Jump to content

Recommended Posts

It is pathetic.  The volunteer fire department that sponsored my drum corps for over 30 years just had it 95th anniversary parade and there were no bands or corps that Marcheday.  So tell me that corps is alive and well.  You got to wake up to the fact that traditional corps is dead.  Only the Broadway version exists, amplified and elitist.  You got audition and pay to belong.  It is not drum corps.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

8 hours ago, Grenadier said:

It is pathetic.  The volunteer fire department that sponsored my drum corps for over 30 years just had it 95th anniversary parade and there were no bands or corps that Marcheday.  So tell me that corps is alive and well.  You got to wake up to the fact that traditional corps is dead.  Only the Broadway version exists, amplified and elitist.  You got audition and pay to belong.  It is not drum corps.

No Seldon Cadets or Golden Eagles ,surpised they didn\t do the parade .So close to Medford .

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Sadly many groups starved out of existance when parades stop paying good money. Only one parade in the Pittsburgh area pays well. The rest think firetrucks and little league teams make a parade. They rarely want to pay, most think you owe them the public service to perform for free and some have even not paid. They forget we have expenses too. Yet small towns in the middle of no-where, pay very well and attract corps from all over. 

 

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

3 hours ago, Florida Sun said:

No Seldon Cadets or Golden Eagles ,surpised they didn\t do the parade .So close to Medford .

Not 100 percent sure about this, but I don't think Selden does any parades.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Jeff is spot on. I worked as the "Summer Band Director" for a small 30 piece concert and marching ensemble for a small Central PA high School. Several competitive parades in the area and fairs.

 

The program made money, especially when we started winning a few parades we weren't previously winning before I got there. Extra money for standstill concerts, etc.


The PA Grange Fair within their district was a big deal and had a parade with good prizes as well.

 

There were even some big events we had to not attend because we gave priority to in district commitments. There were just so many weeks in the Summer. The money is out there, or at least was for the local High School bands.

Edited by BigW
Link to comment
Share on other sites

5 hours ago, ironlips said:

I hereby challenge everyone who feels so strongly about the lack of "community" drum corps on Long Island, or anywhere else for that matter, to quit kvetching and start one.

I did and it sucks, long hours, no money and lack of support.Most people now adays go to a show tell everyone how great their corps was and then proclaim they supported the activity. Its the people from the 80's and 90's who killed the activity by not supporting it and not sending their kids.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

The Pittsburgh area has issues, Jeff. Been out there enough over the years (I'm from there) to realize there's a very slim niche of enthusiasm for this activity and the school version. More interest in the WPIAL god and the Stillers. Seen band contests out there with very few people let alone any parents in the audience. Staying at home watching football. People prefer the big loud droney-baloney non-competing 300+ member show bands like Pitt, Ambridge HS, and NA to what the better groups out that way offer. They have more fluff than real substance, which it sadly seems folks out there go for in spades.

 

Tough enough out here to guide any kids to the activity. Yes, there have been some directors keeping kids away and injuring the activity, those are thankfully dwindling. Cost, commitment are two factors also that make it hard to recruit and keep individuals.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

12 hours ago, BigW said:

The Pittsburgh area has issues, Jeff. Been out there enough over the years (I'm from there) to realize there's a very slim niche of enthusiasm for this activity and the school version. More interest in the WPIAL god and the Stillers. Seen band contests out there with very few people let alone any parents in the audience. Staying at home watching football. People prefer the big loud droney-baloney non-competing 300+ member show bands like Pitt, Ambridge HS, and NA to what the better groups out that way offer. They have more fluff than real substance, which it sadly seems folks out there go for in spades.

 

Tough enough out here to guide any kids to the activity. Yes, there have been some directors keeping kids away and injuring the activity, those are thankfully dwindling. Cost, commitment are two factors also that make it hard to recruit and keep individuals.

Yes its been tough, nobody in the history of the area ever had a full group that I'm aware of, I have been a part of two of them. Finleyville and Steel City We've been stuck on 25-27 for 4 years. I've seen a half dozen or more local corps, come and go during our existance. Sadly we had more people this summer than GBV and SCA combined. Thats not to knock them but its were the activity stands now and I hate that. After many years of trying  we've found a niche in Sound Sport. As to the WPIAL thing. We found out that Labor Day weekend was a major conflict. Even this week going to Sheffield we're scrambling for members because of band camps and college move ins/ oreintation. As to enthusiasm, kids dig DCI, don't know DCA or SDCA. SDCA has been good to us, their name doesn't draw people. Sound Sport has the DCI name behind it, plus they've made a good attempt to reach out to small groups. We've added TOB/TIA winds last year and hopefully a winterguard for 2018. As to costs we're cheaper than my church's Boy Scout Troop and still have to be on top of the members for dues. We didn't place as well as we wanted this year. Already made a few changes and its spurred a renewed desire to get out more and recruit. We'll see! 

Edited by jeff danchik
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Loved Finleyville always a great show from them .

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.
×
×
  • Create New...