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Where is DCI?


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Maybe... maybe not. Will the current marchers of all these Corps when they become alums, financially donate at higher levels ( which will be required ) each and every year to their former Corps ? Hope so. But lets face it, the newer generation will be faced with mounting college debts, flat wages, high costs of housing, health care, high taxation, etc that the previous, older generation that now subsidizes all these Corps did not have to endure to the same degree. And the 19-20 trillion dollar extraordinarily irresponsible overspending Fed. " Gummint " Debt is not going to somehow magically disappear because few pols or taxpayers are paying attention to it at the moment.

You've forgotten one big thing: Modern drum corps is starting to pick up a lot of outside investors who have no background with the activity. The troopers receive heavy backing from a rich oil tycoon in Casper who is not an alumni. The Battalion - a brand new corps that has no alumni who can contribute - is having money thrown at them by private investors in Utah who like what they are seeing. Modern drum corps is appealing to a wider audience as a cool youth activity. The gap will be filled.

Edited by TroopAlum12
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Final rant: The bottom line is that DCI is here to cater to the members as a competitive educational activity. That's what it is now, like it or not: part of the music education complex. It IS connected to BOA and WGI now as part of that. The staff - both administrative and instructional - care infinitely more about giving the current members a good educational and competitive experience than what an old grouchy alumni thinks. That's the dirty truth.

Edited by TroopAlum12
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You've forgotten one big thing: Modern drum corps is starting to pick up a lot of outside investors who have no background with the activity. The troopers receive heavy backing from a rich oil tycoon in Casper who is not an alumni. The Battalion - a brand new corps that has no alumni who can contribute - is having money thrown at them by private investors in Utah who like what they are seeing. Modern drum corps is appealing to a wider audience as a cool youth activity. The gap will be filled.

This tapping of corporate money by a few Corps is nothing new. Even DCI has had corporate sponsors, come and go. Typically, these Corporate types, or individual investors, stick around for a few years, then for one reason or another, stop their donations., cut off their funding. Besides, any Corps that relies too heavily on 1, 2 or just a handful of wealthy benefactors is in a very risky situation. Its far better when the Corps funds are derived from a deeper, wider, donor base, and derived from hundreds of smaller donors, volunteers.

Edited by BRASSO
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Besides, any Corps that relies too heavily on 1, 2 or just a handful of wealthy benefactors is in a very risky situation. Its far better when the Corps funds are derived from a deeper, wider, donor base, and derived from hundreds of smaller donors, volunteers.

Yes, Spirit of Atlanta in their early years, and Suncoast Sound are prime examples of corps losing major funding from huge corporate sponsors.

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Final rant: The bottom line is that DCI is here to cater to the members as a competitive educational activity. That's what it is now, like it or not: part of the music education complex. It IS connected to BOA and WGI now as part of that. The staff - both administrative and instructional - care infinitely more about giving the current members a good educational and competitive experience than what an old grouchy alumni thinks. That's the dirty truth.

What college degrees do Guard marchers typically advance themselves with, for their participation in summer course DCI ? The old fogies sometimes learned the same skills as guard marchers do today, ie.. time management skills, discipline, teamwork, goal setting, endurance, stamina, confidence, self esteem, determination, etc... these skills came in just as handy whether they were pursuing a degree in music, or finance, or engineering, or in entrepreneurial business start ups, or accounting, business, chemistry etc. degrees... or even becoming an electrician, plumbers carpenters,( & other well paying careers in the skilled trades )

Edited by BRASSO
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The Battalion - a brand new corps that has no alumni who can contribute - is having money thrown at them by private investors in Utah who like what they are seeing.

After almost six years of living in SW Utah, I'm thinking somewhere behind the scenes the LDS church might be involved. They own shopping malls, media, etc. so a D&BC with many of the church involved is a great donation for them. I'd say their first season was a success and those in charge have a nice plan to grow smartly.

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Most long time fans, alums of Drum & Bugle Corps no longer go to DCI shows any more. The ones that do, usually go to see friends outside at a tailgate, and don't even go inside to watch. Its either pains them to watch what their once beloved activity has become, or the music and shows are too boring now for many of them. In any event, despite the larger units now, better instrumentation allowance, better MM talent, larger, better staff, better resources, larger props, amplification, electronics, etc the activity has less Corps, less marchers, less fans, and no TV exposure, than in earlier decades. Things do evolve and change. But these changes have not retained once loyal customers sufficient enough in numbers to grow the numbers of Corps, nor its fanbase. It is what it is, and I don't pretend to have the answers as to what it will take to turn it around.

I'd say the reason you no longer have the PBS broadcast at least is because you no longer have Bill Cook. He was the driving force behind that whole deal. When he left the activity, so did PBS. I don't think that's a coincidence and it has NOTHING to do with the product on the field. I was once lamenting the current product and attendance but I'd say over the last 8-10 years, we've seen a return to very entertaining shows and the shows I've gone to have been packed and close to capacity. Those who don't like the current product (not directed at you) have been crying about the imminent demise of the activity going back to my days in the early 90s but I don't see the end in sight. There are new band kids being made every year to replace those whose tastes refuse to evolve. Hey, there's nothing wrong with Elvis. Just don't get mad at the current generation if they don't like Elvis and everything else from your generation.

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The LDS Church in Orleans, Ma. ( beautiful beach town community on Cape Cod ) for a couple of decades in the 70's, 80's had a large and wonderful Marching Band... Drum Corps style too.. that often were invited to perform exhibitions at Drum Corps shows in Massachusetts. I got to meet a few of their marchers over the years. They were nice people. We had some great conversations ( not about religion... haha.. stayed clear of THAT ) They loved the Drum Corps, and always stayed in the stands to watch the Corps in competition, and would be seen enthusiastically giving great ovations to the Corps. Not sure if they're still around or not. ' Havn't seen or heard from them in many a year now.

Edited by BRASSO
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I'd say the reason you no longer have the PBS broadcast at least is because you no longer have Bill Cook. He was the driving force behind that whole deal. When he left the activity, so did PBS. I don't think that's a coincidence and it has NOTHING to do with the product on the field. I was once lamenting the current product and attendance but I'd say over the last 8-10 years, we've seen a return to very entertaining shows and the shows I've gone to have been packed and close to capacity. Those who don't like the current product (not directed at you) have been crying about the imminent demise of the activity going back to my days in the early 90s but I don't see the end in sight. There are new band kids being made every year to replace those whose tastes refuse to evolve. Hey, there's nothing wrong with Elvis. Just don't get mad at the current generation if they don't like Elvis and everything else from your generation.

That's fair, but back in the day (80s and 90s) you would meet people at shows who were there for the first time, and loved it. Now, it's by and large alumni, bandos and family of current marching members. I've taken different friends to Stanford and none of them ever asked to go back. In 2013, the two friends I took only liked Crown and Mandarins. In 2015, the friend I took only liked Regiment. In 2016, only liked Madison. One corps each year. The problem is, DCI is bringing in no new fans that weren't directly involved or indirectly involved with the activity. You can argue with me up and down and left and right, but it is true. The fact his there were a hell of lot more people in Camp Randall in 1985 than Indianapolis last year.

I'm sorry, the activity has to evolve I know, but the way corps are rewarded creates boring shows with NO musicality, it's all chop and bop and snippets of umpteen pieces, designed to show off skill rather than entertain the crowd. Hornlines play for what seems like 1/2 the show. They do body movements more than marching a readible drill. Guards spend more time prancing around the field than doing guard work in unison.

I'm all for evolution, but not at the expense of entertainment. You and I love this activity. Take someone to any show, who has never seen drum corps before, and I guarantee they will be bored and not want to come to another show. It's a whole different experience now than it was in the 80s and 90s.

Edited by henry7184
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