c mor Posted July 29, 2013 Share Posted July 29, 2013 (edited) If anyone is seriously interested in the Blue Devils design process, there is a series of "Conversations" on their website, under Mediabox. Dave Glyde talks about this process. Edited July 29, 2013 by c mor 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BRASSO Posted July 29, 2013 Share Posted July 29, 2013 so wrong. many of the folks booing are lifers who are sick of seeing shows they don't like/get winning. Tired of plunking down their hard earned $$$ to see a show they need to be educated to get win. and we wonder whya ttendance isn' what it could be. trust me, I understand the system, I get why BD wins. but I also get why fans are done going. at Allentown, I've long been a part of a tailgating group that has been going to shows there since they start running in the 70's. of that group, less than 50% of them now even bother to go in. They just show up to soclialize. Last year, the only reason most went in was to see Surf...then they went back out. The shows don't do it for them anymore. Same here. Although my tailgate friends tend to go in and stay.. but not for the scores. Half the friends I know go to the shows to catch up with friends and to socialize. They don't boo the shows or the scores. They're not that engaged enough with it all anymore to boo. The most fundamental of all requirements to booing, is that you have to care about the placements and the scores to begin with. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
camel lips Posted July 29, 2013 Share Posted July 29, 2013 This year marks the first year in my adult life I have not been to a DCI show. The reason???? I have no interest in seeing any of the shows. I am not going to let DCI see one dime of my money this year. NOT ONE DIME. Sorry if it hurts the activity. But the Activity that we love needs to know that we will not stand for this. Changes need to be made. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeff Ream Posted July 29, 2013 Share Posted July 29, 2013 (edited) I freely admit I "get" BD's show, but I probably approach it from a different background than most due to what I do and how I prepare for it. Also, it doesn't hurt that I had to live with Stravinsky's score for a couple weeks in a 20th Century music analysis class and also had to direct my way through a recording for an advanced conducting class while I was working on my masters degree in composition. (Hint: I think I survived by just using my elbows. No way could I have conducted a real orchestra.) I also saw live the Joffrey Ballet's re-creation of the Nijinsky choreography (from his copious notes) just one day after Robert Joffrey died, which made the memories even more searing. The corps visual staff seems to be more than aware of much of the primal choreography employed in both productions, judging by the primitive stomping and other nods to the intent of Nijinsky. I've also enjoyed listening to Don Sebesky's jazz treatment of the piece, long before BD announced it would be in the show. (Had that album on vinyl way before it came out on CD.) That said, I think I understand why so many feel alienated by the show, or the performance, or why another corps isn't winning. BD's show has layers that slowly unveil themselves with each viewing. It's not warm and fuzzy and won't be mistaken for Mayberry's Aunt Bea. In 1983, I witnessed Star of Indiana be repeatedly booed when winning throughout the season. Granted, the audience was probably booing the results and not the corps; but according to corps members and staff I spoke with, it was difficult for them to make that distinction. Now, that show is regarded as a classic and a few years ago "won" a DCP poll for the most influential show in DCI history. Is history repeating itself? History is viewed only from a distance. It will be years before we really know how BD's 2013 show will influence the activity, whether it wins or not. I'm not a fan of booing. However, I recognize that the people booing, (whether or not they think they're just booing the results and not the corps itself), have paid good money for their tickets and have a right to not have to sit with their mouths closed when the scores are announced. While I would prefer they would just give a rousing round of applause to their favorite corps when it doesn't win, I cannot in good conscience tell anyone they have to right to express themselves in any manner that is non-violent. Without all of them, I wouldn't be able to do what I do, which I consider to be the best job in DCI and a personal blessing to me to be allowed to do it. I've been a teacher, a composer, an author and I hope a generally all-around decent person. Not everything I've done has been met with enthusiasm. Some things have been met with extreme disapproval, including things I thought were good at the time and later came to realize were anything but. I learned from those examples and moved on. I think the members of Blue Devils have a pretty good grounding provided by many of the best instructors in the activity that they have learned to use the energy from the audiencepositive and negative energyto make themselves stronger in will and more focused in competition. They will survive any crowd reaction and probably thrive from it. I believe all our cherished fans have the best interests of all the members in their hearts. Perhaps it doesn't seem that way when certain reactions are expressed. But in the end, everyone will move on and this will still be the greatest activity of which any kid can become a part. you saw Star in 83? Wow Thats impressive :tongue:/>/> Edited July 29, 2013 by Jeff Ream Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BRASSO Posted July 29, 2013 Share Posted July 29, 2013 (edited) Well, to use your own argument against you: in the "real world" no one gives a crap how popular you are. Your boss won't mind if you're the funniest guy in the office, but if you can't cut it at your job, you're gone. In the REAL world, people only care how GOOD you are at what you do. The popular clique in high school, if they didn't apply themselves in college, are the ones bagging your groceries now. Oh if it was only so true. Regrettably, it is the popular guy, the good looking gal, then wins the promotion oftentimes over the person that is the nerdy geek with brains that is good with what they do, but is tempermentally quiet and not self promoting. Thats why many nerdy geeks and homely gals with brains ultimately decide to start their own businesses. If they go into the schools, or Government, or Private Sector they learn right away that popularity and office politics counts for a lot, especially when it comes to promotions. Those that are over 45 on here know that this is oftentimes the case too. Thats " the real world " thats unfortunately awaits the young. Edited July 29, 2013 by BRASSO 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GUARDLING Posted July 29, 2013 Share Posted July 29, 2013 Does anyone else find it just a little bit ironic the same older fans who are hurling (untrue) insults at millenials are also engaging in ceaseless whining because a show they don't like is winning? It's tempting to say something snide about the greed, narcissism, and entitlement of Gen-Xers and Boomers, but making sweeping generalizations about one population cohort or the other is just stupid and lazy. What makes things even more ironic is that younger fans are - from my own observations at least - heavily pro-Crown and anti-BD. Some are even participating in the booing. Which is unfortunate. not saying one way or the other on a corps BUT you also see that many of those same people say they dont care about scores or its not about scores etc etc..hmmmmmm welll if one doesnt care about scores then why do some of these people care who beats who or who wins or not! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kamarag Posted July 29, 2013 Share Posted July 29, 2013 You have to admit that it's pretty darned impressive that one corps has so much influence that fans won't go to shows they aren't even performing in. You don't like BD? Cool. Take the time they are on to go buy a shirt from a corps you do like. Or a hot dog. Whatever. Holding BD's success against e other corps in DCI is just stupid beyond belief. 9 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
2000Cadet Posted July 29, 2013 Share Posted July 29, 2013 Sorry, but your post is too sanctimonious. I personally have never booed, but I have shaken my head on a number of occasions. An entire generation (I'm talking to you Millennials) was brought up under a sissy system that everyone was a winner: "C'mon. Don't say bad things about nobody...everyone tried the same and had fun, so let's give everyone a trophy." This is a competitive activity comprised of young adults--many of whom are going to be entering "real life" soon enough and they're learning some of the most valuable life lessons right now. They are NOT all winners and drum corps is a competitive activity with scores and winners and losers and stuff. They have staff who yell at them and make them run laps. Expectations are put on them and guys in green shirts and khaki pants tell them they did good or did bad. Booing isn't the end of the world and it's not gonna hurt these young people. If it does, then they need to be booed more. Welcome to life. Sorry for sounding crotchety, but this "everyone's a winner and don't hurt their feelings" sentiment is for the birds. THEY'RE ALL WINNERS!!!! LOL... Seriously though, I think this post is kinda right (although I'm not sure I would have been as blunt about it). I deal with a lot of people today who can't seem to deal with rejection. Real world scenarios will help build character in my opinion. Still. I love drum corps and won't ever "boo" because we've been booed and it isn't pretty lol... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cleveland1 Posted July 29, 2013 Share Posted July 29, 2013 Wait, attendance is lower than it should be? Maybe in an ideal world every show would be sold out and corps would have to reserve college and pro football stadiums for every show because thats how high the demand is! better yet, DCI dedicated stadiums all over the country built to achieve acoustic clarity and pleasing the fans. But overall DCI is a niche activity that I would never have known about if I was not in marching band in high school. and attendance figures still rise overall every year, right? Especially prelims where over 40,000 people went to watch in theaters last year. Finals will probably have about 18,000 people at it live this year, not including the people watching via live stream this year. I do not know the capacity at lucas oil for DCI, since only that one face of the stands is even seated, my guess would be no more than 25,000 people would be sold out for DCI. Taking into consideration a lot of seats are horrible and I wouldn't sit in those seats unless i had no other option, 18,000 people is impressive. Last year Atlanta had a record high attendance for the SE Regional, I do not have the attendance figures for this year though (does somebody have them handy?) 2012 was 16,114 people. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JKT90 Posted July 29, 2013 Share Posted July 29, 2013 If anyone is seriously interested in the Blue Devils design process, there is a series of "Conversations" on their website, under Mediabox. Dave Glyde talks about this process. Listened to a few of those. Interesting stuff. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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