Crowd Reactions

[coloradocorp]

Reality is that we are all individuals with our own preferences. Drum corps has evolved dramatically in terms of staging and overall quality of what is produced on the field. The Alumni Corps performances by 27th in 94 and Madison in 06 were resounding classics and the crowd reaction was more than just plain nostalgia - the crowd was thoroughly in awe and I'm sure they will be awed again in Pasadena with the Kingsmen Alumni performance next year.

Getting down to the basics - DCI was first formed to get some stability, consistency and with an aim at advancing the activity. Obviously for these past few decdes - they have done that. However, in the more recent years, 'new blood' at the top wanted to move the activity more towards an art form - not to say that it was never that intent back in the early days of DCI. Folks like Don Angelica always envisioned where we are today back then.

Personally, I am in awe at the quality/complexity of the show designs/execution these days - the talent on the field is just phenomenal and the endless hours of practice gets the desired results. Not enthused about those who use narrations and amps - but each to their own. I, like others , believe that in the aggregate, the shows of earlier decades were more 'rousing' end to end. However, the growth of the activity over the decades has always been dependent upon getting butts into the seats ( to pay the bills ) and so it is important to have the activity appeal to both the purists of the artform as well as to those who might never have marched. I can speak for the 60's when the shows with some of the larger audience sizes such as the Preview of Champions, Dream, Canadian National Exposition - had fans who certainly were not drum corp types. My Dad managed the Preview of Champions for several years as well as provided some management assistance to Ray Samora when he launched the World Open shows in that era. For the Preview - he always said 2/3 of the attendees were non-drum corp people - and remember - bands at the time hated the drum corps style so those folks generally did not attend. I marched the Canadian Expo in 62 with 25,000 in the stands - I'd bet 80% of those were non-drum corps types. BTW - we got a SO after concert and at the end of the show. Point is that the activity is not growing the butts in seats numbers for the long haul and its about getting more non-drum corp types in the stands. Drum Corps is becoming too elite for some and not entertaining the masses. Perhaps a blend of the old and the new might be a great compromise. IMHO - to use an anology - many shows today have the art of a ballet - the afficianados love it though their numbers are small. On the other hand - seeing a Pirates of the Carribean turns more people on in terms of entertainment by a factor of xxxx. My point - I marched some non-championship shows in the 60's with 18-25K in the stands - can DCI really be complacent with the 24k paying customers they had earlier this month in Madison?

[ScribeToo]

How "evolved" and PC for todays "Brass Band Field Theater"

I'd venture a guess and say it's comments like these that get you treated the way you complain of being treated more than any perceived disdain for what you may or may not have done on the field in the past.

I know more "old time" drum corps people who are not only respectful but also supportive of what's on the field today -- even if it's not what they DID or even enjoy as much as what they did.. and THOSE guys get invited to sit at the table with CURRENT members so they can hear the stories and share experiences. THOSE guys are STILL enjoying drum corps and the fellowship that comes with it.

Guys who say things like what I've quoted above are the ones who get shunned and eyes rolled at.

But what do I know? I'm just an observer.

[prodigal bari]

Reality is that we are all individuals with our own preferences. Drum corps has evolved dramatically in terms of staging and overall quality of what is produced on the field. The Alumni Corps performances by 27th in 94 and Madison in 06 were resounding classics and the crowd reaction was more than just plain nostalgia - the crowd was thoroughly in awe and I'm sure they will be awed again in Pasadena with the Kingsmen Alumni performance next year.

Getting down to the basics - DCI was first formed to get some stability, consistency and with an aim at advancing the activity. Obviously for these past few decdes - they have done that. However, in the more recent years, 'new blood' at the top wanted to move the activity more towards an art form - not to say that it was never that intent back in the early days of DCI. Folks like Don Angelica always envisioned where we are today back then.

Personally, I am in awe at the quality/complexity of the show designs/execution these days - the talent on the field is just phenomenal and the endless hours of practice gets the desired results. Not enthused about those who use narrations and amps - but each to their own. I, like others , believe that in the aggregate, the shows of earlier decades were more 'rousing' end to end. However, the growth of the activity over the decades has always been dependent upon getting butts into the seats ( to pay the bills ) and so it is important to have the activity appeal to both the purists of the artform as well as to those who might never have marched. I can speak for the 60's when the shows with some of the larger audience sizes such as the Preview of Champions, Dream, Canadian National Exposition - had fans who certainly were not drum corp types. My Dad managed the Preview of Champions for several years as well as provided some management assistance to Ray Samora when he launched the World Open shows in that era. For the Preview - he always said 2/3 of the attendees were non-drum corp people - and remember - bands at the time hated the drum corps style so those folks generally did not attend. I marched the Canadian Expo in 62 with 25,000 in the stands - I'd bet 80% of those were non-drum corps types. BTW - we got a SO after concert and at the end of the show. Point is that the activity is not growing the butts in seats numbers for the long haul and its about getting more non-drum corp types in the stands. Drum Corps is becoming too elite for some and not entertaining the masses. Perhaps a blend of the old and the new might be a great compromise. IMHO - to use an anology - many shows today have the art of a ballet - the afficianados love it though their numbers are small. On the other hand - seeing a Pirates of the Carribean turns more people on in terms of entertainment by a factor of xxxx. My point - I marched some non-championship shows in the 60's with 18-25K in the stands - can DCI really be complacent with the 24k paying customers they had earlier this month in Madison?

And nobody even mentions the two finals in Birmingham in 79 and 80. In PRELIMS the crowd was jammed pack to the 1st quarter of the end zone pies on each end; and the one upper deck concert side packed as well. Finals was even more jammed; and I heard crowd numbers in the very high 30's/low 40's; and that would be accurate for the stadium size. (I was a spectator in 79 and a member in 80.) I know the stadia DCI has available these days are not near as huge as the Legion Field concert side, but could DCI actually fill a similar stadium now? I have my doubts...

[LancerFi]

Wait, I need to watch our video and the video that was sold of the 94 performance.

I could have sworn people were standing and screaming (it was our home town area) but it could have been my imagination, excitement, nervousness of the marching in but I thought we got a huge ovation just marching in?

NO? :(

A friend that tells me everything the way it is said he thought it wasn't how we did it, but what we did that the people seemed to love. Of course that's his opinion, and he was sitting with his North Star people who all seemed to agree when I spoke to them afterwards.

HOWEVER, and it's a huge however, you cannot compare what say BD did on that same night. I mean come on...yes we could still do our little tricks and pretty together I might add, but it was like a time warp...comparing the Model T to the Triumph Stag I had.....you just cannot compare IMO They're both fabulous in their own way! :angel: Wow, have I turned around in the past 6 years ha?

By the way, there was plenty of room with 286 on the field, what do you mean you cannot do a drill with 200 people? :P We actually did drill from 75, alot of 79 & 80 and many other years!

[Orpheus]

I'd venture a guess and say it's comments like these that get you treated the way you complain of being treated more than any perceived disdain for what you may or may not have done on the field in the past.

I know more "old time" drum corps people who are not only respectful but also supportive of what's on the field today -- even if it's not what they DID or even enjoy as much as what they did.. and THOSE guys get invited to sit at the table with CURRENT members so they can hear the stories and share experiences. THOSE guys are STILL enjoying drum corps and the fellowship that comes with it.

Guys who say things like what I've quoted above are the ones who get shunned and eyes rolled at.

^OO^

[coloradocorp]

And nobody even mentions the two finals in Birmingham in 79 and 80. In PRELIMS the crowd was jammed pack to the 1st quarter of the end zone pies on each end; and the one upper deck concert side packed as well. Finals was even more jammed; and I heard crowd numbers in the very high 30's/low 40's; and that would be accurate for the stadium size. (I was a spectator in 79 and a member in 80.) I know the stadia DCI has available these days are not near as huge as the Legion Field concert side, but could DCI actually fill a similar stadium now? I have my doubts...

30-40K fans for the Finals in Birmingham sounds high so I GOOGLED DCI and per an interview with Acheson the record for DCI attendance was 24513 (paid) at Foxboro in 1994 with a number of Finals being below 20K. Obviously they set a new record this year in Madison from what I hear, but have not seen official numbers yet. The Rose Bowl holds 100K+ ... with a different slant on marketing the activity .. hopefully they can fill the Bowl beyond 25% of capacity -

Edited August 29, 2006 by coloradocorp

[Orpheus]

I had always understood that the highest attended DCI Finals were the years in Montreal ... ?

[X DM]

Reality is that we are all individuals with our own preferences. Drum corps has evolved dramatically in terms of staging and overall quality of what is produced on the field. The Alumni Corps performances by 27th in 94 and Madison in 06 were resounding classics and the crowd reaction was more than just plain nostalgia - the crowd was thoroughly in awe and I'm sure they will be awed again in Pasadena with the Kingsmen Alumni performance next year.

Getting down to the basics - DCI was first formed to get some stability, consistency and with an aim at advancing the activity. Obviously for these past few decdes - they have done that. However, in the more recent years, 'new blood' at the top wanted to move the activity more towards an art form - not to say that it was never that intent back in the early days of DCI. Folks like Don Angelica always envisioned where we are today back then.

Personally, I am in awe at the quality/complexity of the show designs/execution these days - the talent on the field is just phenomenal and the endless hours of practice gets the desired results. Not enthused about those who use narrations and amps - but each to their own. I, like others , believe that in the aggregate, the shows of earlier decades were more 'rousing' end to end. However, the growth of the activity over the decades has always been dependent upon getting butts into the seats ( to pay the bills ) and so it is important to have the activity appeal to both the purists of the artform as well as to those who might never have marched. I can speak for the 60's when the shows with some of the larger audience sizes such as the Preview of Champions, Dream, Canadian National Exposition - had fans who certainly were not drum corp types. My Dad managed the Preview of Champions for several years as well as provided some management assistance to Ray Samora when he launched the World Open shows in that era. For the Preview - he always said 2/3 of the attendees were non-drum corp people - and remember - bands at the time hated the drum corps style so those folks generally did not attend. I marched the Canadian Expo in 62 with 25,000 in the stands - I'd bet 80% of those were non-drum corps types. BTW - we got a SO after concert and at the end of the show. Point is that the activity is not growing the butts in seats numbers for the long haul and its about getting more non-drum corp types in the stands. Drum Corps is becoming too elite for some and not entertaining the masses. Perhaps a blend of the old and the new might be a great compromise. IMHO - to use an anology - many shows today have the art of a ballet - the afficianados love it though their numbers are small. On the other hand - seeing a Pirates of the Carribean turns more people on in terms of entertainment by a factor of xxxx. My point - I marched some non-championship shows in the 60's with 18-25K in the stands - can DCI really be complacent with the 24k paying customers they had earlier this month in Madison?

Some very good analysis here. Drum Corps will not grow if the musical offerings are the offerings we have today. It's not " popular ", no matter how we try to make it to be otherwise., and how some of us might love the music played in Corps tiday. Drum Corps may want to remain a niche activity, an elitist art form like the ballet or opera art forms that you used as an example. I'm hoping that this does not become it's future however.