Larry Rouse Posted July 24, 2018 Share Posted July 24, 2018 "Back in the 1980s if your first hit didn’t get the audience on their feet you failed as a performer. Of course 30 years ago it didn’t take three minutes for the horns to start playing." Case in point - Cavaliers 1981 (10th place!!) It seemed like the crowd was on it's feet for half of the show! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
N.E. Brigand Posted July 24, 2018 Share Posted July 24, 2018 1 hour ago, Lead said: That wasn't the question. As a band director myself, it's THE thing and in order to play the game I go along with it. It works, and it's artistic. Which - for top programs - is what we're going for these days. Many competitive band programs don't even stay for the rest of the football game after the halftime show anymore. We don't. And best wishes to you! May your band all possible success. And don't get me wrong: your answer to the original question of this discussion--why don't audiences applaud more?--was a good one: shows are designed in such a way that audiences feel uncomfortable doing so. And I quite understand that you and every other band and corps director out there feels obligated to play "the game". And yet, as with all discussions of how performance expectations "evolve" over time, I wonder about what we might call the Jurassic Park concern: is everyone so preoccupied with what they could do that they never stopped to ask what they should do? I would love to see a few of the very best corps do a show with no props, or with clear breaks between songs, or otherwise breaking the current "rules" of performance expectation--and to not be penalized by the judges for doing so. We should remember that some of what we now think of as artistic will very likely be viewed in 20 years as silly. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
2000Cadet Posted July 24, 2018 Share Posted July 24, 2018 (edited) These are examples of crowd reactions I will remember for the rest of my life. Announcing the show First hit End of show Cadets 2000 Edited July 24, 2018 by 2000Cadet 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cappybara Posted July 24, 2018 Share Posted July 24, 2018 Maybe it’s because I started following DCI much later than most of you did, but I don’t really see anything wrong with having transitions from piece to piece rather than a big break in between? The composition flows better with the transitions and appears disjointed without. Just watching some corps in the beginning of the season put out shows in June without transitions is very jarring for me 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rpbobcat Posted July 24, 2018 Share Posted July 24, 2018 (edited) 2 hours ago, Lead said: Many competitive band programs don't even stay for the rest of the football game after the halftime show anymore. We don't. This is the first time I heard this. I always thought that marching bands enjoyed playing,including in the stands,during the game. I also thought that a high school or college band enjoyed acting as cheerleader for the team . When you first did this,did you get any blow back from fans,administrators etc. for leaving right after you perform ? Edited July 24, 2018 by rpbobcat Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThirdValvesAreForWimps Posted July 24, 2018 Share Posted July 24, 2018 1 hour ago, Larry Rouse said: "Back in the 1980s if your first hit didn’t get the audience on their feet you failed as a performer. Of course 30 years ago it didn’t take three minutes for the horns to start playing." Case in point - Cavaliers 1981 (10th place!!) It seemed like the crowd was on it's feet for half of the show! I was in The Cavaliers in 1981 and you’re not wrong! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
2000Cadet Posted July 24, 2018 Share Posted July 24, 2018 7 hours ago, BigW said: It still is: I'm in this video chucking them pretty hard, BTW. I was there!!!! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lead Posted July 24, 2018 Share Posted July 24, 2018 1 hour ago, N.E. Brigand said: I would love to see a few of the very best corps do a show with no props, or with clear breaks between songs, or otherwise breaking the current "rules" of performance expectation--and to not be penalized by the judges for doing so. We should remember that some of what we now think of as artistic will very likely be viewed in 20 years as silly. That may be true, but look at Genesis for your example. And of course 'art' will change in 20 years. But right now, you do what's avant garde or you don't get rewarded. There's too much money and time on the line to be stubborn. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lead Posted July 24, 2018 Share Posted July 24, 2018 48 minutes ago, rpbobcat said: This is the first time I heard this. I always thought that marching bands enjoyed playing,including in the stands,during the game. I also thought that a high school or college band enjoyed acting as cheerleader for the team . When you first did this,did you get any blow back from fans,administrators etc. for leaving right after you perform ? It was in place when I got here. This is my 16th year. I would even say "MOST" of the competitive groups in my state/area don't stay after halftime. Why? Multiple reasons. Halftime is our dress rehearsal. Our show is on Saturday - the thing we've put all our time and money into. We are putting our kids at a disadvantage when they have to be the first one in the building and the last ones out for a football game - and then get up at 5:30am the next day for our REAL competition. Plus, I actually encourage my kids to change out of uniform and go sit with their friends and watch the game. I think that's important for them too. But then they don't have to - again - be the last ones out of the building. There are times we stay for the whole game - if we have a late contest on Saturday, or Homecoming, we let the Seniors vote each year on staying the whole game on Senior night. Plus - we are working on show music during class and don't have time to work up Louie Louie. It's not negative at all, and my AD and principal are fine with it just like the other schools around. Hell, the AD is happy that hungry Band kids visit the concession stand after they change. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GUARDLING Posted July 24, 2018 Share Posted July 24, 2018 (edited) 1 hour ago, rpbobcat said: This is the first time I heard this. I always thought that marching bands enjoyed playing,including in the stands,during the game. I also thought that a high school or college band enjoyed acting as cheerleader for the team . When you first did this,did you get any blow back from fans,administrators etc. for leaving right after you perform ? 12 Same experience as Lead I have had the same experience with many bands east and west coast. When your band is more successful than the football team and money in excess comes from other places than the school budget, no one complains, they support. Edited July 24, 2018 by GUARDLING Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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