Glendora Show--Isn't It Happening Right Now?

[flammaster]

I miss the BD forums! :-(

[Gloryah]

I wonder what kind of scores BK will get when they finally run a complete show? They seem to be doing okay with their short show right now.

[shaners]

I wonder what kind of scores BK will get when they finally run a complete show? They seem to be doing okay with their short show right now.

Once BK adds the last movement, top 6 written all over it.

[wonderbread403]

I attended the show, but declined to post during the show because...ya know...I like to take in the show and not furiously text my thoughts onto the interwebs. Kidding aside, I'll post a full review by Sunday evening.

[Cop]

Blue Knights were pretty to view, some nice moments in their show. I love their understated opener. Safe bet they are top 12.

Crossmen had some great moments as well, stronger statements then BK at times. Horns have room to grow. Guard was stronger then Blue Knights tonight.

Blue Devils are exciting and march a drill. I love that. The production for "NINE" is wonderful. The male guard members are featured very well on weapon most of the shows. The corps uniforms look great on the field. The white sparkly sleeve on the drum corps proper is fantastic! Top three for sure, but they don't look unbeatable to me. They pull off their theme very well..

SCV sounds great and their guard is spinning their "assets" off the majority of their show. Drums are powerful. I'm thinking SCV outside the top four but in the top five :-)

Edited June 29, 2014 by Cop

[AlexLeeDrums]

I went to Corps at the Crest Oceanside and it was pretty much a full crowd! I have friends taking pictures of the Glendora show and it's packed.

Attendance (from what I've seen) is pretty high. The reasons why people aren't posting on DCP?

1) A lot of the audience (old and young) are new to the activity!

I overheard many conversations with many attendees asking veteran audience members what to expect and who to listen for. I even overheard a father and son duo behind me debating whether or not The Academy were the Cadets or Vanguard (I couldn't help but give a lighthearted chuckle). There were also a good amount of high school students in attendance, viewing drum corps for the first time because "their instructor was marching with -insert corps name here-" or "my band director told me this is what field shows should look like."

I frankly am happy that numerous amounts of people are entering the activity! Many were blown away with what they saw, some a bit disappointed with little things here and there, like the scores (judging by the many conversations I heard as I left the stadium). But for the most part, the feedback was positive!

Despite there being so many newcomers, I did overhear conversations between veteran attendees and DCP was actually brought up! I didn't want to intrude on their conversation, but this leads me to my next point.

2) Many veteran attendees are somewhat turned off by what is discussed on DCP.

The first couple I heard discussing the forum had positive things to say, but after that, the flood gates opened. It mainly came from the young adult crowd, but the attitude towards DCP was very negative.

Statements ranging from "They don't take others opinions well" to "I am afraid to comment" were audible during the 5-7 hours I spent at the event. I wish I was the bearer of better news! (and I am actually having second thoughts about posting this because my Mom told me if you didn't have good things to say, then don't say it!)

I would have gone up to ask these people why they felt the way they did about the forum! But, they were sort of busy with (leading to my third point)

3) No one wants to be interrupted AT ALL during the event because they are enjoying the -bleep- out of what's happening in front of them.

AKA. PEOPLE ARE ACTUALLY PUTTING DOWN THEIR PHONES DURING PERFORMANCES.

The Oceanside show was awesome. Every corps seemed to give it their all (minus a few corps dialing back a bit on the impacts, which is a discussion I will save for my Oceanside show review). Speaking of which, I read a review saying the audience was tough and I disagree with that, based on where I was at. People tried NOT to clap during the entire production because

A) they didn't want to interrupt the performance

B) they were trying to support their rear end from the awfully hard concrete seats (I know because when I stood up to have my butt breathe, the lady behind me said "that's a good idea" and stood up as well. Seriously though, ouch! My tuckus has not recovered)

Whoah. Kind of went on a tangent there, I apologize for that.

Tangent aside and to answer questions from people that were not in attendance, NO. Attendance is not down and fans are not leaving the activity but the buttload. (Once again, from my perspective). People are just new to the activity and haven't heard / been on DCP. Some are a bit turned off by it. And others are just trying to enjoy the awesome performances in front of them

This entire post is on point. I felt the same way at the Mesa show a few days ago. Stands were PACKED and everybody was so into it, including my high school students and 13 year old niece. All of whom are typically glued to their phones.

[ranintothedoor]

Thank you archbananas! Great post.

As to the negative reaction to DCP, I feel this sometimes, but I also learn a lot here and I do enjoy the passionate discussions. I've changed my mind a couple times throughout my years here, and I'm thankful for the insights of the people on here who do seek to educate and support (I'd encourage new folks to check out the 990 thread by garfield! awesome stuff).

[TRacer]

I attended the show as well and my takeaway was this:

Props: I'm all for props, but some are overdoing it. Both Crossmen and SCV had their props stationed on the track in clear view at the same time as BK went on, and it looked like a kitsch Las Vegas Strip garage sale. For anyone else that was there, did you notice all the extra Ryder and Hertz medium trucks out in the parking lot?

Blue Knights: They have really nice uniforms and some beautiful arrangements. However, there was so much body movement and emoting taking place in the brass that over three minutes elapsed before I realized that BK marches a drumline. The narration in their show is a continuation of the pretentious/artsy approach taken last year (2013 / William Shatner sound-alike: "What IS...a circle?" <-- It's a polygon with an infinite number of sides; now shut up and play!) with the prevailing theme that "In the moment before death, time is like an ocean". Thank you, and may the Blessings of the Oneness rain upon you as the Lotus blooms from the Navel of the Siddharta. Or something.

BD: The sound great and I Iike them more than I have the last couple of years. They could get ambushed by another Blue team out of Ohio, though.

SCV: After watching this show I felt conflicted-- I really wanted to like it, but didn't. I realize it is late June and I know that the members are working really hard, but after seeing them from the top of the stands on the Side 1 40:

-- Too much clutter!! The "harem pillow platforms" initially used as trombone stands are used as set pieces to subdivide the field as the show progresses, which in my view confines the corps too much between the 25s. The backdrops are beautifully painted and shaded, but really don't add much.

-- The trombones are a novelty representing just more stuff to haul out to the field, and didn't project the power I was expecting. I would imagine the '04 version of opener was listened to when they revisited this show concept, but it has nowhere near the OMG wow factor.

-- The trombones are brass lacquer versus the silver hornline-- what is up with that?

-- I counted two cymbal holes, one trumpet hole and one tuba hole-- in late June!! SCV is renowned for their cymbal visuals, and when there are only two out there they get lost.

-- The trumpets play a beautiful feature...while packed into dense circular "munge form" around the 50 framed by the aforementioned pillow platforms, and standing still. I've noticed that a lot of corps use this tactic of "pack the trumpets here and have them park & blow" when the high brass is tasked to perform a tough lick, so my sense is that this has become a required design element much like shoulder-high stick angles have for drummers.

-- Too much static visual-- at one point during drum solo the hornline is stationed in a long file on Side 1, and a an oblique triangular form on Side 2 while the guard is featured center. While probably unfinished visually, the horns just stand there while the battery rams notes in magnificent fashion reminiscent of 2004.

-- I love the drumline's book! They play really well, and the prismatic "gold to red" paint on the drums (depending on how the light hits it) is simply amazing. I can't wait until August to see how Cadets, Bluecoats and SCV stack up against each other in the percussion department.

-- I felt myself longing for more sustained phrases in the last 45 seconds of the show instead of the current "chop & bop" arrangement; maybe this will evolve as the season progresses. Meanwhile, the trombones sit unused on pretty gig stands.

Great venue for a show!

[vanguard87]

I have nothing to back it up but I'm betting attendance is down this year.

Yeah..... no.

[flammaster]

Yeah..... no.

but but....drum corps is dying. .. yea the 7 new open class corps are just a fluke.