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Pittsburgh Pit-Q


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Reminds me of the time I had the misfortune to be surrounded by Blue Stars staff near the top row at Kalamazoo in 2010, before they could control the mixer remotely, and they spent the whole show yelling into their radio to tell the guy on the mixer to move whatever up or down or whichever, and they'd get very excited if the amps were too loud or soft at a particular time, and yes, it totally ruined the ballad, and the folks around me kept shushing them, and at one point the staffer yelled out "Hey, we're getting JUDGED for this, okay?" Not cool.

That would #### me off too. Sorry it happened. I wish all corps would address their staffs relative to this issue, every year. It never fails, you're sitting in the stands getting ready to watch corps X, and prior to intro the predictable other worldly presence of drum corps staffs starts waifing into the stands like the "Oh Brother Where Art Thou" river baptism scene. They are mysterious, obviously not paying spectators, somehow "deserving" of the whole stands, and the lands beyond. Get TF over yourselves, or pay $30 bucks a night for your spot, and if you do that, STFU and enjoy the show.

Wheewww, venting done...

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Troopers, thank you for getting it right and for maybe, just maybe, caring about us fans. They can have G7. I'll take Troopers every time.

And now back to the annual issue of loud, obnoxious, rude "I'm a big shot staff member and I need to be cool so I yell " staff members

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Boston's staff was either quieter tonight in Centerville, or not sitting anywhere near me. Boston gave a great performance (do they do better when it's raining), and I wasn't distracted by forced applause, and the fans loved them ... although they might have loved Madison even more.

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This whole subject was dealt with officially from DCI many years back, maybe a decade. I know because I took part.

This should NEVER happen at any show, local or regional, and the staffs know it. The problem is that DCI can't police the stands to prevent it.

As I was told at the time, DCI has to leave much of this up to the fans to report when it happens. Even at local shows there is a DCI rep on the premises. You should find that person and report the offending staffs.

Fire codes in most stadiums prevent anyone from sitting in the aisles, period.

Those offending staff members have no right to be in the stands, period, at any show. Their passes around their necks don't authorize them in the stands, only in the stadium grounds.

I've taken it upon myself many times to tell the staff to move or sit down in a seat and shut up. At one show I was applauded.

Heck, at our local show three years ago my seats were directly under the press box. The judges had the windows open and their talking (judging) was a huge distraction to those sitting near, so I politely asked him to either quiet down or close the windows (it was VERY hot). He quieted down immediately, then found me after the show to apologize. He said he had no idea he was being disruptive.

Look, those staffs didn't pay to be in the stands, YOU DID. The show host knows where his bread is buttered so, ABSOLUTELY, complain! Ask the show host to block the aisles on the 50 and, when you're in the stands and an usher attempts to remove the offenders, back up that usher with words of confidence.

There is simply no reasonable excuse or rationale for the staff to interrupt the paying fans' experience. They don't need to see their kids from up high at the performance - they see them from up high all day during rehearsal.

The more DCI hears from show hosts that this is going on again, the sooner DCI will get the word out to the corps and remind them of how wrong it is. But, if you sit quietly and just allow your experience to be corrupted by these self-serving cretans, the problem will never be addressed (who'll know besides DCP) and the problem won't stop.

SPEAK UP! It's your nickel that pays the show host's contract to DCI to have the corps there in the first place.

I read a number of these responses, but this particular one bothered me just a little bit. I absolutely agree that staff's should be respectful of the paying sutomers. No question about it. The staffs should be quiet and observe only. But the sentiment communicated about not needing to see the performance I don't agree with, as the stadium might offer a vantage point the staff did not have during that days rehearsal. They ARE supposed to be cleaning the show and the need see how the cleaning and new changes are being performed.

The other comment about staffs not paying to see the performance but the audience did; Well when I was teaching I did it for free. I put it hours and hours during an entire year, at my sole cost and expense. My money out of my pocket. What a self serving cretan I must have been when I went into the stands to see how the days rehearsal efforts panned out. I am a little more than offended by that comment Garfield!!! I have no doubt there are a lot of volunteer staff members who would be. I am sorry that your POV is so one sided. All this being said I wouldn't feel right without offering a suggestion or two or three, that could be implemented, instead of my ranting about a rant.

1. Limit staffs allowed into the upper levels of the stands to observe; to caption heads only or a caption heads designated observer. Youy can rotate the observers over the course of the season. Plus wouldn't techs want to watch from the side occassionaly? You can see and learn a lot about your corps performance from other vantage points. Most brass, percussion, guard and drill techs can get sufficient feedback down low.

2. Each show could have a small area designated for staff viewing and follow suggestion #1. Don't want to take away paying audience seating

3. At the preshow meeting/check-in time reiterate to corps management what the staff viewing policy is and require a corps management person to accompany the limited staff into the stands, to ensure they comply with the rules and respect the paying audiences desire to watch the show. Yeah it may be a bit of babysitting but I think the problem would go away very quickly and there needs to be some amount of accountablilty that needs to be learned and reinforced.

I think any or all of these suggestions can be easily implemented and enforced. I am sorry that the BAC staff was pointed out as an offending group and there is no excuse for that behavior and lack of respect for the audience. I always was aware that the paying audience wanted to watch the show and I can assure you that I kept a low profile and my mouth shut. So please don't tell staff members to shut the F### up unless that's how you want to be spoken to.

To staff members who may read this: if you want to jump and shout and clap like a fool, then go off to the side and be the jackwagon you so desire to be. I am sure your MM's would be proud of you.

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