DCP Official ESPN2 DCI Broadcast Reaction Thread

[DrumCorpsFan27]

Anyway, you have to pay to join just about any organized youth activity these days.

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Not $1500-$2000.

[Dave]

My opinion was that there was way, way too much "story" and not enough show. It was like showing clips of the Superbowl superimposed on a documentary about how the teams trained. I think DCI would have done a lot more for keeping potential new fans interested by doing a format more along the lines of the 97 PBS broadcast--short vignettes on a wide variety of topics interspersed between good-sized segments of shows, enough for people to get a good feel of the activity and the shows without getting bored. In general, if this was supposed to attract new fans, I don't know how it's supposed to do that; I don't know too many people who haven't seen drum corps before who would care about it because they say an explanation of how drill is written.

[DrumCorpsFan27]

I'm an old timer now (41)

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Somebody said that we are not old-timers until we hit 50.

I'm 41 too. :( :sshh: :P b**bs

[DrumCorpsFan27]

Buy the DVDs, people.

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I don't want to.

But thanks for offering.

[manoloblahniksabre]

I watched this with a group of non-drumcorps people and they didn't like it, I hate to say. The overdrawn explainations about all the ins and outs of the activity sort of got on their nerves. I heard a lot of "what's so complicated about it?" and "why are they not showing more clips of the bands (repeating what they called 'em) instead?" outside of the story about the girl from Phantom, which they found touching. They said they felt like they didn't get to watch the shows long enough to form an opinion. When I asked if they would watch it again, they said if they showed the bands (repeating what they said) in length and if there was less talking. I will say this: when the Cadets came on, it elicited some jokes. They didn't seem to "appreciate" the drumspeak (this was a group of grad students/professors, by the way) and there was a lot of "What the #### is that?" in response to the girl in the hat/construction outfit/etc. I actually liked The Cadets the first couple of times I saw them, but the more I listen to/watch the show, the less I like it. I really don't see anything innovative about the show. It's just...odd.

They LOVED Phantom and it was by far the favorite among the group. The use of color got lots of "ohhhs" and "ahhhs" and they recognized the music. They also seemed to like Cavies very well, though they didn't know the music, they got into the show. Cavies have a gift for getting something unrecognizable across to people and can making them enjoy it. There were lots of grimaces at any sort of narration (BD and Cadets) with many generally confused looks. When asked why they didn't like it, most of them said that it just was not necessary and it was distracting.

I personally don't feel like it was a great triumph. It could have been worse, it could have been better. It was mediocre. As someone who has marched, it did not keep my interest. That being said, I think it was designed to be watched by someone who has never heard of drumcorps, but I don't think it really succeeded in drawing people in. Though I'm a fan of the esoteric side of drum corps (think SCV 98-03) I find that most people, even those who I thought would be more open, just wanted to hear the music they new and wanted to see it performed with lots of lovely color. Go figure :P

Edited September 7, 2005 by manoloblahniksabre

[rut-roh]

Why pay when you can complain about not getting what you want for free

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

And aren't drum corps fans the MASTERS at that???

That should be the motto for drum corps fans, it seems. People can be so FICKLE sometimes, it's amazing. We're too busy compaining, not being able to get out of our own ways, we don't realize what a watershed moment this was for the activity last night. It delivered EXACTLY what it said it would deliver. It was extremely well produced...whoever said it looked like a high school video project had no clue what they were talking about. The broadcast gets a gold star from me. I'm looking forward to hearing the comments of the band kids I teach later today.

As far as the quality of shows go (which are always up to fair criticism), it amazes me to see what some of these corps are even attempting these days, let alone what they are pulling off. Awesome.

- LOVED the rooftop camera during the "putting the show together" clip. When they overlayed the computer drill with the real time drill, that was worth the entire broadcast being aired for me. Incredible.

- Loved that Rondo and Dennis were in suits and not polos. DCI is growing up.

- Loved the Cavaliers drill. Surprise, surprise. Michael Gaines is the best drillwriter since Zingali, period. Pure genius. I thought their drill and visual program was better than the Cadets. It made more logical sense, it flowed better, it had better transitions, it was staged better (especially the color guard). I've been around a long time, and for something to genuinely impress me, or make my jaw hit the floor, it has to be earthshattering. That's what the Cavaliers opener drill did to me this year.

- I thought the Blue Devils came off very well on the broadcast. The narration didn't bother me much at all, probably because the quality of their sound system was pretty good. (Memo to Cadets--- if you're going to use narration, get a better sound system. Your vocals were muddy.)

- Cadets drumspeak-- whoever said they won drums without playing just because they did a vocal section in the middle of their drum solo was on crack. Did you miss the INSANE amount AND quality of drumming they did before and after that moment??? They played more than some lines do in half their shows! Find another excuse to hate them, cuz that one don't fly.

Overall, DCI put on a really good face to the "legit" world last night. I'll say it again because I think it bears repeating: They delivered exactly what they said they would deliver. Outstanding!

And to ANYONE who thinks that the experience being offered today's kids isn't just as amazing or worthwhile or fun or exciting or life-altering as anything we went through in our marching days in the stone age, they're simply not paying attention.

[DrumCorpsFan27]

WOW - this is why I seriously love DCP these days - someone says something silly and then the actual person who knows the reality will turn up minutes later to tells us what really happened!  Great we get the actual truth from the source rather than going on rumor mill like the old days.

You go DCW and Steve Vickers!! :)

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Gotta love Steve! ^OO^

[Lancerlady]

I completely agree with you!  It did seem like a long infomercial.  If that is what DCI was going for than that is what they got. 

The prodcution was good.  It served their purpose.  Now we will just have to wiat and see what effect it had on the kids not marching yet. 

They did mention at the very beginning that the kids had to pay to be in the corps...it was something like "unlike the NFL superstars these kids have to pay a hefty price to march in these corps."  Or something like that.  But I do rembere them saying that.

I couldn't help but think - after they had built up that these kids work all summer long and how hard they work and then they just show 1 song from Boston - that someone out there thought, "They worked all summer and that hard just to play that one song?"  :P

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I don't remember saying that but if you say so! :P (About paying a "hefty price)...they should've elaborated moer then.

I thought the same thing to...worked all summer long just to play that one song. And SCV worked their arses off to get the shaft.. :)

[GMichael1230]

I can't believe what I'm reading in half of this crap.  They used to show all of this "human interest" stuff and "behind the scenes" nonsense on other broadcasts AND STILL SHOW 6-8 FULL PERFORMANCES!!!!

Yes the practices and the lifestyle and the design and judging are all a buildup to something.  A buildup to AN 11:30 MINUTE CORPS SHOW!  Tonight we saw ZERO of those.

Worst DCI broadcast ever.  <**>  Show the shows, and save all that other trash for the next winter olympics.

Flame away.  I'm too mad at tonight's train wreck to care.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Buy the DVD's ! Then you can watch the shows the way you want. How about thanking them for giving you this telecast, which they are not obligated to do.

So mad ?? Theres more to life than a ESPN2 broadcast.

~G~

[GMichael1230]

I noticed in all the "commercialization" of this DCI forgot to mention that the kids pay to be involved in this activity.

Anyway...I am sure I will think of some more things but the thing that sticks out..Not ONE mention of how the kids and their families have to pay to do this..why? Why not?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Oh, it was mentioned, towards the beginning. Heard it again when I replayed the show this morning. Towards the beginning, when the part about the "sleeping on gym floors" was mentioned.

~G~