March or Die thoughts 2021....

[LabMaster]

4 hours ago, Sutasaurus said:

Let me turn that concept around back at you for a moment. What BAC went through in the 80’s is nothing different than what a number of corps went through at one time or another. It’s called building an identity/character building. To use your words “nothing new” in the grand scheme of things.

Regarding props, for some it’s, as you say, a small line item while for others it’s a significant expense when you factor in the cost to produce said prop(s) the additional vehicle needed to transport them, the fuel for that vehicle, the extra body to drive that vehicle, the additional maintenance of the props, the list goes on. If a corps can afford them, fine. If a corps can’t, why penalize them off the bat for not keeping up with the Joneses?

It’s funny how so many people say drum corps is evolving and yet the way they are judged is pretty much the same as it ever was. That’s not totally on DCI either, the member corps should study what happened in 2021. With the absence of a judging panel, corps were allowed to “just be themselves” and the audience really appreciated that. What a concept!

It is clear you are not aware to any extent, what BAC went through in the 80’s or 70’s or 90’s to survive and reach their 82nd year in 22.  Name me another corps that has faced that amount of adversity and without going inactive; has made it through such diminished membership, virtually no management leadership at times, no financial support other than members themselves and minimal fundraising.  Being totally self supported by membership and a group of dedicated alums who did whatever they could to keep this necessary community activity alive as best they could.  And still face criticism from unknowing DC followers about how they got in the position they are in after years and years and years of struggle and hardship.  They accuse them of poaching staff and members (in the past now) , yet they’ve done what many other corps have done to improve their chances of success.  They finally have been able to rely on hardworking, creative, talented alumni in leadership positions to build the organization.

so after indulging my rant, I can be confident in saying no other DCI member org, has gone through what the Boston went through those many years.  You also don’t need to explain building character to anyone in the Boston Crusader organization.  Maybe it’s nothing new to other orgs to go through struggles. Many have.  But no other org has gone through quite that much. None.

[Mello Dude]

1 hour ago, GUARDLING said:

Depends what one thinks " normal  "is

Psych 101.

 

Edited September 25, 2021 by Mello Dude

[GUARDLING]

2 hours ago, Mello Dude said:

Psych 101.

 

Yet so much doesnt apply to the activity,,,lol....and in a good way🙂 breaking norms can sometimes not always be a good thing yet not always a bad one either

101..intro to Psych.

Edited September 25, 2021 by GUARDLING

[Jeff Ream]

10 hours ago, MikeN said:

Honestly?  I think we'll be back to 2019-standard shows.  Now that said, I think we've got a pretty good balance of technical showcase vs. "catchy" stuff right now.  But I'm almost 100% certain you won't be seeing old-style uniforms out there again.  

Mike

see i think we have seen a mix of "sheets" and "fans" in many shows since Cesario was the artistic director. Now that hasn't limited the arms race, but Bloo 16 and SCV 18 were props and electronics heavy and were universally loved. Now i do think the emotional part of effect is taken into account far more on music than visual. there you just have to wait and see what night Chumley is on so you know when BD pops a 20

[Jeff Ream]

7 hours ago, craiga said:

We can always debate "traditional" (which is an  ever-changing construct, btw) and "avant garde" designs and program choices, and that is  a fair discussion to have.  I still don't understand how some people seem to think that corps sponsors dictate or even suggest ANYTHING programming wise to the individual corps.  In BAC's case, many of their sponsors are financial organizations located within the city of Boston.   Does anybody here really propose that Putnam Investments or John  Hancock  Insurance are telling BAC what to play, which props to use, and how to dress the corps?  This is absurd.

I also want to note that I find a not so subtle irony in the fact that some people are beating their chests over the "gross inequity" of various corps financial standings.  I wonder....

Where were some of you folks back in the 80's, when BAC had home made uniforms, no truck whatever, and had an all-volunteer alumni instructional staff for more than a decade?   Where was the outrage then over the "haves" and "have-nots"?    Apparently, we want drum corps to be successful, but not too much.  Furthermore, I continue to maintain that the props some folks rail against are a very small line item in any corps' budget, and to consistently name them as the certain future cause of drum corps decline is bizarre.  Props and non-traditional uniforms/costumes are nothing new.

the fear is the more Varsity gets involved, the more you'll see sponsors dictating things

[Jurassic Lancer]

4 minutes ago, Jeff Ream said:

the fear is the more Varsity gets involved, the more you'll see sponsors dictating things

Varsity is on a whole other level than the sponsors on DCI’s webpage (well, except for Stanbury, but lines are getting blurry as to who is in bed with Varsity).

Edited September 25, 2021 by Jurassic Lancer

[Jeff Ream]

1 minute ago, Jurassic Lancer said:

Varsity is on a whole other level than the sponsors on DCI’s webpage (well, except for Stanbury).

for now....and who owns Stanbury?

 

( hint: starts with Var, ends with isty)

[Sutasaurus]

18 hours ago, LabMaster said:

It is clear you are not aware to any extent, what BAC went through in the 80’s or 70’s or 90’s to survive and reach their 82nd year in 22.  Name me another corps that has faced that amount of adversity and without going inactive; has made it through such diminished membership, virtually no management leadership at times, no financial support other than members themselves and minimal fundraising.  Being totally self supported by membership and a group of dedicated alums who did whatever they could to keep this necessary community activity alive as best they could.  And still face criticism from unknowing DC followers about how they got in the position they are in after years and years and years of struggle and hardship.  They accuse them of poaching staff and members (in the past now) , yet they’ve done what many other corps have done to improve their chances of success.  They finally have been able to rely on hardworking, creative, talented alumni in leadership positions to build the organization.

so after indulging my rant, I can be confident in saying no other DCI member org, has gone through what the Boston went through those many years.  You also don’t need to explain building character to anyone in the Boston Crusader organization.  Maybe it’s nothing new to other orgs to go through struggles. Many have.  But no other org has gone through quite that much. None.

We all struggled at one time or another……your rant has been noted.

Edited September 25, 2021 by Sutasaurus

[skevinp]

18 hours ago, Jeff Ream said:

( hint: starts with Var, ends with isty)

Tell us!  Tell us!  I can’t stand the suspense!

[Jeff Ream]

5 hours ago, skevinp said:

Tell us!  Tell us!  I can’t stand the suspense!

oh i think you can figure it out.