what modern main stream band would you design a show around?

[flammaster]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qty_8noCNic

[Michael Boo]

This is going to sound crazy coming from someone who turned 58 a week ago, but I've been quite intrigued of what I've seen of Mars Volta. Naturally, much of the band's repertoire would be practically impossible to synch music and marching.

[N.E. Brigand]

I don't really think the top 30 is an indication of being a part of the main stream. How many people do you know who've never heard of Radiohead for example? They're a pretty common name. I'd say that would be considered main stream. Perhaps not quite the most popular, but definitely well known. Most of the groups mentioned, I think, would fit into that mold.

I'd heard of Radiohead, but never heard anything by them before hearing Bluecoats' version of "Creep", which led me to look up the original. And I listen to commercial pop radio fairly often, and have since the 1980s. Since these are the stations that get the most listeners, I'd say there are probably a lot of people who've never heard any Radiohead. If Radiohead were popular enough to be called mainstream, they'd be played on these stations.

(I am quite curious about the disconnect between Radiohead's lack of success with singles--not played on the radio, not purchased by listeners--and their success as mentioned above, with albums.)

Edited October 13, 2013 by N.E. Brigand

[fsubone]

(I am quite curious about the disconnect between Radiohead's lack of success with singles--not played on the radio, not purchased by listeners--and their success as mentioned above, with albums.)

Because their old label didn't release much of their music in single form, so people bought the full albums. So that lowered their amount of exposure, but they became big in the underground, alternative scene, which drove their success. They're always critically a great band, but haven't sold amazingly well. But they have a very dedicated fan base and are known, at least a bit by the general public. Anyone who lived through the 90s probably heard Creep somewhere.

[RContra]

Last thing I want to see is drum corps being dumbed down and play something "main stream"! New and interesting is how it has been going and I think drum corps is on the right track. If you don't like it watch 'Merkin Idle.

Ever seen the 2012 Bluecoats opener, 2010's Imogen heap piece or Madison's Empire State of Mind? Enough said.

[N.E. Brigand]

Because their old label didn't release much of their music in single form, so people bought the full albums. So that lowered their amount of exposure, but they became big in the underground, alternative scene, which drove their success. They're always critically a great band, but haven't sold amazingly well. But they have a very dedicated fan base and are known, at least a bit by the general public. Anyone who lived through the '90s probably heard Creep somewhere.

Thanks for the explanation; I appreciate it.

That said, as I mentioned above, I'd never heard "Creep" and I certainly lived through the '90s. I think even a fair number of drum corps fans probably didn't know the song, since following the first shows of 2011, several people on DCP were confused by Bluecoats' audio track featuring the line, "What the hell am I doing here?"

But enough of my digression on the nuances of what qualifies as "mainstream"! To return to the original question, my answer is Vampire Weekend. And they haven't even cracked the top 100.

[boxingfred]

Janelle Monae and Laura Mvula

[Overhype]

This isn't very current, but I'd love to hear a corps like BD play the breakdown of "Control" by Puddle of Mudd in a standstill. For me, this is mostly about how I imagine the battery wailing as the music builds in that section. I don't see it working for the brass, but hey, it's awesome in my imagination. Maybe it should actually be Puddle of Mudd with a full battery drum section!

http://youtu.be/I0-lENIRHaM?t=2m50s

[TRacer]

I would love to see some The Scorpions stuff on the field.

Two thumbs up on this idea. ("When the Smoke is Going Down" as a closer?)

I've always wondered why someone hasn't taken a crack at Boston's Foreplay/Long TIme (yes, has been used in WGI etc in the past)

YES's release back in 1994 called Talk has a lot of great material, like "The Calling" http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G3E8lL6HqfA

Edited October 14, 2013 by TRacer

[whitedawn]

I'd heard of Radiohead, but never heard anything by them before hearing Bluecoats' version of "Creep", which led me to look up the original. And I listen to commercial pop radio fairly often, and have since the 1980s. Since these are the stations that get the most listeners, I'd say there are probably a lot of people who've never heard any Radiohead. If Radiohead were popular enough to be called mainstream, they'd be played on these stations.

(I am quite curious about the disconnect between Radiohead's lack of success with singles--not played on the radio, not purchased by listeners--and their success as mentioned above, with albums.)

Yay! Something I am an expert on.The short answer is the "lack of success with singles" is simply because the band does not release singles. Also, they haven't had a record company since 2003.

You'll be surprised to know that the last Radiohead album (The King of Limbs, 2011) was released with no promotion of any kind, and still reached #3 on the US album sales chart. In fact, the band announced the release (and very existence) of the album just 4 days before they released it.

Sales figures for the album before that (In Rainbows, 2007) are not available, because the band released the album via their website and allowed people to pay whatever they wanted. They did not release the number of copies sold, but knowing Radiohead fans, it was a boatload. Once it was released on CD three months later, it went to #1. The other post-2000 albums have also sold a ton (Hail to the Thief #3, Amnesiac #2, Kid A #1).

Also, "Creep" was the band's only really huge "hit" (OK, maybe "Karma Police" too), but they've basically disavowed that they made it. They don't play it (or any other song) from that album at shows, don't talk about it, don't refer to it, etc.

And finally, BD should be doing this: