Crowd Reactions

[Granny Smith]

I suppose I'm limiting the input on this one to those of you who have been around awhile, but how do you compare the response of crowds today compared to back when?

I was at semi-finals this year (the only show I managed to get to) and the crowd response didn't have the same zeal and fervor that I remember when I marched in the early to mid 80s. The crowd response that that the Madison Alumni Corps received was what I remember.

Has time clouded my memory or is there some validity to my recollections?

P.S. This is NOT about amps, vocals, and such. I've tried to keep the topic pretty narrow.

[kusankusho]

I suppose I'm limiting the input on this one to those of you who have been around awhile, but how do you compare the response of crowds today compared to back when?

I was at semi-finals this year (the only show I managed to get to) and the crowd response didn't have the same zeal and fervor that I remember when I marched in the early to mid 80s. The crowd response that that the Madison Alumni Corps received was what I remember.

Has time clouded my memory or is there some validity to my recollections?

P.S. This is NOT about amps, vocals, and such. I've tried to keep the topic pretty narrow.

Not taking any sides on the issue but you may get a varied response because of amps depending on the individual bias of folks. I hope this thread doesn't turn into yet another amp debate because of it.

[Hrothgar15]

Maybe it was just because it was semis and not finals. I was there for finals, and especially during shows like Crown, Phantom, and Cavies, the crowd went nuts. And the Vanguard yell...it seemed like every single person within a fifteen foot radius was doing it with me. (I just got the CDs, and the yell is LOUD.)

[glory]

Has time clouded my memory or is there some validity to my recollections?

Without regard to your memory or the validity of your observations or the possibility that you're just being coy, I thought the crowd response generally was pretty good this year. There was lots of spontaneous appreciation and applause, moreso than I remember in the past couple of years. It was all the more notable for me because I didn't think this year's shows were better than the past couple of years. Go figure.

As for the Madision alumni response vs. the other corps on Friday night, that comparison isn't valid. That alumni performance, like all the others that preceeded it, was a novelty, duly acknowledged and appreciated by the crowd that remained (which in my prime seating area was diminished by a third or more).

HH

[GMichael1230]

I suppose I'm limiting the input on this one to those of you who have been around awhile, but how do you compare the response of crowds today compared to back when?

I was at semi-finals this year (the only show I managed to get to) and the crowd response didn't have the same zeal and fervor that I remember when I marched in the early to mid 80s. The crowd response that that the Madison Alumni Corps received was what I remember.

Has time clouded my memory or is there some validity to my recollections?

P.S. This is NOT about amps, vocals, and such. I've tried to keep the topic pretty narrow.

For whatever reasons, Crowds do not get electrified or fired up like they used to.

I can recall 1980, the crowd was overbearing at times and almost constant at the last minute of shows and long periods during shows, between numbers. As the years progressed, crowds seemed to taper off in the area of enthusiasm, and the past five or so years, its almost non participant. Even in Allentown, Crossmen and Cadets dont get a fraction of what they used to get just entering the stadium.

I think it started around 1995, 1996, because I can recall Foxboro in 94 really getting into Cadets, Blue Devils, Phantom, SCV....and 93 Phantom ? Forget about it, rivaling the thunder of the early eighties, but many, many years ago it was non stop cheering, applause and electricity throughout the stadiums for regionals and championships.

Anyone remember 1981 Allentown ? Scouts, Bridgemen, and 27th Battle royale ! ??

Event he loud ovations and unanimous aproval of 05 Phantom and 06 Phantom dont compare to ovations and applause/reaction of years ago.

~G~

[randomnoise]

Audience response seemed in line with DCI crowds over the past 10 years.

Long ago, we counted how many standing ovations we would receive in a performance. Now it is pretty rare to see the crowd stand at all during a show.

Edited August 24, 2006 by randomnoise

[Galen]

Event he loud ovations and unanimous aproval of 05 Phantom and 06 Phantom dont compare to ovations and applause/reaction of years ago.

~G~

Agreed- it used to be common that you simply couldn't hear the last 30 seconds or so of most shows, just because the crowd was going absolutely nuts towards the end. That's tapered off a lot over the last 10 years. :(

[mellodramatic]

Maybe it's because drum corps shows have become different and you have to pay more attention or you might miss something awesome. So the crowd might just not want to miss anything, unless the drum corps performing forces them to stand on their feet and scream because of sheer awesomeness.

[BOBSMYTH]

I suppose I'm limiting the input on this one to those of you who have been around awhile, but how do you compare the response of crowds today compared to back when?

I was at semi-finals this year (the only show I managed to get to) and the crowd response didn't have the same zeal and fervor that I remember when I marched in the early to mid 80s. The crowd response that that the Madison Alumni Corps received was what I remember.

Has time clouded my memory or is there some validity to my recollections?

P.S. This is NOT about amps, vocals, and such. I've tried to keep the topic pretty narrow.

Granny - not to get too personal, but ...

if you marched in the early to mid-80's, did you march overage?

(or is that not your real picture?)

Perhaps it is our advancing age and accompanying hearing loss that causes today's crowd response to be a little more muted?

Actually, IMO, it does vary widely from corps to corps, show to show and memory to memory.

edited for spelling.

Edited August 24, 2006 by BOBSMYTH

[chris ncsu]

From my perspective at finals, the crowd really seemed to get into Crown (many times during the show...of course I was sitting in the Crown parents section it seemed)...the end of SCV...perhaps the Cadets drum solo...a few times during Phantom...and many times during Cavies. Glassmen got some good notice, too.