Why drum corps has changed and why it's good

[audiodb]

To the original poster:

I can't agree with you, and your own words allude to the reason why:

As corps have folded to mismanagement or insufficient funding, (snip)

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

There it is - "funding". If not for that detail, the DCI version of drum corps that you appear to be addressing here could ignore public sentiment and do whatever, whenever, as long as kids continued to march. Conversely, other drum corps operating models that don't require so much money (i.e. "grass roots" drum corps) would also have that same freedom. But sustaining a circuit of corps that are essentially "on the road" for eleven weeks each summer requires a certain amount of revenue from their audiences. So to that extent, it is about the fans.

[Lance]

Don't lump all of the people who complain about DCI today together as the "######## of the activity". Yes, there are some who are just nasty and care only about themselves, but most of them voice their complaints respectfully.

Stay on the site, and just ignore the nasty ones who like to wallow in victimhood and lash out at anything and everything that they don't like without regard to anybody but themselves.

The ignore function on this board is so easy to use! :)

[apoch003]

EDIT: never mind. I found the original post.

Edited August 16, 2005 by apoch003

[Eggbert]

I've rarely seen a post so on the money in it's premise and at the same time so off the mark in it's conclusion.

While the mission of drum corps organizations has changed over the years, it is still officially about providing a great experience for the "kids." But, I would suggest that these organizations deviate wildly from their mission.

Take the woodwinds I&E contest for example. Thousands of drum corps kids were in Mass. for the week. Of those thousands, four competed. FOUR. DCI served the needs of FOUR KIDS, not thousands, FOUR. This is what an ulterior motive and agenda looks like. It has nothing to do with serving the kids or providing a great experience.

In my opinion, the powers of DCI are corrupted by greed and vanity. They are woo'd and wined and dined by big business. Their egos are stroked and their picture put on a wheaties box or whatever so they can get more arranging and band camp gigs. This is not about kids anymore. It's easy to put blinders on and say everything is great and as it should be, that's progress, etc... But, I watch drum corps with my eyes wide open. Do you?

[TommySopranoContra]

Well, as a high schooler, I can say that my friends and I are drum corps freaks we go to watch all Div I and Div II/III shows near by, and we think (I say this speaking for them as well) that DCI is freaking awesome even though we've not been there since the beginning.

I think as long as more of us are getting interested (which we are!!!) DCI's going in a good direction.

:D

[TommySopranoContra]

All we've done for 2 months is flip out our DCI through the years DVDs and watch them during lunch in the band room. Yes for 2 months straight.

It started off with like 20 kids, then more and more kept coming, ended up being a theatre of all 135 varsity corps kids watching.

DCI rocks our socks.

[ptr250]

I've been a drum corps fan since 1996 ...bla bla bla

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

What a load of rubbish! The only point of this whole diatribe that rings true is that the activity is about the members. I certainly don’t see how it benefits the members to supply them with a pseudo- intellectual, conceptualized, boring piece of crap show to perform! It only serves to stroke the egos of the staff, judges and DCI hierarchy! I have never run into an activity that is so full of over-inflated egos! In my profession I have worked with Andy Grove, Larry Ellison, Craig Barrett, Bill Gates, Ross Perot and many others and although extremely intelligent and very intense, none had the ego of some DC staff that I have talked to. As an actor I have performed in both “thought provoking” and mass entertainment shows. Believe me it’s a lot more fun when the crowd goes nuts at the end of “My Fair Lady” than the polite applause received at the end of “Turandot”. Of course brainwashing is also part of the DC experience so the members will defend their show, corps and staff till the bitter end. This is not necessarily a bad thing.

I’m also sick and tired of hearing how much more talented today’s corps is. I will concede this is true top to bottom, but I’d put the lead line of 71 SCV led by Wayne Downey and made up of mostly music majors from SJS against any leads today. Let’s face it you don’t have to be a brass virtuoso to play third sop. Want to show off your superior talent? Than change your charts (not water down) every three shows or so and come out playing clean each time.

There is absolutely no reason Jr. DC can’t be both entertaining for the fans and challenging for its members. Last year at the TOC I’d thought that Jr. DC had gotten away from the artsy-fartsy curse of 93 Star. With the exception of PR, Madison, SCV, Boston and to some extent Cavies it looks like the curse lives on!

[TommySopranoContra]

Ummm sorry but... could you like clearer that better. I didn't follow well :)

Edited August 16, 2005 by TommySopranoContra

[glory]

In my profession I have worked with Andy Grove, Larry Ellison, Craig Barrett, Bill Gates, Ross Perot and many others and although extremely intelligent and very intense, none had the ego of some DC staff that I have talked to.

I don't dispute there are some big egos in drum corps. The list you provide, however, includes some of the all-time champs, incomparable in any way to drum corps egos.

The other thing: Today's drum corps is entertaining for today's fans - maybe just not you.

HH

[TommySopranoContra]

The other thing: Today's drum corps is entertaining for today's fans - maybe just not you.

HH

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

*****Well said. :)