howl711 Posted August 12, 2005 Share Posted August 12, 2005 You obviously haven't seen the shows. Blue Devils DO use narration to broadcast the point of their show. And it probably isn't even necessary - the show is easy to understand by itself - it's a dance derby!Cadets did NOT add Cliffs Notes throughout the show. There is narration at the beginning ONLY, to explain the door. There is "drumspeak" in the middle of the show, but not narration. Even if you count the drumspeak as narration, there is far less of it than in Blue Devils show. <{POST_SNAPBACK}> Actually, I have seen the shows. Cadets narration, while not throughout the entire show, is essentially the same in character as Seattle's: used to explain the concept of the show. The first thing any writer/designer/artist worth his salt learns is 'show don't tell.' That concept apparently went right out the window. I love Cadet's show minus that opening monologue and that annoying Bjork speak (Bjork's the only woman who can get away with that), but that narration really puts a damper on a great show. As for BD--their narration doesn't explain away the show. We just jump right in. The narrator has a charater and he sticks to it; he understands his role in the show. There's no 'This show is about a dance marathon! In reverse! And now you're about to enter . . . The Dance Derby of the Century! Hold on tight!' Rather, we just get in on the show and go to town. I'm still not a fan of narration by any means, but becuase of the way they use it, I think BD is the only group that has used it successfully. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
murphpuppy37 Posted August 12, 2005 Share Posted August 12, 2005 (edited) I haven't seen the Cascades, but I've seen the other three and I vote for BD more as a protest against their show design than as a complaint against narration. The Bluecoats drumspeak was fine (maybe should have been a little shorter though), and I thought The Cadets did a wonderful job with theirs. In my opinion, it totally fit with the strangeness of the show, and the narration at the beginning was not the least bit obtrusive. My section in Murfreesboro actually cheered the Cadets drumspeak section, and everyone was talking about it afterwards. So not everyone hates narration, is my point. But BD's was bad simply because there was way too much of it, and not quite enough playing. Those guys are so incredibly talented, and it's a shame that the show couldn't be built more around them. Oh well, that just means the Cavaliers and Cadets get the attention they deserve this year for having, in my opinion, the two best show designs. Those two deserve their gold/silver medals. Oh, and by the way. Can we please officially put a moratorium on people trying to be witty by using the same "yowza yowza yowza" joke that's been used ten million times? I can't be alone on this... Edited August 12, 2005 by murphpuppy37 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jami Posted August 12, 2005 Share Posted August 12, 2005 . . . and so maybe he can do it at I & E next year and we can get back to enjoying and discussing the corps as a whole . . . <{POST_SNAPBACK}> then talk to the design team about that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
audiodb Posted August 12, 2005 Share Posted August 12, 2005 Can we please officially put a moratorium on people trying to be witty by using the same "yowza yowza yowza" joke that's been used ten million times? I can't be alone on this... <{POST_SNAPBACK}> So you think hearing "yowza, yowza, yowza!" over and over is annoying? Good - that was my point. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
murphpuppy37 Posted August 12, 2005 Share Posted August 12, 2005 Yeah, i got your point. But they don't exactly do yowzas during the whole show. I understand what you're saying, i'm just saying i think you might be overreacting. But that's ok. I respect your passion, and I understand that it bothers you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lance Posted August 12, 2005 Share Posted August 12, 2005 5. People in the stands who comment on everything in every corps show all of the time. Talk about annoying narration. :lolhit: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
seneca78 Posted August 12, 2005 Share Posted August 12, 2005 Screw the narration.. bring back old time in your face drum corps.... What is it that turns my stomach so much.... I was not at quarterfinals live but watched it in the theatre in Williamsville NY. (from Toronto myself)... Nothing more annoying than being FORCED to watch closeup after closeup of soloists like the "girl" in Madison,.. the guy in "phantom", the four freaks in Cadets show,, (like watchin Bishop Kearny's WGI show - Sybil), or the incessant tika takas.. or the drum lines doing their solos while fabulous drill is going on behind and when there's a WHOLE BLOODY corp of 134 or so other members on the field worth watching more. Will DCI ever learn to just keep the freakin camera at mid-range to GE box level, and put the soloists in a corner on the bottom of the screen... Nothing more annoying than camera people who don't know drum corps.... Does ANYONE else feel this way?????? What "NEW" drum corps fan did you see at the theatres last night?? That kinda thing in theatres is for like hardcore or seasoned enthusiats... WHEN WILL DCI EVER LEARN.................. <**> Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tommeee Posted August 12, 2005 Share Posted August 12, 2005 5. People in the stands who comment on everything in every corps show all of the time. Talk about annoying narration. :lolhit: <{POST_SNAPBACK}> Totally 100% correct. And that includes people in the stands that complain about the narration. Narration would be far less annoying if people wouldn't boo and make loud comments about it. That's disrespectful to the performers. Discuss AFTER the show, not during. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MiamiSun76 Posted August 12, 2005 Share Posted August 12, 2005 Totally 100% correct. And that includes people in the stands that complain about the narration. Narration would be far less annoying if people wouldn't boo and make loud comments about it. That's disrespectful to the performers. Discuss AFTER the show, not during. <{POST_SNAPBACK}> Then there's the band directors explaining/analyzing every move for their minions while the 15 year-olds are still vizualizing Carmen and wishing the geek would shut up. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shawn craig Posted August 12, 2005 Share Posted August 12, 2005 (edited) I sometimes want to say something during the show, but know how to keep my mouth shut and wait till the show is over. You have like 5 minutes or so to discuss the show with your friends before the next one starts. In Allentown A Lady talked all the way through the Kiwanis K and Pioneer shows, When the next corps started, so did she so I firmly and politely said "I drove 3 1/2 hours and paid $$ to hear the corps. It worked!!! Edited August 12, 2005 by shawn craig Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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