Self indulgent shows

[adman]

Creating anything fresh, unique, and exciting is a process of trial and error and risk. Without experimentation creativity would be stagnant. In 2018, creativity crafted some of the most brilliant shows in the history of the activity.

I'm an old-school guy. I was in this when G Bugles, Marching mallets, and worse were the rage. Within that long history I still believe SCV of last year rightfully earned its place as ine of the best shows in DCI history. As had BD for years just ahead of that, and work by Bloo and on and on.

This year the big corps shows seem to cross a line from creative exploration to design team self-indulgence. It seems like staffs are trying so hard to become "famous for their new ideas" instead of trying to get famous for creating a great integrated show.

Yes it is early, but nothing is giving me a "wow" factor of the past few years. Corps have zero identity (and I am all good with changing uniforms if it makes sense). The result is a drum corps show today is a mass of abstraction separated by theme, rather than brilliant ideas creatively communicated.

I'm pretty open-minded and sophisticated about this stuff. But if I can't understand the intent, how is a first-timer going to?

So many recent examples of brilliance. But this year? Just one giant abstract mess.

[jjeffeory]

I like Bluecoats and Cavaliers this year.  Doesn't seem too self-indulgent to me.  I agree that there's a bit of an abstract mess as you call it going on with a bunch of shows, but it isn't that different than any other DCI fad where a few corps get it right, and the rest fall short....

This year is a pretty decent year, imho.

Edited June 25, 2019 by jjeffeory

[2muchcoffeeman]

To me, BD, for a few years prior to Felliniesque, was deepest into self-indulgence. re:Rite of Spring was more like homework than entertainment. Then they started reaching out to the audience more, or so it seemed to me, and I've enjoyed them immensely in recent seasons.

By the very nature of the subjects, BK could be accused. At least on paper, their themes of late have been centered on the self, memory, time, identity. But as esoteric as they have been, BK also has been very much about inviting the audience in to their weird world, not excluding them. They have been more "join us, won't you?" and not so much "get a load of this."

Cadets come to mind: Jamming Christmas down our throats in August -- though that show is much beloved by many. Re-numbering the football field. GH demanding new paint on the field. Huge platforms on the sideline and cheesy banners. All-black uniforms for no obvious reason.

Can't really remark on this year's shows yet.

 

 

 

[ThePlanets]

24 minutes ago, jjeffeory said:

I like Bluecoats and Cavaliers this year.  Doesn't seem to self-indulgent to me. 

I like the Bluecoats too...but their show is called "The Bluecoats"

[Jurassic Lancer]

Yes, but as a homage to the Beatles “white album.”

[Den8uml]

You make a good point about shows so far this year. But let’s not only look at the top corps to find creativity, story telling and well designed wow moments.  You can have all of those things in shows that don’t score well. To validate your point, it was easy for me to rattle off some great non-medaling shows with great designs or wow moments just from last season  

1. 2018 Music City was original, exciting and sparked a huge emotional response from the crowd last season. They did that without the well known staff and certainly not the same talent as many other corps benefited from.

2. Boston (and others) the last 3 seasons  have told very clear linear stories that were communicated well which is a factor you called out.  They were often criticized by long time members of the corps world due to the band feel to the themes.  But you can’t argue they weren’t effective designs to tell the story. The soft ending with the waves in 2018 was definitely a wow moment the first time you saw it.  

3. Watch the 2018 cadets Allentown show to see one of the strongest emotional crowd responses I can remember outside of finals.  Now that was a WOW moment and I was only watching on Flo.

I can’t wait to see more of the shows this year and let them all develop so we can find those WOW moments in 2019! 

Edited June 25, 2019 by Den8uml

[hostrauser]

Hahaha! Even back in the 90s the June shows were "abstract messes." EVERYTHING is an abstract mess at this point in the season, that's always been the case. I withhold final judgment until August.

[Lance]

not a fan of much of anything i've seen so far this year, june or not.

i don't blame designers, though. it's just a taste thing. completely on me. 

wondering if this is going to be the start of a limbo period for me like 2001-2006 where i'm just not liking the trends.

[N.E. Brigand]

It would be very interesting if someone who wrote about drum corps could interview designers and program coordinators retrospectively about what they feel their biggest mistakes were, and how they made them.

[Fred Windish]

adman makes an important observation. I'm an old guy, too. I've seen perhaps a thousand individual shows through the years. I have never enjoyed every production and certainly never will. However, watching the Zionsville event on Flo also gave me concern.  Designer self-indulgence is a good way to put this.

I saw complexity in movement and sound at the expense of audience engagement. For example, playing another composer's arrangement with twice the number of notes he/she required. Or, maybe, running all over the field more frantic than ever. Except for Madison Scouts, I think the rest took turns trotting the entire ensemble from one side of the field to another. It became so predictable, tedious, and boring. Like turning a kaleidoscope too quickly, not taking enough time to enjoy the patterns.

Serious lack of sustained melody. As soon as I thought I recognized something, it was gone! No confirmation. The requisite brass flourishes/flutters were far too frequent for my taste. But, if this is what scores . . . . .

Posters often write, " I guess I'll have to see it a few times before I start to get what they're doing."  Too bad much of the local audience in attendance will only view each corps' production once !   Never send them home confused.