ShutUpAndPlayYerGuitar Posted July 23, 2015 Share Posted July 23, 2015 DCI = Marching band I mostly agree, but there's differences in the competitive landscape and programming that can't be ignored. I'm not talking instrumentation either. You're allowed greater freedom in BOA. If your show design sucks and the scores tanks, the eighth graders coming into your program aren't going to notice or care. There's no financial penalty for missing a regional final or Grand Nationals finals. The only thing that matters is creating a show that's both fun and educational for the members, as well as something that's fresh/creative for the judges (many of whom are current instructors/writers for DCI groups ... they're looking for ideas to steal). The pressure is greater in DCI. If your design sucks and the scores tank, prospective members will notice. There's more of a financial incentive to scores. You have to please most of the following groups of people to survive: members, judges, alumni, non-affiliated donors, sponsors, HS kids, "legacy fans," parents, and people who have never heard of drum corps. I know this discussion is mostly about using the term "BOA" or "bando" as a pejorative toward certain drum corps shows, which I think is dumb. It's a cheap excuse for people to complain about props (which started out as more of a drum corps thing), electronics, and other things they don't like. I see value in BOA/Marching Band shows, and DCI designers do too, but to say that there's absolutely no difference in designing for each medium is naive. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
luv4corps Posted July 23, 2015 Share Posted July 23, 2015 (edited) My two cents: In spite of everyone's input, which has been interesting to read, I come away believing that the true difference between BOA/bando and DCI appears to be one thing and one thing only: quality. And there is much overlap with lower scoring corps. Many top tier DCI shows incorporate microphones, singing, non-corps instrument solos, excessive props, over-reaching thematic material, things going on in the backfield, electronics, etc. Crown, BD, SCV, Bloo, and yes, even the Cadets - they all have had all or some of those things in a show! But they are so at another level, these elements don't stand out as being 'amateurish' because the execution is off the charts and everything is so well integrated within the design. Again, this is my takeaway from the discussion and based on my having observed my son's participation in HS marching band followed by drum corps. Edited July 23, 2015 by luv4corps 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ShutUpAndPlayYerGuitar Posted July 23, 2015 Share Posted July 23, 2015 http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=m_QzXRXyF9s Lake Park 2000 That's the one. A couple of my Oklahoma-based friends competed against Lake Park in some regional. They talked to some LP kids after the show, who were really apologetic and apparently thought the show went too far. My OK friends didn't seem to care and actually liked it. IMO, it's both boring and goes too far ... but I'm talking about it 15 years later, so whatever ... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
N.E. Brigand Posted July 23, 2015 Author Share Posted July 23, 2015 For me, ever since I begin watching Drum Corps, the big difference for me was the music. If a drum corps performs music that my kids played as stand tunes while in high school, then I am dissapointed. Also having so many PROPS is also dissapointing to me. I want to see movement and marching. Leave the PARK AND BLOW for college bands. And play difficult hard music, not pop songs. Lots of interesting ideas flying around this thread, which is great. You make several points worth discussing. For now, I'm going to look at just the one which I have bolded. According to Corps Reps, this is the 1972 repertoire for the Anaheim Kingsmen in the first show ever to win a DCI championship: "March: Seventeen Come Sunday" from [English] Folk Song Suite (Ralph Vaughan Williams 1923) -- classical (military band) "When Johnny Comes Marching Home" (Patrick Gilmore 1863) -- popular song "Mickey Mouse Club March" (Jimmie Dodd 1955) -- television theme song "Ritual Fire Dance" from El Amor brujo (Manel de Falla 1915) -- classical (ballet / orchestral) "Sing Sing Sing" (Louis Prima 1936) -- popular song (big band jazz) Exodus (Ernest Gold 1960) -- movie theme (orchestral) King of Kings (Miklós Rózsa 1961) -- movie theme (orchestral) Two classical works, two film themes in a classical style, and three popular songs. Has DCI been corrupted by pop since its inception? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
runner Posted July 23, 2015 Share Posted July 23, 2015 (edited) I'd like to add ... in terms of sound, since switching to concert instruments, the key area of B-flat and F has made drum corps sound very similar to marching bands. Every fall and winter (especially if you're involved in teaching high school or college), after hearing high school and college marching bands and wind ensembles tune in B-flat, and have B-flat as the tonal center of what seems like most of its literature, it was very refreshing to hear drum and bugle corps play music that, by-in-large, nestled somewhere around G and D. This is a subtle difference, but one of the pieces of the puzzle that gave drum corps a unique identity before the early 2000's. Edited July 23, 2015 by runner 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mfrontz Posted July 23, 2015 Share Posted July 23, 2015 My two cents: In spite of everyone's input, which has been interesting to read, I come away believing that the true difference between BOA/bando and DCI appears to be one thing and one thing only: quality. And there is much overlap with lower scoring corps. Many top tier DCI shows incorporate microphones, singing, non-corps instrument solos, excessive props, over-reaching thematic material, things going on in the backfield, etc. Crown, BD, SCV - they all have had all or some of those things in a show! But they are so at another level, these elements don't stand out as being 'amateurish' because the execution is off the charts and everything is so well integrated in the design. Again, this is my takeaway from the discussion and based on my having observed my son's participation in HS marching band followed by drum corps. I think this is correct. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
George Dixon Posted July 23, 2015 Share Posted July 23, 2015 I know we're having a conversation here - but I've gotta just interject that this is one of those things where if you know you know - if you don't know you will never know there are dci shows that are quite "BOA" and there are BOA shows that are quite DCI there are also BOA shows that are quite WGI as well as DCI shows quite WGI certain programs, throughout the years - or in a given year - that tilt toward another style... A BOA show that's quite DCI: https://youtu.be/GzJAzBrIlw4?t=2m29s A BOA show that's quite WGI: https://youtu.be/GF7MBLwl5ZI?t=2m38s But I wouldn't call either of these "bando" 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DrumManTx Posted July 23, 2015 Share Posted July 23, 2015 I know we're having a conversation here - but I've gotta just interject that this is one of those things where if you know you know - if you don't know you will never know there are dci shows that are quite "BOA" and there are BOA shows that are quite DCI there are also BOA shows that are quite WGI as well as DCI shows quite WGI certain programs, throughout the years - or in a given year - that tilt toward another style... A BOA show that's quite DCI: https://youtu.be/GzJAzBrIlw4?t=2m29s A BOA show that's quite WGI: https://youtu.be/GF7MBLwl5ZI?t=2m38s But I wouldn't call either of these "bando" Well put. :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eleran Posted July 23, 2015 Share Posted July 23, 2015 DCP DEFINITIONS: "Bando" = "something I don't like" 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mingusmonk Posted July 23, 2015 Share Posted July 23, 2015 I know we're having a conversation here - but I've gotta just interject that this is one of those things where if you know you know - if you don't know you will never know there are dci shows that are quite "BOA" and there are BOA shows that are quite DCI there are also BOA shows that are quite WGI as well as DCI shows quite WGI certain programs, throughout the years - or in a given year - that tilt toward another style... A BOA show that's quite DCI: https://youtu.be/GzJAzBrIlw4?t=2m29s A BOA show that's quite WGI: https://youtu.be/GF7MBLwl5ZI?t=2m38s But I wouldn't call either of these "bando" This well stated. I have trouble defining it, but I know it when I am seeing/hearing it. When I saw Blue Stars at Indy opening show it was surreal. Being in Lucas Oil and experiencing that show design (and the look of Blue Stars unis) I had the sensation of being in Lucas Oil in the fall for BOA. I couldn't shake it. And to be clear, when I texted some friends that Blue Stars show = BOA show, I didn't mean it as an insult. Just a description of the way they packaged the theme.Very BOA production. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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