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A "Tradition Corps"? What do you think?


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Not sure what the Alumni show crowd size shows Mike For others who don't know, the Alumni show is held 10am on the Sunday between Prelims (ends around 9PM Sat) and Finals (starts arund 5pm Sun). IMO this cuts down on crowd size as many skip to rest up from Prelims and rest up for Finals. At least we've skipped a few times due to being tired. And as the show progresses (and we get to top groups) the crowds do improve (as they get out of bed?).

So, the folks "resting up" essentially do not care, thus proving the original point. No one gives a flying crap about alumni corps.

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Or time for fans to actually show up at the beginning of shows and give their support to everyone. We all decry the death of the little corps, but who is there to watch them, or purchase souvenirs from them?

Maybe DCI is not, and has not been serving their interests. It might be time for OC to reconsider their situation.

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A low-cost local-style circuit a la the old Garden State Circuit is just never going to happen, IMO. It is just too expensive for enough corps to start up in a small enough area so that weekend shows are possible to create an all summer long activity. Not to mention trying to find interested new members to fill these new corps, even at 28 horns. There is a reason the GSC and its corps failed over time.

Not really-smaller circuits & championships failed because DCI would not cooperate. No DCI means a different context.

If my old corps could get a functional group up in a few months-it's not impossible. I think a lot of you are so used to large programs & extravaganzas that you forgot that a small corps can function with a couple of rented buses and a pick up.

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So, the folks "resting up" essentially do not care, thus proving the original point. No one gives a flying crap about alumni corps.

That's so disrespectful to those people marching. The day iis designed as it should be, to highlight DCA corps. the Alumni show was a later development and an addition to an already packed day. My SO prefers Alumni- I prefer DCA's smaller corps like Fusion, Sabers, Sun. We have to make compromises on what/ who to see. Moreover being a vegetarian it's rare at any public event (not only drum corps) to find a decent vegetarian meal. So sitting in the stands an entire day without food is not easy. You may not care about Alumni corps, but a lot of people do. Edited by pearlsnaredrummer77
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IMO that is the fastest way for those corps to fail.

That's been the argument for the last 25 years. Maybe time for different theories?

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So, the folks "resting up" essentially do not care, thus proving the original point. No one gives a flying crap about alumni corps.

My guess, you are new to the activity or perhaps are suffering a momentary brain cramp. This might explain your complete unawareness or perhaps a bout of temporary amnesia regarding the outstanding applause and fan reception that the Alumni Corps have received at DCI Championships. From the 27th Lancers, Cavaliers, Madison Scouts, Anaheim Kingsmem, SCV Vanguard, Star of Indiana, and the others. The comment that " no one gives a flying crap about Alumni Corps" is of course not only inaccurate it is positively dopey to believe this. As a matter of fact, the 27th Lancers Alumni Corps audience applause for their reunion performance at DCI Finals Night in 1994 exceeded that of any other competing DCI Finals Corps performance reception that evening. And of course, anyone in attendance that evening also knows this as well. But.. its a free board, and as such, anyone is entitled to post any astute assessment as well as assessments that demonstrate the most ridiculously silly and colossally wrong assessment that one chooses to make as well !

Edited by BRASSO
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Not really-smaller circuits & championships failed because DCI would not cooperate. No DCI means a different context.

If my old corps could get a functional group up in a few months-it's not impossible. I think a lot of you are so used to large programs & extravaganzas that you forgot that a small corps can function with a couple of rented buses and a pick up.

I marched, taught and judged in the GSC between 1968 and 1980. I saw it shrink all through the late 70's, as corps folded one after the other...NOT due to DCI in any way, but for the myriad reasons discussed ad nauseum in other threads. I know it continued to exist for a while after that, but from looking at scores online it was barely subsistence existence closer to the end.

I'm not sure what you meant by "DCI would not cooperate".

I hope your corps succeeds. Any time kids get a chance to perform it is a good thing. IMO there is just not enough interest or money available to create enough corps in a small geographic area to provide a summer's worth of competitive experience to survive and thrive...and then replicate all of that across the country.

IMO focussing the lower level at the HS band level provides the infrastructure and base of competitive performance opportunities across the country, with the DCI corps at all levels existing for the kids who want to have a summer experience at whatever level they choose.

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My guess, you are new to the activity or perhaps are suffering a momentary brain cramp. This might explain your complete unawareness or bout of perhaps temporary amnesia of the outstanding applause and fan reception that the Alumni Corps have received at DCI Championships. From the 27th Lancers, Cavaliers, Madison Scouts, Anaheim Kingsmem, SCV Vanguard, Star of Indiana, and the others. The comment that " no one gives a flying crap about Alumni Corps" is of course not only inaccurate it is positively dopey to believe this. As a matter of fact, the 27th Lancers Alumni Corps audience applause for their reunion performance at DCI Finals Night in 1994 exceeded that of any other competing DCI Finals Corps performance reception that evening. And of course, anyone in attendance that evening also knows this as well. But.. its a free board, and as such, anyone is entitled to post any astute assessment as well as right down to the most ridiculously silly and colossally wrong assessment that they choose to make !

Except you are talking about different venues and performances. The comment was made about the sparse attendance at the DCA alumni show, and the reasons given for that low attendance, while people here are pushing for a corps to do a completely retro down to the music and drill. Your comments are about the one-off special events.

Note Jeff's comments in various threads about people leaving the stands in droves at Allentown when the Bayonne alumni corps comes on the field after the last competitive corps. Sadly, I have seen it happen too, and they do an excellent job entertaining the audience.

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That's so disrespectful to those people marching. The day iis designed as it should be, to highlight DCA corps. the Alumni show was a later development and an addition to an already packed day. My SO prefers Alumni- I prefer DCA's smaller corps like Fusion, Sabers, Sun. We have to make compromises on what/ who to see. Moreover being a vegetarian it's rare at any public event (not only drum corps) to find a decent vegetarian meal. So sitting in the stands an entire day without food is not easy. You may not care about Alumni corps, but a lot of people do.

No, a lot of people don't. A few certainly do. I attend a lot of DCA shows every summer, many of which have alumni corps in exhibition. When they are on at the start of the show, much of the crowd skips them to get food, souvies, walk the lot, or simply arrive late. When they are on at the end of the show, folks leave (you can get scores on the internet). When a show puts them on in the middle (as was done in Bridgeport a couple of years ago), people complain, and take breaks to shop or hit the restroom. Deny it all you want, but it's true. I've even tweeted about it while at shows in the past.

There are exceptions, obviously (Cabs Alumni being the biggest), but the fact remains that alumni corps are not significant draws to shows, and the vast majority of fans simply don't much care.

Look, there is absolutely a niche set of fans that like and enjoy alumni shows, and that's awesome. But face it, they are a niche group in an already niche activity. There's a reason there are only a very small number of alumni-only shows every year. I think it's high time folks realize that alumni corps isn't about the fans as much as it's about the performers themselves. Those corps gather every year at DCA championships and essentially perform for each other, and if spectators show up, it's frosting on the cake. The truth is never disrespectful. You might not like it, but it's still the truth.

Edited by Kamarag
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It's also a better stadium than Lucas. But, still weird to split so far away.

Ames Field is the best little venue in Drum Corps (as an aside I lived in Michigan City in the late 60's-early 70's; saw my first DC show in 73ish at the old Ames Field; was there also when 1980 Spirit 'broke the glass in the press-box'. But I digress). Someday, when the activity has its main viewership on-line, that would be the prime place to hold World Class finals. I suspect it costs less to rent than Lucas.

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