perc2100 Posted June 23, 2014 Share Posted June 23, 2014 No, he is speaking for a huge number of drum corps fans. To be honest, you missed the boat on the way to the train, and your train stalled on the tracks. Unless your contention is that DCI attendance being better-than-average lately = representation that lots of people buy the product but don't like it, then I agree the OP is not "speaking for a huge number of fans." Or at the very least, there is an equal and possibly greater number of fans content or downright happy with modern drum corps. And people who don't go to DCINWC shows are not fans: they are whining simpletons who can't find better ways to use their time than bit$€£ng on a drum corps website and offering zero to the activity other than blow-hard opinion. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mello Dude Posted June 23, 2014 Share Posted June 23, 2014 I would counter to start his own corps with another competing drum corps circuit with different criteria. DCI will never allow for someone to get into the system the way it's set up now. By the time you changed everything to gain access you have become what you hated. No win situation trying to change DCI. That ship has sailed. Much like what happened in 1972, just need to do your own thing and let DCI continue to be the premier marching band circuit. If your new circuit has appeal and need, it will do well. I would not expect a starting circuit to have good draw from the snob elites but NASCAR seems to do fairly well without F1 fans. Good luck. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HockeyDad Posted June 23, 2014 Share Posted June 23, 2014 Unless your contention is that DCI attendance being better-than-average lately = representation that lots of people buy the product but don't like it, then I agree the OP is not "speaking for a huge number of fans." Or at the very least, there is an equal and possibly greater number of fans content or downright happy with modern drum corps. And people who don't go to DCINWC shows are not fans: they are whining simpletons who can't find better ways to use their time than bit$£ng on a drum corps website and offering zero to the activity other than blow-hard opinion. As hominen attacks are easy. Debate is hard. I see you've taken the easy way. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SFZFAN Posted June 23, 2014 Share Posted June 23, 2014 While I tend to agree with the OP in every way I still have some interest in DCI. It's ironic that the only current staff member that I know personally is an electronics guy and that's the number one thing driving me away from the activity. I appreciate the hard work all the participants put in but my support is waining more and more every year. This is the first year since it's been available that I haven't paid for the fan network and a DVD/Blu-Ray. I suppose I'll keep making the trek to San Antonio for the one show a year as it's become a family tradition. I'll keep my matching funds contribution to the Madison Scouts through my company as well but I doubt I'll bother making the trip to Indy again or any of the the theater events. Maybe for every "old fart" like me who loses interest someone new learns about DCI and enjoys the current trends. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MikeD Posted June 23, 2014 Share Posted June 23, 2014 The fact that their are balance issues with the amplification is hardly subjective. When a 70 member horn-line is drowned out by a single over amplified xylophone should be not be issue at this point nor just my personal opinion. Balance issues have happened since the first time there was more than one person playing an instrument. Point at a particular poor use of something as a reason for it to go away, and you'd end up having no horns or percussion at all on the field. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MikeD Posted June 23, 2014 Share Posted June 23, 2014 How can the drum corps we love be brought back to the people? The answer is multi fold but has some obvious things that will make it more credible. First and foremost get the excessive influence of WGI out of the activity. (BOA could benefit from the same thing) What has WGI brought us? A lack of understandable and accessible drill in favor of the whims of a designer’s imagination which often looks like I wrote myself in to a corner so I’ll just run to get out. WGI has also brought us far-fetched “concepts” that only mean something to the person coming up with them based on their troubled childhood! It has also brought us drum lines that dance (whether it fits or not), giant lampshade props, mirrors and coatracks. Uniforms that are ghastly, music that most of the PAYING audience does not want to hear. Frequent change at the caption and the overall leadership levels would help to eliminate the status quo and indicate a more transparent situation. The entire visual side is lead by WGI guard judges either current or past. Music is lead by elitists that are out of touch with the majority of the audience tastes. Most big shows are judged by people you also see on the WGI shows. In addition the same names over and over. The Artistic Director sells uniforms to half of the DCI corps. Creates a bit of a conflict of interest if he has influence on judges. Music has moved away from the traditional instruments. Percussion has added electronics and amplification, we have as much singing and talking as we do music in some shows. Perhaps it is time for a traditional and a new age class. Perhaps a wholesale change at the judge leadership level. Maybe the winter and the summer should be different! The leadership of the elite corps need to look at what is good for the entire activity, not how they can make more money and satisfy their egos. What do you mean 'back to the people'? Drum corps is and always has been a niche activity primarily aimed at the fans of that activity. My non-corps friends had NO idea why I would EVER want to march around playing lame corny versions of pop tunes, patriotic music, and old hat swing charts when I started marching in the 60's. If you listen to popular music today, you will hear...synths and other electronic instruments as well as vocals, so if you want drum corps to be the music of the 'people', get ready for more of what you currently hate. . 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lincoln Posted June 23, 2014 Share Posted June 23, 2014 If you listen to popular music today, you will hear...synths and other electronic instruments as well as vocals, so if you want drum corps to be the music of the 'people', get ready for more of what you currently hate. I sincerely hope "twerking" never arrives on the DC scene... 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SFZFAN Posted June 23, 2014 Share Posted June 23, 2014 I sincerely hope "twerking" never arrives on the DC scene... I'd rather see a thousand twerks than hear another single sound created by a synthesizer. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cleveland1 Posted June 23, 2014 Share Posted June 23, 2014 I sincerely hope "twerking" never arrives on the DC scene... Jersey Surf's 2015 show "Wiggle, wiggle, wiggle" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NewSkool Posted June 23, 2014 Share Posted June 23, 2014 How can the drum corps we love be brought back to the people? The answer is multi fold but has some obvious things that will make it more credible. First and foremost get the excessive influence of WGI out of the activity. (BOA could benefit from the same thing) What has WGI brought us? A lack of understandable and accessible drill in favor of the whims of a designer’s imagination which often looks like I wrote myself in to a corner so I’ll just run to get out. WGI has also brought us far-fetched “concepts” that only mean something to the person coming up with them based on their troubled childhood! It has also brought us drum lines that dance (whether it fits or not), giant lampshade props, mirrors and coatracks. Uniforms that are ghastly, music that most of the PAYING audience does not want to hear. Frequent change at the caption and the overall leadership levels would help to eliminate the status quo and indicate a more transparent situation. The entire visual side is lead by WGI guard judges either current or past. Music is lead by elitists that are out of touch with the majority of the audience tastes. Most big shows are judged by people you also see on the WGI shows. In addition the same names over and over. The Artistic Director sells uniforms to half of the DCI corps. Creates a bit of a conflict of interest if he has influence on judges. Music has moved away from the traditional instruments. Percussion has added electronics and amplification, we have as much singing and talking as we do music in some shows. Perhaps it is time for a traditional and a new age class. Perhaps a wholesale change at the judge leadership level. Maybe the winter and the summer should be different! The leadership of the elite corps need to look at what is good for the entire activity, not how they can make more money and satisfy their egos. DCI has all these things and I love every season more than the last, and so do my students. WE watch some older shows on the FN, but they really gravitate towards the new. DCI has the right idea lately and kids are flocking to the shows and souvenir booths. I just finished my first year at a new gig where they watched FN shows, but never went because the former director deemed it "too expensive." I announced plans to go (at student cost) to the San Antonio show and we are taking two charter buses packed with students. "Perhaps it is time for a traditional and a new age class." There is a traditional class: DCA. With the constant, be it lessening, rumbles about how DCI isn't the same anymore, you think DCA would be raking in the the money from older, more traditionalist fans. And to the respect that "elite" corps need to watch out for the little guy? No. No lower-placing corps is obligated to do ANYTHING the top corps are doing. To suggest they have to in order to advance is silly as many corps have shown. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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