Let's Talk About the Blue Devils...

[valjean]

I'm just gonna say it. High brow design in DCI is like a gourmet microwave meal. Just gimme the hot pocket so I can burn the roof of my mouth, that's all I really want. If I wanted a fabulous multi course meal I'd go to the opera. 

[MikeRapp]

20 minutes ago, Ashontheinternet said:

this video is a bit late i feel. the bd hate peaked a few years ago, and has kind of been on a decline since. most likely due to the fact that "bd haters" either learned to deal with the corps and appreciate the talent, or they fully left the activity. and as an aside, this video talks a lot about formula, and i think that it was a lot of words to say that formula = corps identity. bd ballad pods with big sonoros brass and guard work is synonymous with the bd identity, just as highly electronic, introspective, and artsy shows are synonymous with bloo. people unwilling to recognize that will not last long in this community or activity before they either learn or leave. 

Or the simple fact is, the situation is what it is and isn’t changing, so it’s just not an interesting topic anymore.

Lots of people hated the old Oakland Raiders and for good reasons. But then you just came to realize that Oakland was who they were and it wasn’t an interesting controversy anymore.

[MikeRapp]

4 hours ago, Cappybara said:

 

 

A fun yet informative video done by a member of the Funliner Podcast who marched the Blue Devils several years ago. He is essentially addressing all the common low-quality opinions people have about the Blue Devils (all their shows are the same, pay the judges, design for the judges not the fans, etc) and offering some level of rebuttal or added nuance to those opinions

 

Worth a watch simply for the simplicity and fairness with which all the points are illustrated

Watched it. To be fair though he does think some of the criticisms and takes are legitimate and earned.

[Sh0uldN0t]

While he makes reasonable arguments, I think he misses one of the major complaints about BD. It's less that BD's programs are all the same or calibrated only to the judges. It's that they don't take the chances some other corps do. And even if they do, too many of its programs don't engage the audience. 

I see it this way. BD has immense talent on the field and among the staff. It has better resources than others. Shouldn't they wow us more? The fact that they don't and still win is a big part of the hate. 

Clarification: I don't hate BD.

[billj]

3 hours ago, ContraFart said:

Resident BD Hater

I posted this to the youtube video

1. The park and bark. This is an older criticism that I believe applies less today, however going back to 2009 - 2015, this is very appropriate. In 2009 I believe I clocked BD as marching and playing for less than 2 min and when they did march and play together the step size was less than 8 to 5. Compared to the insane drill writing of Crown and Cadets in that era, it was crystal clear that the visual demand for BD was significantly less. I also personally had a critique of the drill never incorporating the contra section into the drill. I think there were changes in who was writing drill in the mid 2010s and some of that criticism is less valid today. Also other corps have moved towards BDs visual philosophy so the amount of time marching and playing has gone down across the board over the past 15 years. But even you say that BD does not have drill writers or dot books. To some people that whole philosophy is anathema to what drum corps is supposed to be.

2. Paying the judges. I believe this is a straw man argument. No reasonable person believes that there is bribery in the judging community. At the same time, there are judges that if you see them on the finals panel, you know BD is getting a max score no matter what. (*cough* Chumley *cough*) When it comes to designing to the sheets, you have a valid argument. BD makes the art they want to make. Its just that a large a growing part of the audience does not like that art. I cannot stand the aesthetic of Scott Chandler. At the same time, I can see how those esoteric shows can make a very fulfilling member experience. It seems that the more straight forward shows are the ones the BD loses, so its natural to keep going to what brings you success. But then you become a theatre who just does shows by Mamet or Durang. Doing art for yourself, is not doing art to engage and entertain an audience.

3. Money. Yes this is a huge advantage. However its not the props or instruments or electronics that give the advantage. Its the member experience. One of the reasons a corps like BD becomes a destination corps is because of the idea that tour life will be easier. BD gets closer housing sites, so there is less travel from housing sites to show. They get later gates so there is more floor time and rehearsal time. I would bet the food choices are also better. This is not a recent phenomena. Back in the 90s when I marched, it was legend how much better tour was for BD.

4. Metamorph17. You are correct that corps will fall into their own tropes. The only difference is that judges seem to reward BDs tropes over the other top corps. Whether it be the side to side shimmy, the body movement that swirls into a tight clump. The drum set feature. The staging shift among others, BD does do a lot of the same things. However as a champion, they play it safe. Also nothing that BD does visually is as iconic as the leg kick or the Z pull. The only things that are unequivocally BD are the arms out posture and the shimmy. Think of the last 3 champions that were not BD. I think what they tried next year was not the same old same old, but an evolution of what they were trying to do. In 2014 Crown had those trampolines and even though they reused some of the same devices, I think besides Rach Star, it was their most out of formula show. In 2017 Bluecoats came out with the largest set piece in DCI history and music from an experimental rock band. In 2019 SCV, well they tried. However I think it was still an evolution of 2018. I also think that constantly going back to music feeds into the playing it safe narrative. In the end, I do not think there is a huge difference in the talent or execution of the top 4 corps. So why does one corps win 40% of every championship ever and 60% of the championships in the past 15 years? Its frustrating when I see a show like Bluecoats 2019, which is one of my favorite shows of all time and it loses to a show that does not connect with me at all. There was a time where BD was my favorite corps. 1993 BD is what brought me into Drum Corps. 1994 is one of the best shows of all time. However a combination of fatigue and the inability to engage with their concepts has almost made me resent BD to the point if they win tonight in Broken Arrow, the season is over and I really do not care anymore to watch to the end.

Articulated way better than I could ever hope. It's just no fun for me. I was just thinking: I challenge BD to design something VERY DIFFERENT. Maybe classical? Funny? Story telling?

I dare them to have a show with no jazz or screamers. Just once. 

Something that speaks to the masses, PLEASE

[GraysonHarris]

2 minutes ago, billj said:

Articulated way better than I could ever hope. It's just no fun for me. I was just thinking: I challenge BD to design something VERY DIFFERENT. Maybe classical? Funny? Story telling?

I dare them to have a show with no jazz or screamers. Just once. 

Something that speaks to the masses, PLEASE

You want them to stop playing jazz? Are you nuts? That is literally their legacy and style of music they have always been associated with. 

That's like asking Phantom to have a show with no classical music. 

Sheesh!

[frank4now]

Felt the need to re-post this. I don't nessasarily believe in a bias for Devils but these videos are funny. Couldn't find the one for 2012. I think it's even better.  Hopefully noone offended by this. All in good fun.

[skevinp]

Meh, on DCP these days I see more posts complaining about people disliking BD than posts actually disliking BD.  

 

[DrumManTx]

2 minutes ago, skevinp said:

Meh, on DCP these days I see more posts complaining about people disliking BD than posts actually disliking BD.  

 

^^^^^^^^

[billj]

11 minutes ago, GraysonHarris said:

You want them to stop playing jazz? Are you nuts? That is literally their legacy and style of music they have always been associated with. 

That's like asking Phantom to have a show with no classical music. 

Sheesh!

Yep. Shake it up. I'm pretty sure they could play a non jazz show and it would be great. Why is that an unreasonable ask? Who else MUST play music from a specific genre EVERY YEAR?