prodigital Posted June 24, 2007 Share Posted June 24, 2007 This is entertaining? No wonder the activity is on life support, I have yet to see a show that I find mildly interesting. I have watched the activity from a distance since I stopped marching back in 1990. Since 2000, the shows just get to be more and more boring. Alright, I know this may upset many people because those involved in the activity love it. However, has anyone ever really asked why there is only a handful of corps left? Most people will say it is because of money or poor management, and I am sure that is true to a point. But I think it has more to do with the fact that today’s corps lacks any real mass appeal. I think the activity needs to stop catering to itself and start giving the individual corps incentive to put out show designs that people who are not in the activity will enjoy. When is the last time you were at work whistling a tune you heard at a corps show? My guess is it doesn’t happen as much anymore because individual corps are more about effects then actual music. In short, drum corps that are more universally entertaining will create more interest for the activity as a whole. More interest in the activity means more members and more cash flow. If drum corps is going to survive, it needs to rebuild it fan base first. If you think I’m wrong, ask yourself this one simple question. Why is it that NASCAR has so many fans and generates so much revenue? Is three hours of left turns more exciting then a drum corps show? The answer is simple, everyone can identify with a car and feel of driving fast. NASCAR capitalized on the one thing most people have experience with, cars. Drum corps can do the same thing with music. If the shows and music are more universally recognized, or simply “catchy”, it will stick with people and find a place in their hearts. If Drum Corps is to survive, corps need to think about mass appeal. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chris ncsu Posted June 24, 2007 Share Posted June 24, 2007 I think the shows have gotten MORE entertaining these last 6-7 years compared to the mid- and late-1990s. That's all I have to say about that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
euponitone Posted June 24, 2007 Share Posted June 24, 2007 I think the shows have gotten MORE entertaining these last 6-7 years compared to the mid- and late-1990s. That's all I have to say about that. w/Stp: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mad Mello Posted June 24, 2007 Share Posted June 24, 2007 At the Fairfield show, I sat next to a family who had never been to a DCI show, nor a marching band competition. They had seen an adboard on the side of the road and thought it sounded fun. They thoroughly enjoyed themselves and said they were going to try to go to Louisville, Centerville, Columbus, and other shows in the area. They seemed to very much disagree with your assessment. IMO shows are in general more entertaining than they were when i marched. Why? Because everyone's not doing the same thing now days. The Fairfield show was a prime example. Every single corps had a unique identity, and there was not a dull show in the lot. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
George Posted June 24, 2007 Share Posted June 24, 2007 I think the appeal has improved in the past ten years - it was good in the 80's very early 90's then fell off badly and now its improved JMO and the feel I get from show crowds Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PhantomR Posted June 24, 2007 Share Posted June 24, 2007 This is entertaining?No wonder the activity is on life support, I have yet to see a show that I find mildly interesting. I have watched the activity from a distance since I stopped marching back in 1990. Since 2000, the shows just get to be more and more boring. Alright, I know this may upset many people because those involved in the activity love it. However, has anyone ever really asked why there is only a handful of corps left? Most people will say it is because of money or poor management, and I am sure that is true to a point. But I think it has more to do with the fact that today’s corps lacks any real mass appeal. I think the activity needs to stop catering to itself and start giving the individual corps incentive to put out show designs that people who are not in the activity will enjoy. When is the last time you were at work whistling a tune you heard at a corps show? My guess is it doesn’t happen as much anymore because individual corps are more about effects then actual music. In short, drum corps that are more universally entertaining will create more interest for the activity as a whole. More interest in the activity means more members and more cash flow. If drum corps is going to survive, it needs to rebuild it fan base first. If you think I’m wrong, ask yourself this one simple question. Why is it that NASCAR has so many fans and generates so much revenue? Is three hours of left turns more exciting then a drum corps show? The answer is simple, everyone can identify with a car and feel of driving fast. NASCAR capitalized on the one thing most people have experience with, cars. Drum corps can do the same thing with music. If the shows and music are more universally recognized, or simply “catchy”, it will stick with people and find a place in their hearts. If Drum Corps is to survive, corps need to think about mass appeal. By mass appeal, you mean YOU have to be pleased, correct? Your NASCAR theory is kind of like asking drum corps to turn into bands as seen on Drumline. ~>conner Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Minimaster Posted June 24, 2007 Share Posted June 24, 2007 Just what we need, DCI to be more like NASCAR. Let's program in some some huge wipeouts in the middle of shows and have the Cadets do a new version of West Side Story featuring Tim Mcgraw and Faith Hill with special guest star, Cowboy Troy, as Officer Krupke. Yes that's what we are missing, the lowest common denominator. Who's up for an all Nickelback show? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MelloDisciple Posted June 24, 2007 Share Posted June 24, 2007 (edited) This is entertaining?No wonder the activity is on life support, I have yet to see a show that I find mildly interesting. I have watched the activity from a distance since I stopped marching back in 1990. Since 2000, the shows just get to be more and more boring. Alright, I know this may upset many people because those involved in the activity love it. However, has anyone ever really asked why there is only a handful of corps left? Most people will say it is because of money or poor management, and I am sure that is true to a point. But I think it has more to do with the fact that today’s corps lacks any real mass appeal. I think the activity needs to stop catering to itself and start giving the individual corps incentive to put out show designs that people who are not in the activity will enjoy. When is the last time you were at work whistling a tune you heard at a corps show? My guess is it doesn’t happen as much anymore because individual corps are more about effects then actual music. In short, drum corps that are more universally entertaining will create more interest for the activity as a whole. More interest in the activity means more members and more cash flow. If drum corps is going to survive, it needs to rebuild it fan base first. If you think I’m wrong, ask yourself this one simple question. Why is it that NASCAR has so many fans and generates so much revenue? Is three hours of left turns more exciting then a drum corps show? The answer is simple, everyone can identify with a car and feel of driving fast. NASCAR capitalized on the one thing most people have experience with, cars. Drum corps can do the same thing with music. If the shows and music are more universally recognized, or simply “catchy”, it will stick with people and find a place in their hearts. If Drum Corps is to survive, corps need to think about mass appeal. I'm fighting the urge to use sarcasm so I'll just say I disagree. What makes you think drum corps is on life support? Why are there more drum corps fans now than there were in 1990? The medium that information gets to the fans uses live feeds and updates on a show the day of. In 1990 if you wanted to know the scores from the Allentown show what did you have to do? As for there being fewer corps...you already explained that one. I am not looking at the stats for this but I am willing to bet that no money and poor management is the number one reason the majority of those corps aren't around now. It's not a cash-flow issue as much as it is a budgeting and money-management issue. If it were sheer cash-flow then how would you explain higher tuition rates, more shows during a season, higher ticket sales, purchase of DVD's, increased member numbers in auditions as well as in the corps total amount. It is, however, a cash-flow problem in terms of expenses. Shows cost more to design, uniforms cost more, instruments, food, and GAS. Drum corps is beginning to get recognition outside the activity as a legitimate sport. No long do you have to tune in to your public broadcasting station to watch a glimpse of the top finals shows; you can buy a theater ticket and see the top 17 corps shows entirely or turn your television to ESPN2 to catch a nationally televised and hosted sporting event. Shows now are longer on average and have a wider range of musical genres. Classical music is still being used, jazz, pop, musical theater, orchestral, vocal, rock and more than I care to keep listing. I guess I just fail to see where the activity is suffering or in need of life support. If you're finding it hard to enjoy drum corps these days then from me to you as sincerely as possible; I am sorry. Edited June 24, 2007 by MelloDisciple Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mobrien Posted June 24, 2007 Share Posted June 24, 2007 NASCAR is popular because big chunks of the United States are occupied by people who actually find visceral pleasure in watching loud souped-up cars going around a track. Oh well, takes all types, as they say. BTW, this is EXACTLY the same thing people say about people who are into "marching band" aka "drum corps." As far as DCI's popularity, looking at cumulative audience numbers from DCI regionals last year, those totals eclipsed the glory days of the late 70s/early 80s. This despite the fact that so many fewer corps are marching, so there are fewer friends and families to fill the stands. In terms of when was the last time you hummed a tune from a show, "Friday night" is the answer. Cavaliers' show is emminently hummable. B) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
07-Socks Posted June 24, 2007 Share Posted June 24, 2007 Drum corps is beginning to get recognition outside the activity as a legitimate sport. No long do you have to tune in to your public broadcasting station to watch a glimpse of the top finals shows; you can buy a theater ticket and see the top 17 corps shows entirely or turn your television to ESPN2 to catch a nationally televised and hosted sporting event. Is it just me, or do I want to see Finals DVD's in the Sports section in FYE. And also seeing more than just finals on ESPN? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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