The GE Conundrum

[Hrothgar15]

Year - 2000. Somewhere (I think Sevierville).

During the performance of a top 6 corps that will remain unnamed, I watched the attention and focus of the spectators (Adults ranging probably from 18-60). No one was paying attention to what was happening on the field. Discussion ranged from astronomy to the insects hovering around the lights. Then I witnessed a 20-25 year old FALL ASLEEP. I watched his head go onto his hand, then his eyes slowly close, and he was out for a solid 8 minutes. Drool. Twitching. The whole nine yards. He did not wake up until the crowd politely applauded as the corps was crossing the track BECAUSE there was no response to any part of the show - even the ending.

If a corps is SO boring that it cannot hold anyone's attention, and it puts people to sleep, THERE SHOULD BE CONSEQUENCES!

The corps scored highly, especially GE.

Weird. I love Blue Knights 2000.

[ilon]

Weird. I love Blue Knights 2000.

Well, that is not who I was remembering, but ok.

[ilon]

edited

Edited March 4, 2007 by ilon

[thePerfectbuzz]

There are plenty of ####### ######## on the pro-amp side, too. Will you change back when they say something stupid "just so you don't have to align yourself with people like them"?

yeah well, he's taking the lesser of the two evils

[sobe]

ok thats fine it may be his opinion....so when he makes comments, or opinions, like that many people (what like 85 % of the members on DCP) lose respect for him. which is fine because IN MY OPINION he doesnt care what other people think of him, which also says a lot (or less) of him. Its great to have opinions, but believe it or not there are stupid opinions (I know DCP!!! what a shocker!) but people are entitled to their 'stupid' opinions. My point is that you can have 'stupid' opinions, but when you make a comment you're reflecting yourself. So if you are stating stupid opinions and losing respect from the people reading your posts than what are you amounting to? or what does it really say about that person? because i read his posts and then read his responses to people and think.... <**> . the only thing he gets from me (and im sure there may be a few others who agree) is now whenever he posts on a topic i dont even consider his two cents, because thats how much damage his 'opinions' have done to the merit of his posts. And on a internet forum where the only thing that a person can possibly be judged on is the quality of their posts.

Some people may not care what others think of them, it's a heavy concept to grasp I know but just think it through. It's quit possible that when someone starts a topic, he wishes to respond with an answer, and he is allowed to do so. If you don't agree with him, that's life, it happens.

Hrothgar15-

I just want to put my .02 in.

Whether I agree or disagree with your opinions doesn't matter on what I'm about to say. We all know you have your opinions, and obviously most of the people here don't particularly agree with them. Instead of continuously replying back trying to redeem yourself in the slightest bit, I'd say it's just better at least let this topic go, (which you might be doing) which is good.

(And this is no way a personal attack, just some friendly advice.) And sorry if this is a repeat of what anyone's said so far, it's late and theres a lot of posts on this topic, so I might have missed one.

If person B does not agree with person A, person A should just be quiet and accept the fact that person B does not feel the same way they do?

There are plenty of ####### ######## on the pro-amp side, too. Will you change back when they say something stupid "just so you don't have to align yourself with people like them"?

Have to always be conscious of what other people think about you.

My story is only a personal reflection and not meant to offend anyone.

It is only my opinion, and I tend to have strong opinions.

Can't have those here, sorry.

yeah well, he's taking the lesser of the two evils

Not even going there, because that argument held little water in 2004 as well.

[hsreed]

The audience does not see the little details, which factor into a corps score, but the quality of the program and the overall fun factor of the show. Thus the usual comments of "I liked them better," or "They should have beaten corps A."

Spoken like a person truly in love with the smell of their out ####. Having been an audience member for 20+ years and a marching member for three, referring to the audience, which happens to include many people like me, as blind or musically illiterate by assuming they don't see the little details is misguided.

I have many friends, all having much more drum corps and musical experience than you (assumed simply because you are still of corps age, meaning all of my friends have been playing drum corps and other genres longer than you have been alive). They simply do not go to drum corps shows because the activity has become uninteresting. A wave move on the field (Cavies 06 - which was really cool by the way) cannot hold a candle to the push at the end of Memories as far as how it affects the human spirit. Maybe that's the difference: affect vs. effect.

There was actually a pulse for excitement in 2004, but it was extinguished in 2005 and 06. For what it's worth, I do think DCI realizes the lack of a connection to the audience and is slowly adjusting the scoring system.

[madalumni]

I don't think there's any way to factor audience reaction into the GE sheets fairly. As soon

as people knew that was part of the criteria, they would simply cheer louder for their favorite corps regardless

of the actual performance. It's like audience voting on American Idol. It's a popularity contest to a great extent.

[silvertrombone]

Why try to measure it? Again, what happens if you sheer 20 points off GE and give it to the fans. I know of a technology that would allow this to be implemented, and someone else in another thread mentioned texting scores on cell phones--there's a creative way to elicit participation of the Fortune 500!! How would it work? I don't know yet. Could it work? Sure. We awarded 40 points to GE, why not give some of it to the fans? "It wouldn't work! It wouldn't work!" Not if we listen to you guys and never try it! Try it for a year and see what happens. Or maybe use it at select smaller shows and see what happens. Worst case scenario, nix audience scoring and double judges numbers for GE.

[ekleve]

Ok, so a certain person on this forum, and perhaps a few others, have claimed that audience throwing babies is the best way to judge how effective a performance is. While I love a good baby-throwing show as much as the next guy, I happen to firmly believe that there are many other ways a show can be affective. I have the best example right here...

2004 Cavaliers. I was at finals on the 50 yard line. The extremely quiet section. Nothing could be heard except for ghostly whistling and minimal pit work. The hornline was in a block that was waving and morphing like something that could only be inspired by an acid trip. The battery was in a rotating circle that was moving through the block, but the circle was not intruding the block. It was merely replacing whatever part of the block it was occupying at the time. Nothing like that had ever been done before, and I can think of very few other times when I was so deeply moved at a live show. The audience was in stunned silence. I heard countless disbelieving gasps around me. I also heard very quiet exclamations of:

"Oh my god."

"Look at that."

"That is the craziest drill I've ever seen."

The rest of the audience (at least everyone in my section) was feeling exactly what I was feeling, even though it did not inspire deafening applause. Taking loudness of a crowd response into consideration would not reward such a brilliant effect.

[drumcat]

So let's assume that for practical purposes, it's impossible to have an unbiased number from the audience. In fact, let's just say it's impractical with the cell phones and stuff. This isn't American Idol.

That said, what obligation would a "perfect system" have to take GE in an audience's eyes? Should judges project themselves, or are they the audience in reality? I'm starting to think that we have no choice but to allow the judges to judge GE as they see it, since what the audience understands as "GE" is really an ethereal idea.

Edited March 6, 2007 by drumcat