Drum Corps is About 100 Years Behind

[danielray]

So how exactly do you define an "art form?" Many symphonies, ballets, and jazz bands are largely unchanged from the early 20th century. Does drum corps necessarily fit that mold?

The symphony orchestra is a dying medium that one generation away from extinction in the US if there are not some radical changes to connect with a young audience.

Drum corps is no different.

[N.E. Brigand]

Do any of the clips you've posted particularly "connect with a young audience"?

[Michael Boo]

I've watched the videos and my main thought is...There are some things I'm perfectly okay with remaining 100 years ahead of drum corps.

In fact, with some, 100 years might not be enough of a time spread.

[BRASSO]

But... while riffing on the name... wouldn't it be cool to see a mashup of Charles Mingus and Meredith Monk (thought I assume your meant Thelonius)...

]

Young people have heard of "the Monks".

But Thelonius, and Meredith ?... not so much. Don't kid yourself.

Edited August 26, 2013 by BRASSO

[danielray]

Do any of the clips you've posted particularly "connect with a young audience"?

This is the stuff that kids dig... drum corps can't be behind the curve here in terms of design...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CC4fMm4Axw4

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wSTIrzPOvkI

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mwT9_5oAmeI

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9W0rGXOH9CQ

This is the stuff kids dig in band... winterguard and winter percussion are even further out there. Drum corps, in many ways, has fallen behind marching band and especially WGI.

Edited August 26, 2013 by danielray

[cowtown]

Great, another middle age ‘hep-cat’ telling us what kids ‘dig’ in order to push their agenda. I feel ya daddy-O !!!

Last I checked, most kids don’t think marching band is all the tripndicular, it’s like squaresville, real L7, dig?

And seeing that drum corps is not really 100 years old, how can it be 100 years behind?

But why don’t you tell me again what all the cool kids like, ‘cause you’re so in tune, man

Edited August 26, 2013 by cowtown

[danielray]

Great, another middle age 'hep-cat' telling us what kids 'dig' in order to push their agenda. I feel ya daddy-O !!!

Last I checked, most kids don't think marching band is all the tripndicular, it's like squaresville, real L7, dig?

And seeing that drum corps is not really 100 years old, how can it be 100 years behind?

But why don't you tell me again what all the cool kids like, 'cause you're so in tune, man

This is what I have done for a living for years... marketing... mostly to the youth segment.

One rule holds fast.. kids don't really know what they want, but they do know what they don't want. They don't want done before, until it has been long enough for it to be retro.

In the case of drum corps, retro just moved so slow in comparison that it will never really come back... maybe just fragments and allusion.

Anyway, drum corps is marketed primarily to kids already participating in marching band. There are pretty much zero kids marching in drum corps these days that did not come from marching band first.

Nothing that I ever say is all that insightful, but is simply pretty obvious stuff. Every time I come here I feel like I need a helmet.

[Big Bad Bari]

This is what I have done for a living for years... marketing... mostly to the youth segment.

One rule holds fast.. kids don't really know what they want, but they do know what they don't want. They don't want done before, until it has been long enough for it to be retro.

In the case of drum corps, retro just moved so slow in comparison that it will never really come back... maybe just fragments and allusion.

Anyway, drum corps is marketed primarily to kids already participating in marching band. There are pretty much zero kids marching in drum corps these days that did not come from marching band first.

Nothing that I ever say is all that insightful, but is simply pretty obvious stuff. Every time I come here I feel like I need a helmet.

I like the way this poster stays on point even when the other posters are trying their hardest to be insulting and insular! It is funny how D.R. almost never takes it to someone else, but still seems to be attacked pretty harshly! Interesting sociological study to be sure!

[JimF-LowBari]

This is what I have done for a living for years... marketing... mostly to the youth segment.

No idea how you do your job but as long as you try to connect to find out what the target audience wants instead of telling them

Too many dumb moves in the auto industry (family background) when Detroit thought they knew the customers mind more than the customer (ignoring small car market, the EDSEL for Heavens sake, bunch of salesmen I walked out on).

[drilltech1]

This is what I have done for a living for years... marketing... mostly to the youth segment.

One rule holds fast.. kids don't really know what they want, but they do know what they don't want. They don't want done before, until it has been long enough for it to be retro.

In the case of drum corps, retro just moved so slow in comparison that it will never really come back... maybe just fragments and allusion.

Anyway, drum corps is marketed primarily to kids already participating in marching band. There are pretty much zero kids marching in drum corps these days that did not come from marching band first.

Nothing that I ever say is all that insightful, but is simply pretty obvious stuff. Every time I come here I feel like I need a helmet.

For once we are in agreement, ha, ha.

But I am not persuaded by the examples you've chosen from the marching activity samples you present.

All your BOA bands have shows centered around extended miked solos by astounding flutists.

Avon's pie in the face routine was done by North Star Drum Corps from the North Shore of Mass in DCI back in the last century.

Ok, So the similarities between Broken Arrow's Surrender to Hope and Boston's Rise show are so copied (check out the tunnel entrance for each with talcum powder, no penalty in BOA) that I guess we'll have to get Craiga, Ghost, and Brasso to rename BAC the Broken Arrow Crusaders.

But really, original.

I have seen all these examples elsewhere in the activity. Originality is not the strong suit in any of these examples.