Latest Drum Corps Cliches

[keystone3ply]

 

[Lance]

The most tired cliche is people coming up with what they think is a "creative" thread title in order to post a laundry list of things they don't happen to like.  

[Cappybara]

2 minutes ago, Lance said:

The most tired cliche is people coming up with what they think is a "creative" thread title in order to post a laundry list of things they don't happen to like.  

There has been a lot of that lately, hasn’t there? 

[arabica]

3 hours ago, chris7997 said:

Hi Drum Corps Community,

Ok, this a rant. Before you all hate me and tell me how I should just "get with the times,"  I do have free speech. These are just opinions -- take them or leave them.  You may disagree. Fine.  Drum Corps is not above an honest critique and review each year.

Holy disclaimer! In a discussion board, you [nor anyone] should have to apologize for sharing your opinion - let them flow!

3 hours ago, chris7997 said:

1. Futuristic/space-aged modernism themes -- how many shows do we have to see that could be from the planet Krypton?!  Sci-fi and drum corps fine. But EVERY year we have to keep traveling to distant planets and incorporating modern, geometric visuals? C'mon. Let's get a little more creative and diverse in our show themes, please.  Does EVERY show theme have to be modern to be good?  

What programs do you consider space-aged/modernist from 2022 or another year?

3 hours ago, chris7997 said:

2. Full body modern space suits worn by color guard and no helmets/hats worn by instrumentalists...what's the deal with that?  If it's covid related fine, but it this is a trend, why?

You can blame Bloo '16 for this trend, even this season there were more than a few corps with more traditional-cut uniforms [Genesis, Madison Scouts, BK, Troopers] and headwear [Genesis, BK, Troopers]

3 hours ago, chris7997 said:

3. Shows about nothing ... when I want to watch a show about nothing, I watch Seinfeld. Can we get SOME show that I can easily explain to my grandmother?!   Instead, I'm usually sitting back saying, "Huh? What was that?"  Perhaps I'm not "hip" enough to get it.  Does a show have to be existential and theoretical to be good? 

Every show is about something: whether it's presented in a straightforward way is another question altogether, but I appreciate the diversity that comes with depth and layered meaning. The least compelling theme for me this year was Right Here, Right Now. This is how I interpreted the shows:

• BD: ...blue?
• BAC: the fall of mankind
• Bloo: a dream [and a self-help message!]
• Crown: being present in the moment
• SCV: finding inner-peace
• Cadets: a poet's road trip
• Blue Stars: a war
• Phantom: a journey
• Cavies: time
• Mandarins: a soldier's journey
• Colts: interpretation of the Silk Road
• Troopers: grit of the old west

3 hours ago, chris7997 said:

4. Guitars (maybe added recently)...fine. But I feel as though corps have to say, "Look at how avante guard we are being by adding a guitar this year!"  Years ago we added the trombone. Now we have electric guitars.  Why not just add ALL of the instruments...woodwinds, etc.?!  At what point can we just keep drum and bugle corps about drums and bugles?  If you want to be more creative, start with ditching the sci-fi shows and doing something new and different.

I'll happily trade [minimal] guitars and trombones and electric cellos and on and on to keep woodwinds out.

3 hours ago, chris7997 said:

5. Bad marching. I see inaccurate and sloppy lines even among the top corps -- lines that are supposed to be straight but are off and curved.  People off their mark.  And park and blow.  As a brass player, I love some park and scream...but it's becoming a bit cliche.  It should be special and done the right way.  What happened to the innovative marching of the 90's Cavaliers?  There was some innovative stuff in 2022, but it seems as though innovative and super challenging marching routines kind of have been lost in recent years. I'm not saying what they are doing now isn't challenging. I'm just saying I see a lot of the same stuff in marching...especially from one of the top corps.   

I've been disappointed with the evolution of visual design since I marched, but actually feel 2022 had the best balance yet of traditional drill, body movement, scatter/run, and park n'blow. As far as execution of visual [or music], I'm willing to give a pass this year as groups dusted the cobwebs off and dealt with Covid. While some props are cool and create interesting effects, I hate the fact that they are de facto compulsory in order to increase content scores. And the nastiest side effect is they often force drill into clumps. I long for the visual clarity of a decade ago.

[Sutasaurus]

41 minutes ago, Orwellian Wiress said:

* corps directors on this thread furiously scribbling notes *

Not.

[Sutasaurus]

36 minutes ago, Cappybara said:

They were a fan favorite because they had a melodic show that was easy on the ears and fun to listen to. They also had a classic closer that exuded Phantom Regiment, something that has been missing from the corps since 2013-2014. Ask a random audience member what the show was actually about however, and they would not be able to tell you. 
 

And yes I’ve read the show description before. With this show being my 2nd favorite of the year, I have given it many views including a live read. The show is highly entertaining, but is mostly nonsensical. And that’s totally okay, because it was entertaining as hell and everyone loved it.
 

Btw, phantom’s description of the show is a lot of words not saying much at all. But that’s par for the course for most corps’ show descriptions as designers really do love the hoity toity stuff

 Not buying this answer Cappy. Most of the shows in 2022 didn’t make a lot of sense. Some were entertaining and some were not.

So why was “No Walk Too Far” so hard to decipher? It was a pretty simple concept to follow.

[Sutasaurus]

48 minutes ago, Cappybara said:

They were a fan favorite because they had a melodic show that was easy on the ears and fun to listen to. They also had a classic closer that exuded Phantom Regiment, something that has been missing from the corps since 2013-2014. Ask a random audience member what the show was actually about however, and they would not be able to tell you. 
 

And yes I’ve read the show description before. With this show being my 2nd favorite of the year, I have given it many views including a live read. The show is highly entertaining, but is mostly nonsensical. And that’s totally okay, because it was entertaining as hell and everyone loved it.
 

Btw, phantom’s description of the show is a lot of words not saying much at all. But that’s par for the course for most corps’ show descriptions as designers really do love the hoity toity stuff

 

edit: @Sutasaurus I hope you don’t take any offense. It is quite telling that the two shows I mentioned as being about “nothing” are the two shows that were by far the biggest crowd favorites this year. Perhaps that should tell the designers of other corps something about the way they’re currently designing their shows. I don’t think anyone would complain if we got more shows about nothing 

No offense at all taken Cappy. Although NWTF wasn’t as in your face as Spartacus, it still told a story with engaging music and entertaining drill. It still can be done by the activity as a whole. What’s wrong with engaging the audience’s imagination? Let them draw what they will from a program. Think about “Into The Light”. That show allowed the viewers to let the show touch them in a myriad of ways. To me, that’s worth the price of admission.

Edited August 19, 2022 by Sutasaurus

[Musicman1084]

I find the critique about too many "shows about nothing" especially interesting when juxtaposed against a comment lamenting the strange, modern costuming and the lack of headwear.  

Headwear and traditional costuming was very popular decades back, along with (you guessed it) lots and lots of "shows about nothing."

 

Edited August 19, 2022 by Musicman1084

[Drum Corps Is Now a Bust]

19 hours ago, chris7997 said:

Hi Drum Corps Community,

Ok, this a rant. Before you all hate me and tell me how I should just "get with the times,"  I do have free speech. These are just opinions -- take them or leave them.  You may disagree. Fine.  Drum Corps is not above an honest critique and review each year. 

 

 

In the DCP forum, monolithic thought is king. Diversity of thought (e.g., critiquing) is marginally tolerated.

I'm going to posit some explanations as to why that seem to apply to many DCP posters:

(1) Many DCP posters perceive the activity through the lens of sentimentality and nostalgia. These presuppositions are projected upon all commentators, meaning that they expect everyone to perceive the activity (DCI and the individual corps) the same as they do.

(2) Many poster take a "projection of divine perfection" approach to the activity. Unless something someone does is really egregious, DCI and the individual corps directors and staffs do no wrong. If they do any "wrong," their actions must be minimized to mere inconvenience at best to where the "wrong" isn't really anything worth discussing. Thus, it projects an activity where everyone has the greatest of intentions and are the best people ever. 

These two major presuppositions most posters would rarely translate to other consumable entertainment for which they pay their money, but in this forum we should all conform to "the good ship lollipop" disposition, otherwise just don't post at all.  

[IllianaLancerContra]

16 hours ago, Orwellian Wiress said:

* corps directors on this thread furiously scribbling notes *

No they aren’t.  Corps directors are at their alpine chalet’s sipping wine as various pageantry leeches are pitching ideas.