Plan9 Posted June 14, 2013 Share Posted June 14, 2013 This topic may go nowhere (or may have already been covered) but I was curious.... how did DCI fans communicate back in the day? How were pre-season rumors about shows, during season status and other DCI related stuff communicated without today's internet, DCP, fan network, video phones, tweets and Facebook? It's unimaginable. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
drilltech1 Posted June 14, 2013 Share Posted June 14, 2013 This topic may go nowhere (or may have already been covered) but I was curious.... how did DCI fans communicate back in the day? How were pre-season rumors about shows, during season status and other DCI related stuff communicated without today's internet, DCP, fan network, video phones, tweets and Facebook? It's unimaginable. 1. corps were more local and people spoke face-to-face. 2. Mail was cheaper and letters more frequent. People wrote whole sentences and paragraphs even that were more than 140 characters. 3. There were more winter activities which involved corps and corps people. Many corps had guards in winter circuits and the rest of the corps would come as fans and swap stories; there were mini-corps, and other things like what Mike Boo had on DCI page yesterday about hockey. 4. DCI corps were still in local circuits as well as those winter meetings gave more time for discussion and rumor. 5. Prior to the time of mandatory regionals, much info was shared by corps who had already seen other corps in practice or geographic activities. 6. College campuses and college dorms were a hot bed for info as kids went to various corps and travelled People's Express. Just some of the ways... 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MPutnam Posted June 14, 2013 Share Posted June 14, 2013 In the mid to late 80's there was very little information available before tour began. You had to rely on word of mouth from people you knew in other corps. Every once in awhile someone might have a cassette tape of a rehearsal that they would share. Drum Corps world was really the only source of info. Most of the time we didn't know what anyone else was doing till we saw them on tour! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Plan9 Posted June 14, 2013 Author Share Posted June 14, 2013 1. corps were more local and people spoke face-to-face. 2. Mail was cheaper and letters more frequent. People wrote whole sentences and paragraphs even that were more than 140 characters. 3. There were more winter activities which involved corps and corps people. Many corps had guards in winter circuits and the rest of the corps would come as fans and swap stories; there were mini-corps, and other things like what Mike Boo had on DCI page yesterday about hockey. 4. DCI corps were still in local circuits as well as those winter meetings gave more time for discussion and rumor. 5. Prior to the time of mandatory regionals, much info was shared by corps who had already seen other corps in practice or geographic activities. 6. College campuses and college dorms were a hot bed for info as kids went to various corps and travelled People's Express. Just some of the ways... Were there newletters, mailers? Because it was more local and because there were MANY more corps and (by extension) MANY more shows (local / regional) back in the day, I presume these were ways to get the word out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cowtown Posted June 14, 2013 Share Posted June 14, 2013 Drum Corps World played a big part – you could see how the other regions were doing as far as scores and placements. They had written reviews of shows also. There was more drama in the season because many corps didn’t meet up until late. If a corps had a new uniform, DCW would have a picture. There were also score hot lines, often hosted by corps for parents and fans to call into for the nights scores but word of mouth played a lot. Corps seemed to get more time to watch each other then too…as they sat around for retreats, they’d open the backside stands and they’d fill up with corps that had already preformed…performance order was more random then too Less info made shows and seasons more dramatic, IMO 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
drilltech1 Posted June 14, 2013 Share Posted June 14, 2013 Were there newletters, mailers? Because it was more local and because there were MANY more corps and (by extension) MANY more shows (local / regional) back in the day, I presume these were ways to get the word out. Yes corps did mailings, their were newsletters, magazines/newsletters other than just DCW (which will always be the standard) and even the DCI magazine was sent out more often than today and wasn't just ads. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Plan9 Posted June 14, 2013 Author Share Posted June 14, 2013 Drum Corps World played a big part – you could see how the other regions were doing as far as scores and placements. They had written reviews of shows also. There was more drama in the season because many corps didn't meet up until late. If a corps had a new uniform, DCW would have a picture. There were also score hot lines, often hosted by corps for parents and fans to call into for the nights scores but word of mouth played a lot. Corps seemed to get more time to watch each other then too…as they sat around for retreats, they'd open the backside stands and they'd fill up with corps that had already preformed…performance order was more random then too Less info made shows and seasons more dramatic, IMO A couple of fall outs from this: It would seem that because the tour captains were not is such a rush to get the kids on to the next show site that there was more time between shows....correct? and that would assume more local touring and less across-the-country tours like today.....correct? less shows? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Northern Thunder Posted June 14, 2013 Share Posted June 14, 2013 I remember making phone calls to Drum Corps World or Drum Corps News in the early 70s to get scores. In 1974 I was working as news director at a Minneapolis radio station, and I'll never forget that Sunday in August when the Associated Press sent out the finals scores from the DCI Championship the night before in Ithaca, NY. I tore it off the teletype, and I still have it today. 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lincoln Posted June 14, 2013 Share Posted June 14, 2013 (edited) It's interesting how things have have changed. We've gone from trying to get information during the season to a point where corps members are encouraged not to get information. I remember going to a show and spending my time soaking up whatever I could from Drum Corps World before the show would start. There was so much less criticism and arm-chair critiquing back then. Remember in '81 when Phantom had a libretto to explain their show? No one freaked out. Edited June 14, 2013 by LincolnV Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JimF-LowBari Posted June 14, 2013 Share Posted June 14, 2013 (edited) I remember making phone calls to Drum Corps World or Drum Corps News in the early 70s to get scores. About time someone mentioned Drum Corps News.... Seemed if you were a Jr corps fan you read DCW and if you were a Sr corps fan it was DCN. And I didn't say DCI or DCA because there was more going on than just the two big circuits. DCN was interesting as they only ran a few letters each issue and a gripe letter only once in a while. LOL - found a "Ask Me I Read Drum Corps News" bumper sticker on an old guitar case I have in the cellar. As for news from the corps, snail mail and LOT of info passed at rehearsal. Our tradition was just before the last run thru at the practice facility we would get the latest news. March to our spots to start the show and then wait for the latest and greatest. Wierdest thing in DCA late 70s early 80s was a French Canadian corps would pop out of no where and catch a top 10 spot. Corps on the "bubble" would be sweating it out until they saw who was at Prelims. Between Prelims and Finals 1979 we saw a corps we didn't recognize so couple of us walked over to talk to them. Just as we got there we heard yelling and a big dude picked me up and swung me around while screaming "We're in... we're in". I said "That's nice... who ARE you" (La Clique Alouette - came in 9th). It's interesting how things have have changed. We've gone from trying to get information during the season to a point where corps members are encouraged not to get information. And B-wording when scores aren't posted NOW!!! Edited June 14, 2013 by JimF-LowBari 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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