The Halftime Company Front Pre-Closer

[Backstrom]

I think two of my favorite closers this season were from SCV and Scouts, because both of them had ovation-inducing half-time company fronts right before the closer, which brought the crowd to their feet. SCV famously did this in 1989 before their soft closer. There are plenty of other examples which I can't think of right now.

What about this makes it so appealing to the audience? I'm trying to think of this from a more emotive perspective-- is it the musical aspect of marching and playing half-time? Or something visually endearing about the company front?

[Michael Boo]

I believe part of the excitement of seeing a company front is it's one of the few things from our distant past that is still with us. Before front ensembles, before marching timpani and keyboards, before B-flat horns, before guard became heavily dance-oriented and before drill was asymmetrical and abstract...we had company fronts. It ties us in with our heritage, it's someone old-timers remember from back when and it's something newcomers like perhaps because everyone around them who has been around awhile is going ape over the company front.

Also, company fronts are pretty much guaranteed to offer corps at their loudest, and drum corps fans live for those moments when the heavens open up and the bones rattle from good old-fashioned mega-doses of volume.

[84BDsop]

I believe part of the excitement of seeing a company front is it's one of the few things from our distant past that is still with us. Before front ensembles, before marching timpani and keyboards, before B-flat horns, before guard became heavily dance-oriented and before drill was asymmetrical and abstract...we had company fronts. It ties us in with our heritage, it's someone old-timers remember from back when and it's something newcomers like perhaps because everyone around them who has been around awhile is going ape over the company front.

Also, company fronts are pretty much guaranteed to offer corps at their loudest, and drum corps fans live for those moments when the heavens open up and the bones rattle from good old-fashioned mega-doses of volume.

Unless it's Cadets 94, of course...and the company BACK.

[Michael Boo]

Unless it's Cadets 94, of course...and the company BACK.

True...that generated a lot of reaction from the audience, I think due to its novelty... and it was that novelty that kept the audience engrossed, even though it was only about one-tenth the volume of a regular company front.

[burgerbob]

It's a big visual statement... Entire hornline (plus whoever else) in a (hopefully, but almost never) straight line across the field, in small intervals. You can make larger forms but the intervals will make it look sparse compared to a tight company front. It looks like a solid entity, which few other things (maybe very tight blocks, etc) can emulate on the field.

Also, tends to be loud, with varying levels of quality. A good one will just get louder since they're moving towards the audience.

Halftime is always good, it really emphasizes the strongbeats visually.

[corpsband]

I believe part of the excitement of seeing a company front is it's one of the few things from our distant past that is still with us.

Newbies respond just as well -- even when there's not a crowd of old-timers.

It might be over-used. But there's a good reason it's over-used.

It's effective.

Also, company fronts are pretty much guaranteed to offer corps at their loudest, and drum corps fans live for those moments when the heavens open up and the bones rattle from good old-fashioned mega-doses of volume.

Probably part of the reason it's effective.

I think it's also effective because humans like simple visual ideas. It's like boldface.

Nothing magical or innovative or deeply though provoking about it. But people use it because it works.

[MikeD]

It's a big visual statement... Entire hornline (plus whoever else) in a (hopefully, but almost never) straight line across the field, in small intervals. You can make larger forms but the intervals will make it look sparse compared to a tight company front. It looks like a solid entity, which few other things (maybe very tight blocks, etc) can emulate on the field.

Also, tends to be loud, with varying levels of quality. A good one will just get louder since they're moving towards the audience.

Halftime is always good, it really emphasizes the strongbeats visually.

Put the same visual at, say, a mezzo forte music phrase not written to provide an impact, and the company front alone not be anywhere near as effective. It is the blending of both that provides the "moment" under discussion here.

[luv4corps]

What's better than endzone to endzone horns pointed at you blowing at a dynamic of ffff?

Edited September 25, 2013 by luv4corps

[fsubone]

I'm just going to leave this right here.

[Fran Haring]

I believe part of the excitement of seeing a company front is it's one of the few things from our distant past that is still with us. Before front ensembles, before marching timpani and keyboards, before B-flat horns, before guard became heavily dance-oriented and before drill was asymmetrical and abstract...we had company fronts. It ties us in with our heritage, it's someone old-timers remember from back when and it's something newcomers like perhaps because everyone around them who has been around awhile is going ape over the company front.

Also, company fronts are pretty much guaranteed to offer corps at their loudest, and drum corps fans live for those moments when the heavens open up and the bones rattle from good old-fashioned mega-doses of volume.

So... to sum up...

Company fronts are really cool!!!