Has Audience Culture Changed?

[Tim K]

29 minutes ago, brians said:

If you ask me,  the whole country is in a funk of disengaged, demoralized, depressed, emotional fog.  Hard to get many excited or involved in much of anything, but their own little me me  phone world.... say nothing about being engaged and feeling anything at a drum corps show.  Sad really.  Hopefully, the ice will break one of these days.  I specifically go to shows that have a history of good crowds.  Be dammed with the rest of the crowd, I stand up and cheer regardless of what others are doing around me......have fun, be the audience member you want others to be.  Your world, those around you,  and most importantly, the kids preforming will feel better and have a better attitude.

I think lots of us can say we see the best of life, the worst of life, and all sorts of in between. There is great tension and division and people may be dispirited. I don’t minimize any of it, but when I am in Indy, I can’t imagine I will not thoroughly enjoy three days of drum corps in spite of what I see on the news. 

Remember, last year on finals morning we woke up to Charlottesburg. That evening, we were at finals. Personally I did not discount the horrors of that event, but seeing an example of the best did remind me of what is right in our world.

I was invited a few years back to buy tickets in a block in Indy that includes a wide group of people from newbies to some of the activity’s most seasoned folks. Most of us only know each other from sitting in that block so we catch up, argue a bit about our favorite shows, have a great time, and enjoy shows. No over analyzing, no great debates, and we enjoy it all. And yes, we’ll be on our feet, lots of times.

[Tim K]

5 minutes ago, xandandl said:

yes as usual you can't enter a discussion of varying viewpoints without getting emotional and in your own words "twist" ing that.

I am thinking of Oriental music and dance even beyond what was done by Seattle Imperials and Cavaliers. African and South American approaches  music and visuals.  Scandinavian and Swiss militarism and precision, not just the pseudo-ballet we are getting from wanna-bees who haven't made it on their own.

At the BAC show in Lawrence in 2012, a family I know decided to give drum corps a try. The oldest boy was a young trumpeter and the Mom thought he’d enjoy it. Cascades performed among other things music from “Kung Fu Panda.” The show featured Cadets with “12.25,” SCV and “Music of the Starry Night,” “Bridgemania” by Surf, a funky dance by Cavies, and BAC “Titans.” All sorts of great moments loved by the family but the kids in the family who love the “Kung Fu Panda” series felt Cascades were robbed. It’s a  good reminder that drum corps can be fun.

[Chief Guns]

2 hours ago, Fran Haring said:

To me, that seems to be a trend not only at drum corps shows, but at a variety of live events including sporting events. I've seen folks chatting away on their phones at baseball games, for example.

Which is why i have a very hard time feeling sorry for them when they take a foul ball to the face. Pay attention to the game. 

[jwillis35]

2 hours ago, afd said:

I get what you are saying. Nothing against WGI but these shows are VERY WGI in the way they are performed. Body movement....that voicing that you see in WGI shows. There is no actual great brass showcase. It's all mic'd and hollow sounding. I wanna hear great brass sounds. It's all mic'd.

I disagree with this. It's not all mic'd and amplified. I think people are confused because they see microphones for solos or some small ensemble moments. Some of the field mics are not on all the time and only get turned on for the solos. In terms of brass most of what you hear is real acoustic brass. As for people describing things as WGI style -- and whatever is meant by that -- I prefer to look at things for whether or not they work in terms of showmanship, entertainment, artistic nuance, etc.  There is no doubt the Arts (music, dance, art, theater, etc) influence each other.  That's a good thing. That is how it should be.  That's how things change and progress.  I, for one, am darn glad DCI has progressed.  That does not mean I have liked every change, but I am willing to put up with the few things I don't care for in order to get the really good changes that work.  Today's activity is definitely more theater-like in it's approach with props, body movement, dance, dialog, singing, staging, etc.  I, too, loved the 70s and 80s, but I am also a big fan of today and LOVE some of the innovation and progression I see.  Who knows, we might see a swing to more traditional marching at some point.  Things sometimes come back around.  But for now I love what I see.

As for the audiences I think it depends on the show.  We had plenty of bad shows in the 80s as well, and they did not get much response either.  We also had plenty of complex shows in the 80s, and complex shows tend to elicit more oohs and ahhs, and not as many jump-out-of-your-seat reactions.  I rather enjoyed those shows too. 

Edited July 23, 2018 by jwillis35

[GUARDLING]

31 minutes ago, xandandl said:

,yes as usual you can't enter a discussion of varying viewpoints without getting emotional and in your own words "twist" ing that.

I am thinking of Oriental music and dance even beyond what was done by Seattle Imperials and Cavaliers. African and South American approaches  music and visuals.  Scandinavian and Swiss militarism and precision, not just the pseudo-ballet we are getting from wanna-bees who haven't made it on their own.

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If you're looking for a confrontation. please look elsewhere. AS far as me personally, as I said you couldn't be more wrong and If you actually knew more about me you might be embarrassed to say it. Now with that said. I happen to agree that through the decades many ( as you said) wannabees, who haven't made it DO come off in the activity like they were the next Birshnacoff, no disagreement there. 

Not quite sure where you are going with this. Is it the people adding this to the activity ( done decades now) not sure the gripe.

For the record, It does seem when someone disagrees with a point, you think they get emotional. My friend, it seems you are the one being emotional and always go to the personal and not the point. I read your points and they are well taken.

If it's needed for me to say ( and it's not)

I do believe there should be diversity in shows and all should be accepted in the activity

I do believe in tradition But don't believe it should hold one back

I do believe the past needs to be respected BUT also believe that is a 2-way street.

I do get emotional looking back at some iconic drum corps, especially one I was with for many years BUT also love the direction in 2018

I do believe not all change is good BUT also believe without fresh new ideas no matter where it comes from ,is not a bad thing

I could go on and I do think I do NOT owe anyone an explanation for my own experience but did in case of a doubt for those I may respect.

I do believe in different viewpoints and have done seminars within the activity on the exact subject and It is how many shows come together.

Not emotional, But do see please, I did not question you on your opinions, because you certainly are entitled to them or, what flavor kool-aid you might be dinking

In case there might be a question, there you have it. Oh and by the way I recently had a loss of my own and send you sympathies for yours. I do know it can be hard.

Edited July 23, 2018 by GUARDLING

[Precious Roy]

22 minutes ago, Tim K said:

...the kids in the family who love the “Kung Fu Panda” series felt Cascades were robbed.

I love it! Entertainment and excellence are in the eye of the beholder.

I've followed drum corps since my dad started taking me to shows in the 70s. My wife of 18 years has known the existence of drum corps for -- 18 years. This weekend, we are taking our 11 year old son (a budding percussionist is his middle school's "Beginner Band"), and the 14 year old daughter of a friend (does marching band and has done some smaller competitions locally), to the show in Atlanta. Our son has "suffered" through a couple of the cinema-casts with us, but Atlanta will be his first live show. This will be the 14 year old's first taste of DCI. I am excited to find out how they each react to the whole thing. I can predict they both will probably love Music City (Crazy Train!), but not sure what else.

Edited July 23, 2018 by Precious Roy
typo

[dureau]

12 hours ago, GREENBLUE said:

Last nights crowd was horrible. 

Enough said.

Asked the guy sitting next to me during the Top 6 “what more do these people want?” It’s the best and most competitive field we’ve seen in years and people were sitting on their hands. On the 50 and no reaction whatsoever to soooo many moments that should’ve had people cheering and standing.

Sorry Texas, after three shows have not been impressed.

Agree

[GREENBLUE]

34 minutes ago, dureau said:

Agree

Denton was bad. But thought it was cause of the circumstances.

Katy was pretty good. Much better but not great.

San Antonio was horrible. I watched people take a good 10 seconds after shows were finished to even get a partial standing O. People you just witnessed the Blue Devils. People you just saw the Cavaliers. People you just heard Carolina Crown. What more can you ask for?? Really put a weird vibe in the air.

Sometimes I think people are so worried about cheering a corps  other then their favorite because it might sway the judges lol. Seriously.

enjoy the shows people!!!! Remember all the years no one clapped for the Blue Devils and they still won lol. 

Because of nerves I always enjoy the season when I get to watch it or listen after Finals are done. Not worrying about things not in my control. Not worried about who placed where. 

[Bsader]

2 hours ago, Chief Guns said:

Which is why i have a very hard time feeling sorry for them when they take a foul ball to the face. Pay attention to the game. 

You what?

 

[barigirl78]

There have been lots of good comments here.

There probably isn’t just one reason, but a bunch of reasons interacting. 

I’m a “dinosaur” and many of you are young.  But, I wish you would have experienced a crowd “back in the day”. 

When people ask me what was my singular drum corps memory, it was in 1976. DCI got a bunch of corps to tour the South that had never seen drum corps before. I was in the Crossmen. We had been disqualified from DCI in Tennessee early in the tour.  It was devastating.  But, a few days later, we did an exhibition in Gadsden, AL. Something went through us and we just laid it down. I never felt another surge like it.  By the end of the exhibition, we had gotten four standing O’s.

If a recording of that performance existed today, few of you would be impressed.  We played crowd-familiar songs from the band Chicago.

The last show I attended personally was Minneapolis.  To me attending drum corps now is more like attending an Opera than a Broadway show. 

Another thing that may impact is the heavy use of electronic enhancement.  How do you give a Standing ovation to recorded vocals?

One thing was guaranteed a good ovation “back in the day” was volume.  It was thrilling that 50-60 hornplayers could make the stands vibrate. But, when I see a corps perform now with ensemble microphones set all along the sidelines, I don’t know if the volume is real anymore.  Is it the corps or the sound guy?  I am not going to give a standing ovation to a sound guy,  

Or a recording.

It’s unfair to the marching members, but I think true standing ovations are something visceral.  They happen because the audience feels what the corps is doing and it effects them.  The audience may not be consciously aware they are hearing something that is enhanced by electronics, but they viscerally are aware of it.

i know there is a world where there are EDM superstars who do nothing but manipulate sounds on a computer, but a live drum corps performance shouldn’t be like a Zedd concert