The Cadets 2019

[George Dixon]

everyone is more optimistic than me - I still say 9th or 10th looks probable and I personally would clean house

[East9900]

8 minutes ago, jwillis35 said:

I agree with you. They do need someone to write drill who actually stays on board for the summer and can make changes.  But I also agree with your last comment. I, too, am not ready for them to make wholesale house cleaning changes. They have other things to deal with. Things that are financial, including things like rebuilding their youth offerings and perhaps re-branding their identity (YEA, etc.).  Their are lawsuits to deal with, etc. I applaud that they wanted to honor and respect women with this show, but that is a tough thing to put on the field. They took it too far and were too literal with the theme. Hopefully they learned their lesson and from here on out do fun shows. 

I totally agree. I also think this staff may be wanting to put too much of an emphasis on a story instead of entertaining. Coming from a Cadets alum, I really wish they would get away from the preachy messages. As a drum corps fan, I like drum corps to give me an escape from real life and just entertain me. THAT is what I want my Cadets to be. A corps that puts out an exciting product that makes me want to smile, stand up and cheer and forget about real life if only for a few minutes. I don't think that's asking too much. 

Some of my favorite shows of all time had zero story line but made me feel something. 

[dans]

54 minutes ago, East9900 said:

I totally agree. I also think this staff may be wanting to put too much of an emphasis on a story instead of entertaining. Coming from a Cadets alum, I really wish they would get away from the preachy messages. As a drum corps fan, I like drum corps to give me an escape from real life and just entertain me. THAT is what I want my Cadets to be. A corps that puts out an exciting product that makes me want to smile, stand up and cheer and forget about real life if only for a few minutes. I don't think that's asking too much. 

Some of my favorite shows of all time had zero story line but made me feel something. 

All of the designers in DCI need to learn a lesson from the Bluecoats. Pick a theme that DOESN'T rely on a storyline! Bluecoats are very entertaining and easy to understand without an underlying storyline. Honestly, when I watch modern drum corps, I completely ignore the storyline.

[ShortAndFast]

1 hour ago, jwillis35 said:

I agree with you. They do need someone to write drill who actually stays on board for the summer and can make changes.  But I also agree with your last comment. I, too, am not ready for them to make wholesale house cleaning changes. They have other things to deal with. Things that are financial, including things like rebuilding their youth offerings and perhaps re-branding their identity (YEA, etc.).  Their are lawsuits to deal with, etc. I applaud that they wanted to honor and respect women with this show, but that is a tough thing to put on the field. They took it too far and were too literal with the theme. Hopefully they learned their lesson and from here on out do fun shows. 

I think the place they need to start is with the Program Coordinator, something that in recent years has been a huge weakness for Cadets. You need someone who can combine the work of all the designers into an effective whole. The interviews with Dean Westman at Bluecoats are always very interesting in terms of the process they follow to get an amazing show out of their design team.

Yes, they need a good drill writer. But you can't start successful show design in 2019 from "go write a great drill!" They need a shared vision of a compelling program they want to create, and then they need a drill writer who can realize parts of that vision and support what the other designers need to realize their parts it.

Personally I have a hard time imagining that they could hire big upgrades on Tom & Drew for the music book. I think they need to focus on how to better utilize them, since both have seen a lot of competitive success in other situations.

[George Dixon]

it's going to be an interesting month

[Eleran]

No matter what happens (who stays, who leaves of their own volition, who is asked to leave) ... since in a week everyone's attention will quickly revert to real life, let me say before then:

• Every one of the Cadets staff was trying to bring success to the Cadets in 2019, and for that they deserve our thanks;
• Special Commendations to:
  • the Media team (Josh Clements, Photographer; Jake Hutchinson, Videographer; Roxanna Peykamian, Video Editor; Will Richards, Social Media Specialist) who turned out excellent content (within the boundaries of what they were permitted to release) all season long - better than any prior year (though Robert Machado's videos in 2016 were also excellent);
  • whomever designed, constructed and maintained the prop bridges, which were professionally realized and presented opportunities to the Cadets unlike ever before;
  • the medical staff (Kenn Phillips and Daniel Auli) for what appears to have been a season mostly free of major medical concerns (though some of that could also be a result of the limited drill in this show, especially of the whiplash variety);
  • Aaron Witek, assistant brass caption head, who appears to have the technical knowledge and methods to both instruct and motivate players - I think many Cadets wish he had been on tour all summer (he was limited to a few weeks during Spring Training, and then rejoined at Atlanta Regional); 
  • the Administration Interns (Israel DeMello and Alfred Braza), and especially the Tour Manager (Lauren Davis), who were asked to perform more than they undoubtedly bargained for, and appear to have done so with grace and professionalism beyond their years.

I hope they all enjoy this Finals Week, for which they have worked so hard all summer, and I hope they hear the "thank yous" which they deserve from all the Members. 

[2000Cadet]

17 hours ago, dans said:

All of the designers in DCI need to learn a lesson from the Bluecoats. Pick a theme that DOESN'T rely on a storyline! Bluecoats are very entertaining and easy to understand without an underlying storyline. Honestly, when I watch modern drum corps, I completely ignore the storyline.

I remember when Cadets used to do this (In the Spring, The American West, Celebration, Stonehenge, We Are The Future). I wish they would go back to this. The current direction does not seem to be working for them at all. 

I hope next year they can get me excited again. This is the first year in a long time that my drum corps season posts on a Cadets thread have been minimal. Bring me back. I'm begging you. 

Edited August 6, 2019 by 2000Cadet

[KRtrumpet182]

I just hope they do a feel good happy show next year. I’m so tired of dark shows in DCI and don’t want them to move in that direction. 

[2000Cadet]

1 hour ago, KRtrumpet182 said:

I just hope they do a feel good happy show next year. I’m so tired of dark shows in DCI and don’t want them to move in that direction. 

Last time we got that, we ended up with Little Geoffrey. 

[Eleran]

"Story" shows are not inherently bad or worse than non-story shows (e.g. Spartacus, Drum Corpse Bride, Relentless, etc.), and can vary much as to how literal a story is presented or whether the show is merely alluding to the major themes of the story (e.g. As Dreams Are Made On, Inferno, Wicked Games).  The problem is that writing a story (pr adapting one) that can be visually mimed by 154 people on a football field in 12 minutes without detracting from the music is a skill that most DCI designers do not possess (and often are unaware that they lack it).  

But similarly, most are unable to present a coherent, enjoyable non-story show as well, so there's that.

Edited August 6, 2019 by Eleran