DrumCorpsFan27 Posted June 25, 2007 Share Posted June 25, 2007 I like Smithwick's, if it's on tap. B) Going to the Atlanta regional, p'raps? I'll be there, and I'll be drinking! (shhh don't tell the kids) ^_^ I won't say a word, promise. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MikeD Posted June 25, 2007 Share Posted June 25, 2007 This has been my argument for years. That kind of activity still exists in very large numbers. High school marching bands fulfill that role that the older corps used top fill.The largest difference is that CYO, American Legion and VFW posts don't sponsor them anymore. I know there are lots of reasons behind this, but it's true that there are fewer locally sponsored corps becasue there are fewer local sponsors. It's also true that, 40 years ago, 30 horns was considered a full line. Not to mentikon that at the peak there were 440 corps...and a handful of competitive bands...today there are thousands of competitive bands spread around the country. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MikeD Posted June 25, 2007 Share Posted June 25, 2007 BINGO.....DCI is going out and aggresively marketing to the marching band crowd. I still don't see how DCI plans to fill seats at all shows (Especially the premo seats at the major events) when the typical marching band participant is under the age of 18. Also....most of the fans at marching band shows are parents, relatives of the participants and a few alumni and hard-corps marching music fans. I dont think parents who have kids in D1 corps can take the whole summer off to follow their son or daughters corps around. Some do.....but most don't. Bands today are the local corps of yesterday that helped fill the stands at small shows around the country. DCI should indeed market to the band kids...they are the future of the activity. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tuonela Posted June 25, 2007 Share Posted June 25, 2007 I could be totally crazy, but as long as I've liked corps it's been because I think it's a very unique and expressive art form that I connect with on a deep level. I've never been too concerned about making drum corps massively accessible. My friends all respect my appreciation of it and I respect their distaste. If the average person doesn't appreciate it, that's no loss to me. I have almost no respect for NASCAR, but apparently hundreds of thousands of other people do, and I'm sure me disliking it doesn't make them like it any less. I personally love many of the more intricate and less accessible shows. I just erased about two paragraphs of metaphors and arguments. Basically what I'm getting at is this: I really don't want DCI to become huge. I like it the way it is. If it's destined to fizzle out and die (which I really doubt is going to happen anytime soon) so be it. I'll still love the shows that were put on just the same. I'd much rather have it remain the distinguished and original art form that it is than try to conform to mainstream tastes in order to succeed financially. Sorry if this made no sense. I'm really tired and probably should be sleeping right now. I promise it all makes sense in my head. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Orpheus Posted June 25, 2007 Share Posted June 25, 2007 (edited) Shows I attend have a very nice mix of old and new. Yes. That's what I've observed, as well. There will always be some people drifting away from the activity. I mean, how many old timers left back in the 70s, I wonder, when DCI really began moving away from its military roots with things like themed shows and whatever it was the Bridgemen were up to? How many hated the grounded percussion, low mark time, asymmetrical drill, and dancing color guards? How many thought Star '93 was a bridge too far? It ain't nothing new. There'll always be some fans who leave the activity behind. But as long as there are also new fans coming up, we should be okay, I think. Edited June 25, 2007 by Orpheus Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Orpheus Posted June 25, 2007 Share Posted June 25, 2007 (edited) I don't hate the Cavaliers, I dislike their choice of programming over the past three years or so. And it is not a blind hatred or a token dismissal (as you have seemed to do to me) but I have actual reasons I have gone over many times before as to why I dislike the choices they make in the musical and visual program. That's funny, because I've been flamed here on DCP for finding the Cavaliers shows from 2000 to 2003 to be absolutely non-musical and unlistenable. - - I thought they made a big turnaround (for the better) in '04, and I've enjoyed them very much for the past couple years, and really loved 'em in Annapolis on the 16th. Edited June 25, 2007 by Orpheus Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Orpheus Posted June 25, 2007 Share Posted June 25, 2007 (edited) Yeah, the blue corps are a bad example, and i wish they did something different, but how can you possibly say everyone looks the same....we've been over this before, and if anything, uniforms look more different now than ever. My problem with uniforms is that most corps wont pick an identity and stick with it. No, no, no. It was much better back when 90% of the corps wore either a "Cadet" uniform or a satin blouse. P.S. I definitely agree with your comment about "identity." I was disappointed by the new looks that Spirit and Bluecoats chose to go with. Both are nice enough in their own right, but both are a radical departure from what we're used to seeing them in. I do think they both could have done a uniform update without quite such a drastic change. Edited June 25, 2007 by Orpheus Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JimF-LowBari Posted June 25, 2007 Share Posted June 25, 2007 Maybe because a decent percentage of the 'over 21' folks are doing the same to the current corps and members.Mike Granted there have been needless insults coming from both sides which I don't like either. But I was thinking of when someone discusses what they don't like in the form of constructive criticism or tries to start a discussion. IMO, In that case, "it's not about you, it's about the kids" = "shut up" Sounds like band parents arguing at a show where the kid is competing "So what if you don't like it, we're here for Johnny... not YOU!!". LOL, I haven't seen that response in the pages of this thread that I've read so maybe things are improving. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JimF-LowBari Posted June 25, 2007 Share Posted June 25, 2007 No, no, no. It was much better back when 90% of the corps wore either a "Cadet" uniform or a satin blouse. LOL, you must remember when Bridgemen came out with the yellow trenchcoats and pimp hats. Can you imagine what DCP would have been like then? Then a few years later Reading Buccs came out with a blue version of the trenchcoats which most people thought looked great. We called 'em the Blue Bananas but the new unis looked good. (And they won DCA first two years they wore them.) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MikeD Posted June 25, 2007 Share Posted June 25, 2007 LOL, you must remember when Bridgemen came out with the yellow trenchcoats and pimp hats. Can you imagine what DCP would have been like then? Then a few years later Reading Buccs came out with a blue version of the trenchcoats which most people thought looked great. We called 'em the Blue Bananas but the new unis looked good. (And they won DCA first two years they wore them.) Oh, there were a few unique unis, such as those you mention, 2-7, the Troopers, Kilties, and a few others....but on the whole, when there were 440 corps...most of them wore either Eisenhower type jackets or satin blouses. 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.