mistofflies Posted October 10, 2006 Share Posted October 10, 2006 I think we need a shirt that says "Drum corps is dead." on the front and "Drum corps is not dead." on the back. You know, like Schrodinger's cat... I would buy it. Oh and if someone makes it and sells it...I claim royalties. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
monoemono Posted October 10, 2006 Share Posted October 10, 2006 Regionalization. I'm all for it. I see some on here already crying, "They tried that and it didn't work." It worked, all right. For longer than DCI has been in existence. The trouble becomes how to start the thing up, without the support of VFW groups, etc. Could we develop a new struture to support "local" drum corps and maintain it? Any ideas? And what became of that drum corps thing in D.C.? Did they ever get that off the ground? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
monoemono Posted October 10, 2006 Share Posted October 10, 2006 As for their goals, you can't honestly tell me that the Bluecoats staff this past year (as the outsider corps that came closest to 1st palce) in the winter said "Lets design a show that's going to win DCI." They didn't, but I'm hoping that happens this year! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Oz Posted October 10, 2006 Share Posted October 10, 2006 Because in today's model you really can't separate out drum corps from MB from WGI guard and percussion. Mike, I can separate drum corps and marching band – drum corps is the one without woodwinds. I can separate drum corps and indoor guard and percussion – drum corps is the one with horns that plays outdoor in the summer. (Sorry about the smarmy answers, but I’m a wise guy by nature and you gave me the opening.) I know that you, and others, can accept the substitution of marching band and other “marching arts” for drum corps. I accept, but do not agree with, this as your position. But is there no sympathy for those of us who love the sound of a drum and bugle corps? I’ll say it again; if you look at drum and bugle corps, alone, putting aside marching band and indoor guard and percussion, it is naive to claim that it is time to celebrate. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mistofflies Posted October 10, 2006 Share Posted October 10, 2006 I'm all for it. I see some on here already crying, "They tried that and it didn't work."It worked, all right. For longer than DCI has been in existence. The trouble becomes how to start the thing up, without the support of VFW groups, etc. Could we develop a new struture to support "local" drum corps and maintain it? Any ideas? And what became of that drum corps thing in D.C.? Did they ever get that off the ground? If you have a good marketing team, you could probably convince just about anybody to sponsor local shows. You just have to convince them that the advertising they'll receive will be a suitable ROI for their sponsorships. If you could also convince your sponsors to advertise for the vent, I think you'd drum up a good turnout. Imagine if you could get plugs for local shows in Publix, Wal-Mart, Target, Home Depot, Lowe's, other local stores, on radio stations and local tv news. I think you'd find a lot of people curious to see just what it's all about. The extra crowds should bring in extra revenue for the corps AND their sponsors, encouraging more businesses to sponsor, especially since they're contributing to a NPO which is tax-deductable AND it looks good to be sponsoring an event that encourages the strengthening of good social values and music education. The only problem is that it would take quite a campaign, across the nation, and a lot of coordination to get something like this started. Maybe the answer is regionalization, but perhaps we should be looking at a different model than the VFW one....instead of seeking out one group to sponsor local corps/shows...seek out the support of franchises, local business, and the community. Many businesses are just looking for things like this to dump money into...it makes them look better. What do you think? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ScribeToo Posted October 10, 2006 Share Posted October 10, 2006 (edited) But is there no sympathy for those of us who love the sound of a drum and bugle corps?I’ll say it again; if you look at drum and bugle corps, alone, putting aside marching band and indoor guard and percussion, it is naive to claim that it is time to celebrate. Jim, Why do you need sympathy? Drum corps and its unique sound is still alive and well.. QUITE well, in fact.. better sounding than it ever was (and still no woodwinds). If we were looking at drum corps, alone, ignoring marching band and winter guard and drumlines, I think it's still accurate to say that it's time to celebrate. Though thank God we don't have to segregate ourselves -- having all four marching arts activities doing so well makes the party even better. Naivete? IYO, perhaps.. feel free to call those of us who think so whatever names you want, but IMO, considering how far we've come as an activity, I think there is MUCH to laud AND celebrate. I also think it's a much better thing to celebrate what we have accomplished and what we DO have right now, than do nothing (or worse, complain without making a constructive contribution) and be one of those who, in 20 years visits a message board and does little more than lament what we've lost. Not saying you do or would.. just saying. Stef Edited October 10, 2006 by ScribeToo Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom Brace Posted October 11, 2006 Share Posted October 11, 2006 I'm all for it. I see some on here already crying, "They tried that and it didn't work."It worked, all right. For longer than DCI has been in existence. The trouble becomes how to start the thing up, without the support of VFW groups, etc. Could we develop a new struture to support "local" drum corps and maintain it? Any ideas? And what became of that drum corps thing in D.C.? Did they ever get that off the ground? Puhleeeeze...DO NOT INVOLVE THE VFW again in operating drum corps circuits and competitions. VFW's lack of vision, focus, attention, direction and leadership in the late 60s and 70s cannot be repeated. VFW is a dying organization anyway. They systematically aliented an entire generation of Viet Nam vets and few if any belong to current VFW halls. VFW is frankly in a sorry state. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RobH Posted October 11, 2006 Share Posted October 11, 2006 (edited) As a Life Member of the VFW, I need to question your last comments - my dad was heavily involved in VFW back in the sixties, and at the time, the VFW was the strongest proponent of Drum Corps along with the American Legion and CYO. Back then, drum corps was very different - but again, it all boils down to the local VFW chapter and their interest (or not) in drum corps. I think drum corps today is light years apart from the old school tick system and marching and maneuvering and color pre and starting/ending guns and all that but I don't think drum corps is worse, in fact, I'm amazed at how drum corps today can create shows and get the audience into the experience - and what's needed now is exactly that - getting the audience into the DC experience and push it further! And oh by the way, those VFW guys happened to SAVE THE WORLD from utter darkness and gave their lives back 60 years ago, so you may want to rethink your paradigm re those "old guys" who kept drum corps going back in the day. They may not have been so musically educated or "nuanced" but you can bet your butt that they protected drum corps even if they didn't know it at the time. God bless 'em all. Edited October 11, 2006 by RobH Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
audiodb Posted October 11, 2006 Share Posted October 11, 2006 Drum corps tried that model and ultimately, it failed. How so? Before DCI came along, local circuits developed largely unfettered, the number of corps reached it's all-time peak, and we also saw the development of more ambitious, traveling corps, even touring corps. Then some of those touring corps formed DCI, a cooperative dedicated to the antithesis of regionalization. And as DCI implemented their world-championship focus, the number of corps dropped precipitously. Now, we can spend the next ten pages of posts chicken/egging this sequence of events to death, if you like. Or you can save us all that grief, and admit that you can no more easily prove "regionalization failed" than "DCI failed" - and we can skip ahead to my point, which is: DCI hasn't tried regionalization. Thus, we can't summarily dismiss the concept. If you don't think it will work, that's fine. I'm just trying to bring ideas to the table. Why should we now attempt to bust into a niche that's already filled by something that hasn't failed? Tell that to the folks who think DCI should form a marching band division (or just outright convert corps into bands). B) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mistofflies Posted October 11, 2006 Share Posted October 11, 2006 Puhleeeeze...DO NOT INVOLVE THE VFW again in operating drum corps circuits and competitions. VFW's lack of vision, focus, attention, direction and leadership in the late 60s and 70s cannot be repeated. VFW is a dying organization anyway. They systematically aliented an entire generation of Viet Nam vets and few if any belong to current VFW halls. VFW is frankly in a sorry state. Reading comprehension, anyone? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.