DrumCorpsFan27 Posted June 24, 2007 Share Posted June 24, 2007 Yes this ever dwindling activity that will die out soon can only swing for Finals to be in the Rose Bowl and for Drum corps to be the first event ever in the new NFL Stadium in Indy. What does this have to do with anything. The Rose Bowl nor Indy came looking for DCI. DCI went looking to them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DrumCorpsFan27 Posted June 24, 2007 Share Posted June 24, 2007 I do tend to agree with the original poster. The activity seems far less entertaining than it once was. There seems to be far less variety amongst the corps. The arrangements seem far less accessible than they once were, even when choosing songs that people are familiar with. About the only thing that seems to be better about the activity is the visual program, but some of these drills don't seem to flow as well with the music as what was going on 10-15 years ago. Nothing gets close to 1988-1994 for me. Bingo! We have a winner. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Triple Forte Posted June 24, 2007 Share Posted June 24, 2007 Adding to this point, if you don't like the product that the corps of today are putting out, do something about it. Write to these corps and express your opinion. But for the love of God quit whining about unless you plan to do something about it!Thank you! I have personally sent a couple of DCI corps staffs HAND written letters asking them if they could play different, lighter music. I received ZERO response back...ZERO. They dont want to know.....its their baby and they are going to nurture it the way they want. Maybe not every corps....but a LOT of them. Thats what I came away with.......fans are at the bottom of the pile..... 1. Themselves (And peers) 2. Judges 3. Members 4. Fans Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jordsterr Posted June 24, 2007 Share Posted June 24, 2007 Not necessarily.I, for one, would rather have fewer high-quality and highly competitive corps that perform all over the country, than go back to the day in age when every town had a drum corps but your season consisted of a couple of parades and maybe 3 or 4 shows. 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. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DrumCorpsFan27 Posted June 24, 2007 Share Posted June 24, 2007 I have been reading this argument for 30 years. I remember reading a letter to the editor in DCW back in 1985 predicting that drum corps would be totally gone in 10 years. And it almost was in the mid 1990s. The legacy fans kept it alive. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DrumCorpsFan27 Posted June 24, 2007 Share Posted June 24, 2007 Well, after scanning over all the previous posts and seeing that there hasn't been one person yet to agree with the OP, I'm not going to lambaste him any further. Look closer, there has been some agreement, even before your post. I just have one question: Why is the "whistle test" so often used when comparing modern drum corps shows to shows from previous eras? I've read many people make similar comments about how corps today "don't use enough melody" and "you can't whistle the show tunes going down the street" and I'm just really stuck as to why that should even be a measure when judging the quality of a show. Sorry to be juvenile, but it seems stupid. There's plenty of amazing music out there that isn't so simplistic that you can just whistle it...what, do you want drum corps to be the marching equivalent of Mary Poppins or something? The whistle test isn't about the quality of a show, it is about the accessibility and appeal of a show. There is a big difference. If DCI starts scoring accessability and appeal to the general audience, we would see more of it. To me, that's what the term "General Effect" should mean. But, I don't make the rules. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Toby Posted June 25, 2007 Share Posted June 25, 2007 What does this have to do with anything. The Rose Bowl nor Indy came looking for DCI. DCI went looking to them. I think he forgot the sarcasm brackets. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jordsterr Posted June 25, 2007 Share Posted June 25, 2007 And it almost was in the mid 1990s. The legacy fans kept it alive. That is truly hyperbole. I attended, on average, 15 shows per season and finals just about every year. To say that drum corps almost died in the mid-90's is revisionist history. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Triple Forte Posted June 25, 2007 Share Posted June 25, 2007 I do tend to agree with the original poster. The activity seems far less entertaining than it once was. There seems to be far less variety amongst the corps. The arrangements seem far less accessible than they once were, even when choosing songs that people are familiar with. About the only thing that seems to be better about the activity is the visual program, but some of these drills don't seem to flow as well with the music as what was going on 10-15 years ago. Nothing gets close to 1988-1994 for me. I also tend to agree with the original poster. The are very few shows that present a song in its full glory.....its always a mix of ideas that generate a certain mood to fit the overall theme. I mean the Cavies staff actually said this about their process for picking music. They have said that someone will bring a stack of CD;s to a meeting and we dont really listen for specific songs.....but pieces of material that fit a theme. (Although.....I cant rack on the Cavies to much....because they are presenting interesting/familiar show this season I personally thought that in 2005 we were turning the corner in a good way in regards to music choices and arrangements.....but in 2006....everything seemed to bounce right back again (With a vengeance). 2007.....not sure yet. But I have heard some of the music and at this point it sounds more like 2006 than 2005. Have to see....... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Triple Forte Posted June 25, 2007 Share Posted June 25, 2007 DCI is not looking for mass appeal or long term fans. The "target audience" of the ESPN telecast and DCI marketing is for the coming generations of marchers. IOW, DCI is worrying about getting new participants and not the people in the stands. Note: I am NOT being sarcastic, this is based on what I've read here and other places. 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. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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