The Beanpot, Lynn, MA July 2, 2018

[karuna]

7 minutes ago, GUARDLING said:

Now this also would have to do with who one is teaching and planning...what I meant was it does not matter to a judge , which it doesn't

Good talk :-)  Back to lurk mode.

Edited July 3, 2018 by karuna

[Den8uml]

6 hours ago, xandandl said:

absolutely. Of course, Lawrence, Lynn, and Cranston are smaller stadiums with the crowd right in the faces of the front ensemble. JBC is set back, as you know. Corps is also adjusting well to the heat and humidity as the week progresses.  Texas-tour training it seems. :-)

I wasn't thinking of Lawrence as a small stadium but maybe i'm just unfamiliar so i'm asking, not arguing.  There were 3,500 people there.  I know some places are huge like the DCI championship cities. Based on all the small crowds I see online and on FLO, I was thinking 3,500 was pretty good?? 

Edited July 3, 2018 by Den8uml

[Tim K]

8 minutes ago, Den8uml said:

I wasn't thinking of Lawrence as a small stadium but maybe i'm just unfamiliar so i'm asking, not arguing.  There was 3,500 people there.  I know some places are huge like the DCI championship cities. Based on all the small crowds I see online and on FLO, I was thinking 3,500 was pretty good?? 

With Lawrence, I have purchased tickets in sections that are nearly sold out, but there will be empty seats at the show. My thought is that some may purchase tickets as a way to support the host. For Lynn, I would be willing to bet their program book is their big money maker. Knowing people involved with both shows, ticket sales were not a concern this year. Moving forward, I think the Boston area shows need to cultivate new audiences. I don't see lots of new faces or groups of young people. Lots of kids with parents and grandparents, but I don't see the high school band communities. This is not easy where school is out but it's not impossible.

Cranston will be a different matter. They are connected to the Bristol July 4th celebration which attracts a good number of new faces, but I just spoke to someone involved with Cranston who told me ticket sales are down and right now there is not much of a line for tickets.

[Ediker]

3 minutes ago, Tim K said:

Moving forward, I think the Boston area shows need to cultivate new audiences. I don't see lots of new faces or groups of young people. Lots of kids with parents and grandparents, but I don't see the high school band communities. This is not easy where school is out but it's not impossible.

Definitely.  Other regions tend to have large groups of enthusiastic high school band kids in attendance at DCI shows... an important demographic for the activity.   

[Terri Schehr]

21 minutes ago, Ediker said:

Definitely.  Other regions tend to have large groups of enthusiastic high school band kids in attendance at DCI shows... an important demographic for the activity.   

It’s exactly the same here in the Chicago area.  Lots of boomers.  It’s like old home week at these shows. The Cincinnati show  I went to otoh...lots of young ones. 

[BRASSO]

5 hours ago, Ediker said:

Comparing scatter drill to serious drill moves is like comparing a sitcom laugh track to the Westminster Abbey Choir.  

 Absolutely. Anyone pushing the narrative that a scatter drill is harder to create, and harder to perform and execute than serious drill moves is being absurd. The Scatter drill by its very nature entails running in a scatter, incohesive manner, non uniform manner, from point A to point B by performers. During the scatter drill portion there is virually nothing visually being judged in the marchers getting from point A to point B. Its when they arrive at B, that the Judges will ascertain if the visual framed was uniformly made as intended. The Scatter Drill portion is merely moving from point  A to point B by essentially running to the position. One not need even be in step in the transition, as the Scatter Drill does not require the judges to look at uniformity in the movement regarding feet work for example. It is the DEPARTURE and the ARRIVAL ( ie a new visual formation ) that is judged.. not the running to the position. Compare this with the transition from Point A to Point B that does not involve a Scatter Drill, but instead, a serious drill transition to get from Point A to Point B. if in the transition, the spacing, feet, cover, alignment, spacing, feet, head movement, ets is not uniform, deductions are to be made for that lack of uniformity in the visual transition from Point A  to Point B.  Thus, any suggestion that a Scatter Drill is more difficult to create and for performers to execute than Serious Drill movements is a ludicrous suggestion, imo. All Corps today are utilizing Scatter Drill in portions of their show. Some more than others. It is the suggestion that  the Scatter Drill is more difficult to create and execute compared to the Serious Drill however that seems a pretty far fetched observation to me..

Edited July 4, 2018 by BRASSO

[LabMaster]

1 hour ago, Tim K said:

With Lawrence, I have purchased tickets in sections that are nearly sold out, but there will be empty seats at the show. My thought is that some may purchase tickets as a way to support the host. For Lynn, I would be willing to bet their program book is their big money maker. Knowing people involved with both shows, ticket sales were not a concern this year. Moving forward, I think the Boston area shows need to cultivate new audiences. I don't see lots of new faces or groups of young people. Lots of kids with parents and grandparents, but I don't see the high school band communities. This is not easy where school is out but it's not impossible.

Cranston will be a different matter. They are connected to the Bristol July 4th celebration which attracts a good number of new faces, but I just spoke to someone involved with Cranston who told me ticket sales are down and right now there is not much of a line for tickets.

If I remember correctly, years ago 27th had the big DCI tour show held in Revere.  When they folded, Boston had the opportunity to take it on and keep a big tour show in the area.  The Lawrence show is kind of the descendent of that show.  As far as the audience goes, I felt the 27th show was also a reunion kind of show where alums of local Corps would go to see old friends and competitors.  This continues at Boston’s shows today, along with a strong Crusader support alum and fan base, plus national quality touring corps coming each year.  One can spend most of their night catching up with many old friends.

[George Dixon]

15 minutes ago, BRASSO said:

 Absolutely. Anyone pushing the narrative that a scatter drill is harder to create, and harder to perform and execute than serious drill moves is being absurd. The Scatter drill by its very nature entails running in a scatter, incohesive manner, non uniform manner, from point A to point B by performers. During the scatter drill portion there is virually nothing visually being judged in the marchers getting from point A to point B. Its when they arrive at B, that the Judges will ascertain if the visual framed was uniformly made as intended. The Scatter Drill portion is merely moving from point  A to point B by essentially running to the position. One not need even be in step in the transition, as the Scatter Drill does not require the judges to look at uniformity in the movement regarding leg work. It is the DEPARTURE and the ARRIVAL that is judged.. not the running to the position. Compare this with the transition from Point A to Point B that does not involve a Scatter Drill, but instead, a serious drill transition to get from Point A to Point B. if in the transition, the spacing, feet, cover, alignment, spacing, feet, head movement, ets is not uniform, deductions are to be made for that lack of uniformity in the visual transition from Point A  to Point B.  Thus, any suggestion that a Scatter Drill is more difficult to create and for performers to execute than Serious Drill movements is a ludicrous suggestion, imo

So the folks here stating that you’re wrong who have taught DCI and toon WGI groups, and all the judges with decades of experience rewarding “scatter drill” or staging as I prefer to describe it are all just “absurd”

Maybe they are speaking from experience and just have a different opinion, or so we just have to label them absurd 

IMO marching vs “movement” and drill vs “staging” all have their own unique challenges 

the top corps which display a variety of skills sets are being thusly rewarded

also everything in the field in regard to movement/visual performance is judged, not just arrivals and departures-how they move in scatter is just as judged as in drill

anyone suggestinf otherwise is “entitled to their own opinion” 

 

[Ediker]

1 minute ago, LabMaster said:

If I remember correctly, years ago 27th had the big DCI tour show held in Revere.  When they folded, Boston had the opportunity to take it on and keep a big tour show in the area.  The Lawrence show is kind of the descendent of that show.  As far as the audience goes, I felt the 27th show was also a reunion kind of show where alums of local Corps would go to see old friends and competitors.  This continues at Boston’s shows today, along with a strong Crusader support alum and fan base, plus national quality touring corps coming each year.  One can spend most of their night catching up with many old friends.

There are such deep ties in this region because of the activity.  People turn up for the shows, but it's not the easiest place to socialize.  Boston's 75th was a great gathering.  For the good of the activity, and for the nostalgia, it would be good to gather all of us with the shared history, more frequently.  

[LabMaster]

11 minutes ago, Ediker said:

There are such deep ties in this region because of the activity.  People turn up for the shows, but it's not the easiest place to socialize.  Boston's 75th was a great gathering.  For the good of the activity, and for the nostalgia, it would be good to gather all of us with the shared history, more frequently.  

Maybe a “cocktail” hour or 2 before the show starts ?  Or get VIP tix and catch up before the show there in the tent.