Keith Hall Posted March 20 Share Posted March 20 Unbeknownst to us....when DCI stopped using PBS that was the changing of show ideas for DCI corps. If you watched DCI on PBS you didn't see a 'theme" but you did hear a lot of recognizable music. This is NOT "I remember when drum corps was drum corps" rant. I enjoyed listening to corps playing different pieces of music in their show. In the 80's we saw corps had to have a theme and even explain their concept (still do today). Who started this idea? Remember Blue Devils opening up with "Free" by Chicago and a concert of Mangione's "Legend of the One Eyed Sailor.' Later Mangione's "Chase The Clouds Away." Very entertaining! Today, although the musicianship level exceeds the level in the 70's and 80's (IMO), I find most corps boring muically and visually. I watched Crown do a "parade at Disney Springs a couple of years ago and couldn't believe the guard CAN NOT March!!! They walked and talked with each other and wavered at audience. I don't recall seeing a rifle section spinning the same routine at the same time in a section. Today I see more individual work done probably to avoid mistakes. 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keith Hall Posted March 20 Author Share Posted March 20 So, once DCI went to ESPN briefly and to theaters, is really getting out to the masses more than PBS did? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tim K Posted March 20 Share Posted March 20 There have been other discussions about PBS and DCI parting ways with all sorts of theories. Unsuccessful pledge drives is often the primary reason given, and there’s some truth to that, at least as far as WGBH Boston’s involvement, but there were still broadcasts after WGBH. However those were different days. PBS was local and much of the broadcasting was local. PBS is now well endowed financially as are many of the stations. Production standards are higher and what PBS offers is much different. “Upstairs Downstairs” was considered high quality in the 1970’s. Compare it to “Downton Abbey” today. It would never get airtime. PBS would not produce a DCI finals show today. It would be too expensive. PBS might broadcast a finals performance filmed by someone else, like they do with live performances today. PBS still shows operas from the Metropolitan Opera, but it does not produce them like they did in “Live from the Met” days. The culprit is probably licensing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MikeN Posted March 20 Share Posted March 20 ESPN was never going to be a long term solution, as DCI had to underwrite the entire production just to get it on the air once. And in the final PBS years, wasn't Cook Group pretty much footing the bill for it to get made? The problem has always been on the DCI side, not the TV side - with as many FAST channels are out there right now (and growing), you'd think there would be more avenues to get drum corps on TV if they wanted to. I can only assume the FloMarching numbers and money is good enough that they don't feel they need to. Mike 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeff Ream Posted March 22 Share Posted March 22 On 3/20/2024 at 7:54 AM, Keith Hall said: Unbeknownst to us....when DCI stopped using PBS that was the changing of show ideas for DCI corps. If you watched DCI on PBS you didn't see a 'theme" but you did hear a lot of recognizable music. This is NOT "I remember when drum corps was drum corps" rant. I enjoyed listening to corps playing different pieces of music in their show. In the 80's we saw corps had to have a theme and even explain their concept (still do today). Who started this idea? Remember Blue Devils opening up with "Free" by Chicago and a concert of Mangione's "Legend of the One Eyed Sailor.' Later Mangione's "Chase The Clouds Away." Very entertaining! Today, although the musicianship level exceeds the level in the 70's and 80's (IMO), I find most corps boring muically and visually. I watched Crown do a "parade at Disney Springs a couple of years ago and couldn't believe the guard CAN NOT March!!! They walked and talked with each other and wavered at audience. I don't recall seeing a rifle section spinning the same routine at the same time in a section. Today I see more individual work done probably to avoid mistakes. ok so 88 and 89....hmm themes. Phantom of the Opera, New World Symphony...Les Miz. oh 90...Tommy, Bernstein, Carnival of Animals, Carmen...91...Miss Saigon, Cavalier Anthems, City of Angels...92...Songs for Planet Earth, more City of Angels... oh hell, 84...West Side Story. those were all years DCi showed part of finals live. Themes had been building for a while. i think it was 1971....when drum corps died right? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lead Posted March 22 Share Posted March 22 On 3/20/2024 at 7:54 AM, Keith Hall said: Unbeknownst to us....when DCI stopped using PBS that was the changing of show ideas for DCI corps. If you watched DCI on PBS you didn't see a 'theme" but you did hear a lot of recognizable music. This is NOT "I remember when drum corps was drum corps" rant. I enjoyed listening to corps playing different pieces of music in their show. In the 80's we saw corps had to have a theme and even explain their concept (still do today). Who started this idea? Remember Blue Devils opening up with "Free" by Chicago and a concert of Mangione's "Legend of the One Eyed Sailor.' Later Mangione's "Chase The Clouds Away." Very entertaining! Today, although the musicianship level exceeds the level in the 70's and 80's (IMO), I find most corps boring muically and visually. I watched Crown do a "parade at Disney Springs a couple of years ago and couldn't believe the guard CAN NOT March!!! They walked and talked with each other and wavered at audience. I don't recall seeing a rifle section spinning the same routine at the same time in a section. Today I see more individual work done probably to avoid mistakes. Trying to equate drum corps using themes for a show with not broadcasting on PBS is kinda silly, right? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keith Hall Posted March 25 Author Share Posted March 25 Just throwing a discussion out there Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Algernon Posted March 28 Share Posted March 28 On 3/25/2024 at 10:05 AM, Keith Hall said: Just throwing a discussion out there Why? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tim K Posted April 1 Share Posted April 1 On 3/28/2024 at 6:49 AM, Algernon said: Why? Why not? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keith Hall Posted April 1 Author Share Posted April 1 Because I can! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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