Drum corps fads that need to stop

[Wild Nights]

History check--- '83, '84 SCV as well

What about 89 and 04 as well?

[palladio]

I would like to see an end to super flaming guard guys wearing overly provocative, revealing and inappropriate clothing. There's a difference between being theatrical and just trying to shove homosexuality down the audience's throat. There are little kids in the audience and we don't need a shirtless boy wearing makeup, spandex shorts and leggings prancing about just because anyone who objects will be called a homophobe. When did drum corps turn into a pride parade?

Yeah - uh, kinda offended over here. Not to be the PC Police or anything, but was that really neccessary? I know in a lot of ways, a lot of guard costumes are a little over-the-top, but what's an example (other than Cavies '03, I see that a lot and pretty much understand) of a uniform to that level, so I have some perspective on what you mean?

And in response to everyone who always talks about the "dad's who see their sons in those uniforms," I think they're okay with it. I may stand corrected, but I've never heard anything about anyone's parents being disgusted or ashamed over the Cavaliers' uniforms.

Their sons are in colorguard, they love to dance and twirl. My guess? They're over it.

[Phantom&Phitch]

Yeah - uh, kinda offended over here. Not to be the PC Police or anything, but was that really neccessary? I know in a lot of ways, a lot of guard costumes are a little over-the-top, but what's an example (other than Cavies '03, I see that a lot and pretty much understand) of a uniform to that level, so I have some perspective on what you mean?

And in response to everyone who always talks about the "dad's who see their sons in those uniforms," I think they're okay with it. I may stand corrected, but I've never heard anything about anyone's parents being disgusted or ashamed over the Cavaliers' uniforms.

Their sons are in colorguard, they love to dance and twirl. My guess? They're over it.

cavies 05 wasnt too butch either...

[palladio]

cavies 05 wasnt too butch either...

I know what you mean, but it was a one-shoulder shirt.

A black shirt.

With some colored lines on it.

Effeminate? Yeah, okay, but really; was it that visually offensive? I really just thought "eh, bad choice on a top for them."

[Phantom&Phitch]

I know what you mean, but it was a one-shoulder shirt.

A black shirt.

With some colored lines on it.

Effeminate? Yeah, okay, but really; was it that visually offensive? I really just thought "eh, bad choice on a top for them."

i find that most of these occurances happen when corps try to dress a coed guard up in 1 standard uni...

[palladio]

i find that most of these occurances happen when corps try to dress a coed guard up in 1 standard uni...

I suppose I might just be kind of blind to it from just seeing it all the time. But I guess I'm just used to thinking that guard uniforms in general aren't something you're used to seeing in public.

I'm not so much offended by the idea - I DO know that designers have some outlandish ideas more often than not - so much as the sheer language of what he was saying.

[jwillis35]

back atcha

Maybe after this year Blue Devils can compare their sales from 2004, 2005, and this year and see what an enormous hit they took the year they used narration.

beating a dead horse? I don't think so. That horse is still very much alive and needs several more whacks.

Well, you're assuming the Blue Devils took a hit, but we have no evidence to support this. Also, I support your right to protest and all, but I really don't think amps, mics, and voices are going anywhere. There is much that these corps and DCI need to look at, but I just don't see it happening. Perhaps someone will make a movement to get rid of using a mic for voice, and that only the pit can be amplified (or only percussion instruments in the pit can be amplified). I don't know, something like this could work, but then you have to get the votes.

Drum and bugle corps factions break up into several parts. You mainly have the traditionalists and the modernists. But even these two groups have smaller sub-factions.

Many traditionalists want drums and bugles, they want things acoustic, and they don't want WGI or BOA-type shows; but they don't exactly want to go back to the days of the VFW and AL when very strict standards were enforced on shows, show design, and more. They are more progressive traditionalists.

Then you have the purist traditionalists who want drum corps to be what it was in the 40s, 50s, and 60s. There are even extreme purists who want more of the reinactment of Civil War-based drum and fife corps and fife, drum and bugle corps (you know, the one that used woodwind instruments).

With the modernist movement, it seems we have progressive modernists who are open to trying electronics, voice, aplification, and perhaps even woodwinds. They also don't mind the complex and sometimes "out there" shows that corps have put together from time to time. Your Moderate Modernists are for amplification but no more. They do not like narration or amplified voice. They can appreciate complex shows and "in your face" shows. They love the old and new, but wish to draw a line somewhere, even though they have not totally opposed such things as 3 valve G bugles, or the current 3 valve Bb and F brass. They did not oppose larger guards, or maybe they complained a bit, and they voiced concern over more dance emphasis until they became more familiar and started to like it. They have appreciated the modernization of the activity, but do wish to draw a line on certain things in order to preserve some sort of balance.

I think most probably fall under the Moderate Modernist label, but we probably have a lot of Progressive Traditionalist here as well.

[mobrien]

Everyone referring to the quieter, slower, sans battery segment of a show as a "ballad."

It might be a quiet, slow piece of music, but in in most cases, it's not a ballad. The word "ballad" is a song or poem that uses short stanzas to tell a story. It's as ignorant to call that part of a drum corps show "a ballad" as it would be to call some movie background music "a symphony" because it happens to be played by an orchestra.

Agree on the feminizing guard costumes. Word to guard staffs - if you're going unisex, try not to put the men in spaghetti straps - or in pink. B)

Edited July 11, 2006 by mobrien

[BD_Fan]

I would like to see an end to super flaming guard guys wearing overly provocative, revealing and inappropriate clothing. There's a difference between being theatrical and just trying to shove homosexuality down the audience's throat. There are little kids in the audience and we don't need a shirtless boy wearing makeup, spandex shorts and leggings prancing about just because anyone who objects will be called a homophobe. When did drum corps turn into a pride parade?

Since when have males in colorguard been costumed in an appropriate, provocative way? Much less shirtless, made up, and in spandex shorts? I don't see you complaining about the girls in color guard being underdressed. You really offended me with this comment. <**>

And for those of you who continue to use Cavaliers 03 as an example, it wasn't that bad, and it's just an outfit. Nobody is forcing you to watch the colorguard.

[Studio Tan]

See, I knew bringing up The Obvious Issue was a bad idea.