Staff merry-go-round

[brians]

2 hours ago, WaxDCIFan said:

Count me in as a fan of substantial change.  As a parent of two performers for the past 5 years, it’s very clear that the arms race in the WC corps is driving costs up for members.  I can safely say that the total cost of having 2 kids march every year is in the five figure range (tour fees, travel to camps, show tickets, etc).  And if you dare to figure in the opportunity cost of all the parents’ time volunteering on the national tour, or even the kids’ lost opportunity for summer internships, this is a really really costly thing for the average household to absorb.

Consider this too - right now much of the fan base is older folks who marched in the 60s, 70s, 80s (count me in) and have the resources to pay thousands to travel and watch.  But we were part of this when there were hundreds of corps on tour.  Now there are at most 40, so the future base of passionate fans will be a lot smaller.  You can only put so many parents in the stands.  And the financial pressure on the remaining corps is substantial, so the numbers are going to keep going down IMHO.

Who will be watching this 10 or 20 years from now?  How many corps can continue to survive the financial arms race that is built to protect the top crust of the activity from any threat of parity?  

I for one have little interest in buying tickets once my kids are done performing.  Who wants to pay big 💰 to go watch the same 2 or 3 corps win every year? <yawn>

A different competitive model that lowers the financial barrier to entry will broaden the base and make drum corps more interesting.  I just can’t see this activity being relevant if it doesn’t change.

 

agree 100%, how can we contain the new electronic/mixing board/microphone/professional mixing board staff, arms race,  with some reasonable parameters,  

Edited September 14, 2019 by brians

[Sutasaurus]

8 hours ago, GUARDLING said:

A Shame? A circus? well that's a pretty disrespectful statement toward todays drum corps, ALTHOUGH a circus does make a lot of people happy. With that said, ever consider if not for todays traveling circus as you put it and the evolution of drum corps, there may not even be an activity today ? Most local, take kids off the streets, civic as well as church organizations , etc etc have long been gone and for many reasons. In many ways the evolution thanks to many drum corps people HS band has filled that void. Even running just a local percussion line or a guard and the huge cost involved with few people, try securing a part time rehearsal facility, fees for joining local and national circuits, costuming, equipment, etc. Nothing is cheap or Free as Jeff stated.

I was part of the early days of DCI, taught ( teach ), judge, have directed and designed ( as you did ) for me as much as I loved what I did as a MM I would have loved to be on that end of the activity today. 

Also as far as offering a NEW raft of people like women, people of color,or LGBTQ individuals opportunity, what makes you think this hasn't been going on for decades already.

You are right drum corps as well as many long gone organizations were built locally . KIds today aren't looking to just get out of the house, not hang out on a corner,etc etc.Kids today have way more choices than we did BITD

Maybe I'm just misunderstanding your statement , SO if I am my apologies.  If I'm not...…….well......😬

Perhaps the word circus was a bit harsh. Let’s go for spectacle instead. I mean no disrespect to the basic tenets of drum corps. Hard work, discipline, working in a group environment are all key take always for students and instructors alike.

I’ll try this again.... if travel, insurances, food, vehicles, fuel, horns, drums, costumes/uniforms aren’t expensive enough,corps are piling on more debt by adding amplification, props, theme changes every year just to stay relevant.

I’m a proponent of bagging the puffery and     placing music and marching performance back in the members’ control. More of a grassroots approach to drum corps. There still is plenty of creative opportunity with drill color and music to entertain the masses.

 I’m speaking for myself as a fan, but I get the feeling I’m not alone here. If a regional model can put more groups(SoundSport) on the field. I’m all for it!

[xandandl]

It's been my contention for awhile now that DCI as an organization and as individual corps has/have been living beyond its means for several decades now, is suffering from a severe case of megalomania, and has switched from being an activity primarily for the kids to become a tool for the manufacturing lobbyists and full time crowd making their annual salaries from their so called creative work. Comparing itself to MLB, Cirque, Broadway, and other mega-million professional luxuries is but a sample of the delusions. Of course those who make their annual salaries will bloat their importance, their genius of creativity, and their need for extravagance (keeping up with the Joneses, the prop and costume "arms races," Sousaphones and electronix, etc.)  

Attendance seems to show that the audience isn't buying it anymore.  It's time to get back to basics at a price families and mms can afford for the good of the mms, not the staffers.

Edited September 14, 2019 by xandandl

[dans]

Seems as though the future of drum corps and the free world hinges on the LGBTQ community...very strange. 

[Sutasaurus]

4 minutes ago, dans said:

Seems as though the future of drum corps and the free world hinges on the LGBTQ community...very strange. 

Wuuuut?

[Continental]

13 minutes ago, dans said:

Seems as though the future of drum corps and the free world hinges on the LGBTQ community...very strange. 

and HGTV.

[Jeff Ream]

10 hours ago, Sutasaurus said:

Yes, it is expensive to operate a circus. It’s a shame that's what modern day drum corps has become...a traveling circus... props included. 

Getting back to the original debate, if a regional model returned to drum corps, more local units would be able to prosper This would offer opportunities to a whole new raft of women, people of color and LGBTQ individuals. Let the winners of the regional competitions  go to finals. The national touring model is stunting the growth of the activity. DCI was built on local organizations and then they were forgotten.

if you don't like it, you don't have to follow it then go online and complain.

The regional model has passed. you can't plan financially for a season where you don't know what your end game is

[xandandl]

6 minutes ago, Jeff Ream said:

if you don't like it, you don't have to follow it....

... you can't plan financially for a season where you don't know what your end game is

and it seems like more and more are staying home.

You for one are proof of that with your young family now as an loving obligation and broadcasting options now enticing you and others over exorbitant Indy costs (transportation, food, hotel, tickets, etc.) Life has changed for you and many others; today's costs limit some options.

Edited September 14, 2019 by xandandl

[Continental]

10 minutes ago, Jeff Ream said:

if you don't like it, you don't have to follow it then go online and complain.

I would have thought you would come up with a better response than that. 

Edited September 14, 2019 by Continental

[kdaddy]

25 minutes ago, dans said:

Seems as though the future of drum corps and the free world hinges on the LGBTQ community...very strange. 

Imagine hopping on a message board and deciding to post this while also thinking that it's something other than moronic and shameful.