I hereby refuse to support DCI in 2019... who's in?

[dans]

13 minutes ago, Jeff Ream said:

my hunch is the financial issues were made known to HQ, and so they left it in place while the board tried to right the ship and show a good plan to have the issue eliminated in a reasonable yet timely fashion. 

Sounds reasonable...thanks!

[skevinp]

2 hours ago, DrumCorpsRadio said:

They have no burden of proof. It is a private organization that gets to set its own policies for how new organizations get associated. We don't have to like it, but only the corps directors can change it. My suggestion would be making your opinion known to the corps directors serving on the board. 

The context of my statement was about the internal mental process one engages in when assessing the credibility of two parties who make apparently contradictory statements, and nothing more.  I would have thought that to be obvious in view of the comment I quoted, but I apologize if what I said, perhaps as a result of borrowing a phrase from legal terminology, created any confusion.  

[rpbobcat]

53 minutes ago, Rusty said:

I’ve been thinking about this for a couple of days.  The activity that I have loved for close to three decades is in peril by people who are either incapable of righting the ship or complicit in running it aground.  Things cannot go on like this. 

The simple answer is, of course, a boycott.   The problem with this is twofold:

1. Broadly speaking, boycotts generally don’t work.  Sorry, but that’s just how it is.  Until or unless a critical mass of people withhold their money – which almost never happens – a boycott is mostly smoke with little to no fire. 
2. More importantly, unlike a boycott in a more mainstream or traditional industry, the very entities and individuals that one is trying to help – youth and the small nonprofits with which they participate – are arguably further harmed.  These organizations need money, and the kids need people in the stands cheering them on. 

So after some thought, here’s what I’d like to see happen.  Those of us who are outraged and fed up – and that number is growing, based on what I’m seeing on social media – should absolutely not stay home this summer.  Let’s attend as many shows as we can, with the intent to make some noise while we’re at it. 

• We should wear T-shirts bashing the current DCI leadership (especially Acheson) for failing to clean house. 
• Let’s attend shows, prepared to spend money – on the organizations that have actually, you know, displayed some responsibility in protecting their kids. 
• Attending a show where Acheson will be present?  The second he steps onto the field, boo him.  Loudly.  He richly deserves it. 
• And while we’re at it, let’s lean on DCI’s corporate sponsors to start rethinking their support of the organization.  A bunch of disgruntled fans staying home is one thing; losing high-profile sponsors is another matter entirely. 

In short, attend events, support the corps, enjoy the shows – but demand change.  Spread awareness.  Make 'em squirm.  

I freely admit that this sort of behavior could get me kicked out of a show.  In the event this happens, my next phone call will be to the local TV stations.  I’ll make sure I have their assignment desks on speed dial.   Give DCI the bad press they have earned. 

So: no, I’m not staying home this summer.  None of us should.  But if done properly, Dan Acheson will wish we had.  Who’s with me?

I agree with your take that,by and large, a boycott is "mostly smoke with little fire".

I also agree  several of your ideas for the upcoming season.

A couple of my thoughts:

1.If you wear a T-shirt that "bashes" DCI,without using offensive language,I don't know what justification

could be used to kick you out of show.

2.Corps would need to put out specific information as to how they are dealing with the issue of protecting kids,before I would

be comfortable spending money on them.

3.100 % agree that pressure should be put on their sponsors.

4.As far as attending events,just get people yelling "Dan Must Go"  or "DCI Must Change".

Simple,effective,especially if it come across on the shows' broadcasts.

I'm sure a lot of people don't know what's been going on.

At  the very  least,it could  start a conversation.

 

 

[denverjohn]

On 1/16/2019 at 3:03 PM, Spatzzz said:

But what if they bring G bugles back?

😎

Then I'm in!

[drpepper]

On 1/17/2019 at 12:08 AM, Tenoris4Jazz said:

I'm just not entertained by 8 minutes of jazz dancing, body emoting, running instead of marching, all while playing the same 8 measures over and over at the same volume.  That was at least half the shows I've seen in the last two years.  I get that that's what today's kids want to do... I just don't call it drum and bugle corps.  I call it "Summer Guard International."

I will go to my grave stating that SCV 2016 was the last DCI show ever.  Everything after that is SGI.  Again, just my opinion, but I'm not the only one saying it.

I couldn't possibly support this evaluation enough.

I'm just stumped by how fast it happened. It wasn't much more than three or four years ago I was watching DCI hornlines in awe and noting to others that there's no way 21-year-old me would have been skilled enough to make a modern-day hornline.

Now it seems to just be eight minutes of noise. Run around doing something, then 16 bars of dissonance meant to create whatever, I don't know.  Hold a sustain for 40 counts. And forget ballads. Now the hornlines are just backing tracks for some vocalist singing through a mediocre sound system.

Then you add in the onset of "costumes," to make it easier to do "body." As a result just about every corps tosses decades of brand awareness to the curb... walk into a show or a theatre now and you most likely have no idea who you're looking at, and whereas so many people over the years had a "welcome to DCI" moment of first putting on the uniform of the corps they hoped to make, now it's nothing more than trying on whatever costume their group is wearing that year.  Stories of brass players who are more than proficient enough to play a DCI book but they get cut because of their lack of dancing ability.  It was either that story, or SCV ditching the Aussies, or Crown's 2017 ballad that did me in. I have trouble deciding.

The thing is, I was marching when the buzz was starting about switching to B-flat horns. All the "old" people were all bent out of shape over it... I had no idea what the big deal was, couldn't understand the objection to it, etc. I still have no problem with B-flat horns.  Now I sit here feeling like I'm one of those "old" people and I should just deal with it. Should I?  I don't know. I just know that I can't see why anyone would consider a late-90s show to be less entertaining than a 1970s show. But here I am unable to enjoy almost anything in the last two years. At the same time the current members openly declare my corps' 1997 show, which got one of the best audience reactions of the year, to be "old-time" drum corps.

So I'm not going to be one to tell other people what to do... I just know personally I will not spend money to go watch these "summer guard" shows as I don't find them entertaining at all. I'll continue to support individual members as I hear of them needing support, or whatever. But I do lament what I perceive to be the loss of the activity, because the one I grew up admiring, then participating in, and then supporting, is gone right now.

[GUARDLING]

1 hour ago, drpepper said:

I couldn't possibly support this evaluation enough.

I'm just stumped by how fast it happened. It wasn't much more than three or four years ago I was watching DCI hornlines in awe and noting to others that there's no way 21-year-old me would have been skilled enough to make a modern-day hornline.

Now it seems to just be eight minutes of noise. Run around doing something, then 16 bars of dissonance meant to create whatever, I don't know.  Hold a sustain for 40 counts. And forget ballads. Now the hornlines are just backing tracks for some vocalist singing through a mediocre sound system.

Then you add in the onset of "costumes," to make it easier to do "body." As a result just about every corps tosses decades of brand awareness to the curb... walk into a show or a theatre now and you most likely have no idea who you're looking at, and whereas so many people over the years had a "welcome to DCI" moment of first putting on the uniform of the corps they hoped to make, now it's nothing more than trying on whatever costume their group is wearing that year.  Stories of brass players who are more than proficient enough to play a DCI book but they get cut because of their lack of dancing ability.  It was either that story, or SCV ditching the Aussies, or Crown's 2017 ballad that did me in. I have trouble deciding.

The thing is, I was marching when the buzz was starting about switching to B-flat horns. All the "old" people were all bent out of shape over it... I had no idea what the big deal was, couldn't understand the objection to it, etc. I still have no problem with B-flat horns.  Now I sit here feeling like I'm one of those "old" people and I should just deal with it. Should I?  I don't know. I just know that I can't see why anyone would consider a late-90s show to be less entertaining than a 1970s show. But here I am unable to enjoy almost anything in the last two years. At the same time the current members openly declare my corps' 1997 show, which got one of the best audience reactions of the year, to be "old-time" drum corps.

So I'm not going to be one to tell other people what to do... I just know personally I will not spend money to go watch these "summer guard" shows as I don't find them entertaining at all. I'll continue to support individual members as I hear of them needing support, or whatever. But I do lament what I perceive to be the loss of the activity, because the one I grew up admiring, then participating in, and then supporting, is gone right now.

You do realize that people said the same of your decade of drum corps at that time as well as others said the same of the decade before you and the decade before that . This has been going on since the beginning and with just as many comparisons. AS you said being one of the "old people " is only a choice for all. I know " Old people in thier 30s as well as Contemporary " Young" at least in thought well into retirement.

[Jeff Ream]

2 hours ago, GUARDLING said:

You do realize that people said the same of your decade of drum corps at that time as well as others said the same of the decade before you and the decade before that . This has been going on since the beginning and with just as many comparisons. AS you said being one of the "old people " is only a choice for all. I know " Old people in thier 30s as well as Contemporary " Young" at least in thought well into retirement.

drum corps has been full of two things since day 2 of the activity:

change

people complaining about the change

[MikeD]

3 hours ago, drpepper said:

I couldn't possibly support this evaluation enough.

I'm just stumped by how fast it happened. It wasn't much more than three or four years ago I was watching DCI hornlines in awe and noting to others that there's no way 21-year-old me would have been skilled enough to make a modern-day hornline.

Now it seems to just be eight minutes of noise. Run around doing something, then 16 bars of dissonance meant to create whatever, I don't know.  Hold a sustain for 40 counts. And forget ballads. Now the hornlines are just backing tracks for some vocalist singing through a mediocre sound system.

Then you add in the onset of "costumes," to make it easier to do "body." As a result just about every corps tosses decades of brand awareness to the curb... walk into a show or a theatre now and you most likely have no idea who you're looking at, and whereas so many people over the years had a "welcome to DCI" moment of first putting on the uniform of the corps they hoped to make, now it's nothing more than trying on whatever costume their group is wearing that year.  Stories of brass players who are more than proficient enough to play a DCI book but they get cut because of their lack of dancing ability.  It was either that story, or SCV ditching the Aussies, or Crown's 2017 ballad that did me in. I have trouble deciding.

The thing is, I was marching when the buzz was starting about switching to B-flat horns. All the "old" people were all bent out of shape over it... I had no idea what the big deal was, couldn't understand the objection to it, etc. I still have no problem with B-flat horns.  Now I sit here feeling like I'm one of those "old" people and I should just deal with it. Should I?  I don't know. I just know that I can't see why anyone would consider a late-90s show to be less entertaining than a 1970s show. But here I am unable to enjoy almost anything in the last two years. At the same time the current members openly declare my corps' 1997 show, which got one of the best audience reactions of the year, to be "old-time" drum corps.

So I'm not going to be one to tell other people what to do... I just know personally I will not spend money to go watch these "summer guard" shows as I don't find them entertaining at all. I'll continue to support individual members as I hear of them needing support, or whatever. But I do lament what I perceive to be the loss of the activity, because the one I grew up admiring, then participating in, and then supporting, is gone right now.

Look at a video from 1971 just prior to DCI starting, and another from 1981. Almost two different activities. 

[BigW]

3 hours ago, MikeD said:

Look at a video from 1971 just prior to DCI starting, and another from 1981. Almost two different activities. 

Musicality exponentially improved in that space. And then improved again exponentially from '81 to '91.

[JimF-LowBari]

On 1/16/2019 at 5:08 PM, Spatzzz said:

People that want to boycott can play G bugles out front of the stadium. The resulting intonation and general awful tone quality issues will drive fans away in droves!!

LOL

Just funnin' people.....

Glad you said funnin’ as I can’t tell who is playing G and who is playing Bb. Ye olde sound differences from bitd was from horn construction and not key. And have played p/r, 2v and 3v with Corps. And own 1v from 40s and 50s to play on my own.

all in G