wallace Posted July 1, 2015 Share Posted July 1, 2015 You're talking about this year's show flammaster? LOL! Not even close to being the best thing the Devils have done. Good? Yes, even great, but the BEST? Puh-leeeze... 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cleveland1 Posted July 1, 2015 Share Posted July 1, 2015 You're talking about this year's show flammaster? LOL! Not even close to being the best thing the Devils have done. Good? Yes, even great, but the BEST? Puh-leeeze... Nothing will beat the godfather part blue. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cappybara Posted July 1, 2015 Share Posted July 1, 2015 got cut huh? Best show they have ever done! Is it the best? Nah probably not. But it's undoubtedly going to end up being one of my favorites by them. Screw the haters :) 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cappybara Posted July 1, 2015 Share Posted July 1, 2015 I am a bit crotchety tonight because I can't figure out how to insert Maneuvah's excellent post # 62 into this space ahead of Mello Dude's post below and for the reasons stated in my critique. Both posts are fair summaries of my current opinion re Fake Plastic GE. I have grown to despise the past, current and developing trends in "smoke and mirrors" show design which have heightened body distortion, props, park & bark staging, and the sexploitation of guard members as means to distinguish a particular corps concept. Drum corps is supposed to be a youth education project, not an exercise in fraud. What has sent me over the edge this year is a certain portion of the Devil's 2015 program, i.e., the K-pop segment. As I understand it, K-pop references Korean pop, the niche musical genre that originally featured Psy, his singularly stupid body distortions and repetitive mindless music. Now we have 2 minutes or so of some synthesized K-pop accompanied by a lot of Devils rolling around on the grass. What a great way of using 20% of your show doing NOTHING. What a concept! To me, it is nothing more than krap-pop and the Devils should be ashamed of introducing this music and motion to the field. A lot has been said in this discussion about the repetitive use of these GE and Visual tools as corps attempt to discern how and why to emulate the Devil's success. Well, first a corps has to match the excellence of their MM's technical talents in the musical sections. Then, most importantly, we need a judging community that doesn't continually embarrass itself by continuously rewarding the "smoke and mirrors" approach to show design. Instead of rewarding a corps for 2 minutes or so of krap. they should discount their score 20%. And then, maybe, we will see an end to this foolishness. Good night. BD has mastered the art of staging. Simple as that. There's nothing "cheap" about it, it's just a very different approach from traditional Drum Corps. Though I think we moved way past "traditional" drum corps by the time we hit the 80s. Apparently dancing is "sexploitation" now.. *shrugs* While the K-Pop section is a bit jarring, you have to admit the transition into the section is pretty masterful. Not only that, it is a part of the storyline. Call it smoke and mirrors, but it fits right into their show and is probably boosting their GE. You're also GROSSLY exaggerating. The section lasts a minute and 30 seconds total, with only 20 of those seconds being used solely on electronics/dance. The rest of the section is devoted to either a small drum break or the brass. But please, don't let my facts get in your way! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flammaster Posted July 1, 2015 Share Posted July 1, 2015 The excel in the pit right after the electrics is very fast. I see so many drum corps that are great now it's not even funny. they are pushing the boundaries just like Cadets did with the drill and Star with the more interesting music. I got to spend a day watching Phantom Regiment practice and they are doing some great stuff. I was around before there were any keyboards at all and I love the modern stuff. The performance levels are through the roof and if you can;t see that then too bad for you. I find it hilarious people lamenting "drum corps is dying". It's not. YOU ARE, go to a local high school now days and talk with the band kids. it is so vibrant 40 bands show up to a review. You think you're going to make money playing in a pop band? maybe not but if you do corps and study music you can have work teaching and that you will get paid for. enough to live at least which is better than grousing about the olden days when tenors hardly ever played more than a few diddles and maybe a ratamacue. The last drum corps show I attended moved me so much by EVERY SINGLE CORPS that participated. 6 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wesleyrp Posted July 1, 2015 Share Posted July 1, 2015 The only real way to settle this once and for all, is with a monstrous pillow fight...... at a show hotel to be determined by mutual agreement by the principal DCP combatants. The firmer the pillows the better.( No deflation of the tossed pillows allowed you guys... agreed ?.) Cowtown vs. Guardling. Hotel Suite 13, Holiday Inn Express, Indianapolis, Indiana, August 8th, 2015 10pm. Be there... or be square. Post of the year!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
corpsband Posted July 1, 2015 Share Posted July 1, 2015 This entire thread just illustrates that sometimes there's a gap that some folks just can't cross. It's reality and happens all the time in every aspect of culture: music, arts, literature. No matter how hard you (or they) try you can't bridge it for them. Everyone just needs to accept that it happens sometimes and move on. Sad but true. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wesleyrp Posted July 1, 2015 Share Posted July 1, 2015 Like I said before I see both sides of this fence! Madison 88 still brings me to tears just watching it, but Crown 2013 has a very similar effect. Too much of anything can be a bad thing, but art is subjective. I'm an analogy king, sorry it is my vice. For a moment think of Madison as Norman Rockwell- Great Art very straightforward. BD is Picasso- very out there and makes is have us have very different opinions and emotions. Everyone likes straightforward beautiful heartwarming art, but abstract is cool too! I think that as been discussed more groups are doing body visual/dance movement. It might not be everyone's cup of tea but it may be exactly what a younger current generation gets into. I love Pantera and Whitesnake but today's youth likes stuff that's so very different from that. I can get into some but I still prefer my stuff. To me though, the new generation of writing isn't wrong or bad- It's different. I was sure that after the G- Bb transformation I was done with drum corps. But, over time the quality of Bb got better and thus drum corps got better too. I think give this current type of visual and movement some time. It will either become better and advance or go away. Wes P 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
c mor Posted July 1, 2015 Share Posted July 1, 2015 Do you think "Fake Plastic" is an oxymoron, or a redundancy? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cowtown Posted July 1, 2015 Author Share Posted July 1, 2015 Do you think "Fake Plastic" is an oxymoron, or a redundancy? It’s a song reference. My Op is loaded with innovative GE and connected to a musical theme, the song matches the topic and post perfectly. Seeing as I’m not satisfied with the sloppy, fake plastic GE I thought the least I could do is offer up an example of real, new GE with in the context and format of this medium. But alas, many either missed it or failed to realize the implication within the context of the post and then labeled me a hater ascribing all sorts of dino-isms to me in a pathetic attempt to dismiss that I’m calling out badly preformed, stupid attempts at pseudo- dance by the brass; rolling on the ground, as GE. So it’s been amusing to watch to say the least, pseudo-intellectualism, perhaps but many failed to do their homework enough to appreciate or even understand the something new that I’m trying to bring to you. Sound familiar? Basically, I’m just like Star 93, the 40th version this year, no one gets me, few enjoy me so just accept I’m brilliant and watch my lore grow over the years and then try to be like me Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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