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SCV's show was an epic musical fail.


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12 minutes ago, StarOrg said:

We all know that programs are written for the judging community and whatever they are rewarding. They are not created for the general audience. This has been the case for a long time now.

I also agree with a number of statements the BoyWonder made earlier. SCV's execution of this product was stellar! However this era of experimentation is here to stay. 

 

 

I guess you're right StarOrg. And it's really sad, because drum corps as an activity will NEVER grow if it stays on its current path. If everyone's okay with it remaining a "music education insider's activity" forever, then okay. I'd like to see more.

Scott

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2 minutes ago, ouooga said:

Since we're throwing around degrees and how they apply to drum corps, I have a BS in Marketing, an MA in Psychology, and myriad certifications mostly leaning toward the former. SCV 2018 was cool, and it is marketable.

There's a handful of shows and a handful of corps that are really great at creating accessible shows. Accessible to the common viewer (so, not drum corps people, and borderline not even music people). SCV 2018, Boston 2018, the second half of Bluecoats 18, all of Bluecoats 16 and 17 (I'm forgetting many many, but you get the tone I'm talking about) are perfect in their ability to showcase the activity to a wider audience. There's goosebump moments, wow moments, and in general just coolness. They don't lack cheese necessarily, but they do it in a way that doesn't make the eyes roll. They don't try to showcase nuances that only a hard core fan would get, but instead focus on drawing everyone in. They appeal to the masses the same way a Cirque show might - I assume most people in a Cirque du Soleil show don't have an intimate knowledge of acrobatics, but they definitely enjoy what they see.

I'm not sure what the goal of this original post was, but my own personal goal, or vision, or whatever you want to call it, is to make drum corps easily appreciated by more people outside of the activity. Not mainstream - that'll never happen - but requiring significantly less explanation for the laymen to appreciate it. There are many many parts of this year's show that could be chopped into snackable social media content, and it has the potential to be shared outside of drum corps circles. That's marketable, and I love it. SCV 2018 achieved something that can be appreciated outside of our die-hard audience, and for that I applaud them.

Sorry ouooga—let's see how the activity is doing in 10 or 20 years. Then tell me if SCV 2018 is marketable. And anytime you'd like to convene a focus group of people on the street and ask them to compare SCV's music to the examples i posted above, I'd be happy to do it with you if we can find funding to do it. Because I'm 100% certain the average person on the street would NOT find this music satisfying to listen to. Sure, they might be impressed with the visuals...but not the music.

Scott

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15 minutes ago, StarOrg said:

We all know that programs are written for the judging community and whatever they are rewarding. They are not created for the general audience. This has been the case for a long time now.

I also agree with a number of statements the BoyWonder made earlier. SCV's execution of this product was stellar! However this era of experimentation is here to stay. 

 

 

I'm working way down the pyramid in OC, but I can confidently assert that our writers do indeed keep the casual viewer in mind when our shows are created.

Mike

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10 hours ago, GUARDLING said:

I know but couldn't miss an opportunity to bust ya DUDE!

Although I started as a horn, then to guard I was actually never one of those purists who listened to recordings year after year. HELL, I don't even watch DVDs year after year. I get them all free even in WGI and usually give them away to a deserving member. My way of moving on I guess. who knows..lol I will admit every year or so I do go WAYYYYYYYY back to the 70s and early 80s and watch a few 27th, Cadets, PR, Madison SCV,  Bridgemen, early Spirit ( did love their sound)

oh yeah i still shuffle around in my ipod and am trying to fill in gaps since older stuff isnt available

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6 minutes ago, SWriverstone said:

I guess you're right StarOrg. And it's really sad, because drum corps as an activity will NEVER grow if it stays on its current path. If everyone's okay with it remaining a "music education insider's activity" forever, then okay. I'd like to see more.

Scott

It's not going to be more.  Broadcasting on ESPN didn't work.  General audiences are never going to care about high-level marching bands playing popular tunes from current culture.  It's right down there with rhythmic gymnastics and cheerleading championships. 

DCI has found success, both in money and in slow build of viewers, by adopting the current model and slotting themselves right into the existing band and guard universes.  On one hand, no, we're not going to see 40,000 people in Montreal again.  On the other hand, they've also protected themselves a bit by tying the activity to music education, which can weather cultural fickleness.

Mike

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2 hours ago, kkrepps said:

I'm totally devastated.

I thought I was going to come to DCP and find the objective meaning of life, drum corps, and everything. 

Now I'm starting sense that DCP might be just a bunch of drum corps fans, with opinions, on a message board.

#### it you let the secret out!

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7 minutes ago, MikeN said:

I'm working way down the pyramid in OC, but I can confidently assert that our writers do indeed keep the casual viewer in mind when our shows are created.

Mike

No disrespect Mike. That was a bad "all or nothing" statement on my part. There are corps that look to audience appeal in parts of their shows. But I do see that the top contenders do write to what the judges are rewarding year to year. I think we would agree on that.  

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15 minutes ago, SWriverstone said:

Sorry ouooga—let's see how the activity is doing in 10 or 20 years. Then tell me if SCV 2018 is marketable. And anytime you'd like to convene a focus group of people on the street and ask them to compare SCV's music to the examples i posted above, I'd be happy to do it with you if we can find funding to do it. Because I'm 100% certain the average person on the street would NOT find this music satisfying to listen to. Sure, they might be impressed with the visuals...but not the music.

Scott

Wait, you get to be a music expert AND a marketing expert? I knew I should have opted for the music degree at Julliard......

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22 minutes ago, SWriverstone said:

Sorry ouooga—let's see how the activity is doing in 10 or 20 years. Then tell me if SCV 2018 is marketable. And anytime you'd like to convene a focus group of people on the street and ask them to compare SCV's music to the examples i posted above, I'd be happy to do it with you if we can find funding to do it. Because I'm 100% certain the average person on the street would NOT find this music satisfying to listen to. Sure, they might be impressed with the visuals...but not the music.

Scott

You could say this about most championship shows for the past twenty years.

Where have you been?

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3 minutes ago, jeffmolnar said:

You could say this about most championship shows for the past twenty years.

Where have you been?

He was busy getting his music degree from Julliard! Didn't you read?!! 

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