "... is really looking in the wrong place for fault when its sales are slipping, or its product offering it wishes were being met with greater approval on the part of the public. Edited April 10, 2013 by BRASSO 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.