Guest DrumCorpFan Posted July 29, 2005 Share Posted July 29, 2005 My, so forthcoming with the facts and statistics...try it with a little less emotion next time. And be careful who you are calling ignorant, at least try to use the word in its true intent. You are taking what little unresearched data you might have heard or seen and grandstanding it into a major force to be reckoned with. How many shows you go to a year ?? In those cases how many dozens of busses do you see droping off the masses of kids (loaded with cash) to watch shows ?? WHere are your receipts from the souvie trucks that tell us just how much these kids purchase ?? WHere your random sampling of these kids asking them that if it werent for free where would they be that night ?? Please.....you are more guilty of pushing your agenda that anyome else is. At least I have something to go by before I write my diatribes ~G~ <{POST_SNAPBACK}> Well ~G~, I gotta say that if they aren't buying tickets, then they can buy more stuff. :sshh: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MikeD Posted July 29, 2005 Share Posted July 29, 2005 OK, so I will ask you the same question...Given that some people like corps with amps and all people like corps without amps, which makes more sense, to design what some like or what all like? <{POST_SNAPBACK}> Going with that kind of thinking corps would have never left 1955 and would be long gone by now, IMO. I can remember complaints about just about every change ever made since I started, from adding/enhancing instruments to judging methods to visual design to themed shows to "weird" banana unis to .... As long as attendance stays high I doubt DCI will spend much time worrying about the few who will leave...dribs and drabs of people have been leaving forever when the changes got to be too much for them. Drum corps "job" is not to program to the lowest denominator...never has been, and hopefully never will. Mike Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest DrumCorpFan Posted July 29, 2005 Share Posted July 29, 2005 Going with that kind of thinking corps would have never left 1955 and would be long gone by now, IMO.I can remember complaints about just about every change ever made since I started, from adding/enhancing instruments to judging methods to visual design to themed shows to "weird" banana unis to .... As long as attendance stays high I doubt DCI will spend much time worrying about the few who will leave...dribs and drabs of people have been leaving forever when the changes got to be too much for them. Drum corps "job" is not to program to the lowest denominator...never has been, and hopefully never will. Mike <{POST_SNAPBACK}> So, if we don't like amps, we want drum corps to program to the lowest denominator? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MikeD Posted July 29, 2005 Share Posted July 29, 2005 IMO, you and your daughter are in an unusual position. You are a legacy fan who is still passionate about what is out there now. You will give your daughter money to support that. BUT, how many are in your situation? Not that many. The other parents are not going to give their kids nearly as much as you give yours. <{POST_SNAPBACK}> If you look at the busloads of HS band kids who attend drum corps shows, most of their parents have no idea what drum corps is besides it being a high-end marching band the band director wants the kids to experience. Those kids do flock to the souvie stands with mom and dads bucks...IMO. As for others...the St Rita's guy I sat near and spoke with at Giant's Stadium bought a whole BUNCH of stuff for his kids....and one for himself. Add to it the legacy fans who are NOT leaving and everyone "wins". Mike Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Strutters '72 Posted July 29, 2005 Share Posted July 29, 2005 Well said, I can say that after 25 years I've already made that decision. Amps? Maybe I could have lived with that, but amped vocals and narration? No thanks, I'm officially done. This will be the first year since 1979 that I will not attend a DCI show and just to keep in line with the original topic, I downloaded the BD APD just to hear the show for myself and I was so turned off that I deleted it. I mean no disrespect to anyone by saying any of this nor am I naive enough to think anyone really cares what I think or if I show up at any events, it just kind of feels like something that was such a big part of my life for a long time no longer exists. There are some that have wanted to turn Drum Corps into Band for some time now and it looks like they finally got their wish. I still wonder why in the world we couldn't have both but maybe that's just me. Good luck to all those involved with the current activity and I really mean that. I've said it before and I'll say it again, thank God for CD's, pre-2005 that is!!! <{POST_SNAPBACK}> Amps?!? My drum corps experience goes back 33 years and I'm still not happy with the pit (oh sorry, the front ensemble) It just blocks my view of a perfectly good "drum and bugle corps". I say "BAN THE PIT!!!!!!!!" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Laconic913 Posted July 29, 2005 Share Posted July 29, 2005 Cool, thanks for clarifying. Now, do you care to fill me in on tonights lottery numbers ?? ~G~ <{POST_SNAPBACK}> Implying that what I suggested is an improbability. I can speak for myself, at least. Four seasons ago I was one of those penniless band kids. But for the past two years, I've had an income (not a large, one, surely), and I have supported the activity by buying merchandise and APD's. You are taking what little unresearched data you might have heard or seen and grandstanding it into a major force to be reckoned with. How many shows you go to a year ?? In those cases how many dozens of busses do you see droping off the masses of kids (loaded with cash) to watch shows ?? WHere are your receipts from the souvie trucks that tell us just how much these kids purchase ?? WHere your random sampling of these kids asking them that if it werent for free where would they be that night ?? Please.....you are more guilty of pushing your agenda that anyome else is. At least I have something to go by before I write my diatribes ~G~ <{POST_SNAPBACK}> How is your hearsay of freeloading band kids any more substantiated? You heard of it at two shows. Three questions: Were these shows close together in distance (implying it may be a custom in that area)? Were they major regional shows? And can you say for sure that that sort of thing happens at EVERY show? You also carry on about the alleged lack of money these kids spend on souvenirs. Perhaps it's true. Perhaps not. Do you have receipts from the vendors showing how much business they did or didn't do? Neither do I. And I don't see how it matters, unless you're debating that the band kids gained aren't worth the loss of a single loaded, outraged "dinosaur," "traditionalist," whatever. To that I say: Last year's regional ticket sales (including TOC) were up 38% over 2003's regional turn-outs. Last year's total Finals Week attendance was a ten-year high, up 19% over 2003's attendance. This year's San Antonio event had a record of 14,000 attendees. No matter what way you cut it, exposure is good, unless you're to the point that the activity is no longer worth supporting. And that the loss of people who are disgusted with the activity is not killing it, as of yet, anyways; in fact, in recent years, it hasn't been better. And those are facts. http://www.dci.org/news/news.cfm?news_id=4...71-59edaff434e5 http://download.dci.org/news/news.cfm?news...79-e3c1801a13a3 Odds are, at least some of those kids who get in at reduced rates will be impressed with what they see and continue to follow the activity as you have, and perhaps even meet or exceed the financial support you have given. Of course, that's down the road a few years. Consider it an investment on DCI's part. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest DrumCorpFan Posted July 29, 2005 Share Posted July 29, 2005 If you look at the busloads of HS band kids who attend drum corps shows, most of their parents have no idea what drum corps is besides it being a high-end marching band the band director wants the kids to experience. Those kids do flock to the souvie stands with mom and dads bucks...IMO.As for others...the St Rita's guy I sat near and spoke with at Giant's Stadium bought a whole BUNCH of stuff for his kids....and one for himself. Add to it the legacy fans who are NOT leaving and everyone "wins". Mike <{POST_SNAPBACK}> A lot of those kids might be looking at stuff, that doesn't mean they are buying it. Neither you or I know how much, if anything, they are spending. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MikeD Posted July 29, 2005 Share Posted July 29, 2005 A lot of those kids might be looking at stuff, that doesn't mean they are buying it. Neither you or I know how much, if anything, they are spending. <{POST_SNAPBACK}> That's true. All I have to go by is what I see at shows...only the corps themselves would be able to know how their souvie sales are going. I know many kids are buying, but how much? No idea. I know legacy folks are buying too, but again...how much? No idea. Mike Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matt_S Posted July 29, 2005 Share Posted July 29, 2005 You are taking what little unresearched data you might have heard or seen and grandstanding it into a major force to be reckoned with. <{POST_SNAPBACK}> Pot. Kettle. Black. ~G~, you are the master of unresearched data, so I bow to your accusation. All I have is anecdotes and self-experience, but then, that hasn't ever stopped you from posting either. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MikeD Posted July 29, 2005 Share Posted July 29, 2005 So, if we don't like amps, we want drum corps to program to the lowest denominator? <{POST_SNAPBACK}> It's more than amps....it's a general attitude about what designers should do in creating programs....and what should and shouldn't be legal. People seem to have to be dragged kicking and screaming into accepting new ideas...the furor over mulit-key vs the key of G only still hasn't gone away, and five years ago on RAMD it made the anti-amp stuff here look relatively tame. The mindset that THIS is what drum corps is...what it should be...and don't you dare change it...is the very best way to kill it of completely, IMO. We most likely disagree just about 100% on that. :) Mike Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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