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Becorps In reply to leakypipes [2017-01-31 19:16:25 +0000 UTC]

Thanks! Bluecoats... It's a good look for that kind of show - the fit and decorative trim; all very appropriate to that specific mood and the athletic effects therein. I cannot claim any influence there; Greg Lagola was the creative force behind that one, along with many indoor guard productions. 

From a historical perspective, there was a time not so long ago - well into the 1980s - when the "auxiliary" or "color guard" wore the same tops/jackets as the musicians in a corps. In the '60s & '70s, as these groups became more progressive and less military-oriented and as young women joined the corps, the colorguard still wore the corps-proper tops, but exchanged trousers for skirts or short pants - this allowed for both added flare and flexibility for the performers. Beginning in 1980s, the guards of corps began to modify their tops *slightly* - A very clear evolution and gradual departure from the corps proper look can be seen with the Garfield Cadets (Cadets of Bergen Co.; The Cadets, etc.) guard as they modified the classic West Point style jacket of the corps through the decade, arriving at a definite "costume" related to their 1989 production of "Les Mis". For some corps, that change was more abrupt - Blue Devils shocked the world in 1982 by putting their flag and rifle line in a spandex leotard! Phantom Regiment adopted both all-new musician's uniforms AND a guard costume for 1987 - the difference between their 1986 look and their re-branded '87 image was stunning... Anyways, the main point being: Guards use to wear whatever the musicians wore or something *very close* to it - even to the point of having shakos and helmets. But, even as those early maverick groups adopted sparkly form-fitted costuming, they often had some kind of headgear or hair accoutrement. By 1990, the costumed colorguard was standardized and every major DCI drum corps fielded one. 

In my time as a marching musician and just about ever since (the 1990s), there has been another movement away from militarism in the musician's outfit - I often argue that unless the "uniform" was also part of daily wear off the field, it wasn't truly any kind of regulation "Uniform", as one might have in the service. DCI corps haven't been subject to pre-show "uniform inspection" in decades - so, one could say that even if a corps like Boston or The Cadets wears a "West Point Academy" style jacket, it is more of a "military-inspired costume" than a "Uniform" per se. With that in mind, and with ever-increasing creativity pushed in the activity, the 2016 Bluecoats were something of an inevitability. Go back to 2013 and #PurplePantsBand Crown - that was considered a dramatic step, but all it did was flip-flop the area of customization - corps and bands have had the option to change their uniform from season-to season and even mid-show for years - but making the leggings a changeable feature was something that really shook the activity up. Plus, the use of stretchwear (lycra-spandex) material introduced the marching musician to that which the colorguard folks had known for decades prior - that leggings offer comfort and flexibility not found in the standard bibber or worse, trousers. 

BTW - there were a few exceptions and early renegade groups; notably, the Sky Riders who, from about 1986 on wore costuming reflecting their show theme, even to the point of an astoundingly complex "West Side Story" production in 1988. The show featured very fashion-forward costuming of 1/2 the corps members in all-black and the other 1/2 in all-white, while the drumline was in a muted gray - the idea of course being the duality between rival gangs/races represented by contrasting colors. This production was well ahead of its time and would be right at home in WGI's indoor winds, or, as made possible by the last few season's advances, even DCI or BOA. FWIW, the radical black and white west side show did make finals that year, but only barely. I'm also remembering a small corps  that came over from Japan in 1995 named "Bay Max" - they wore stretch leggings in black with a wide white stripe that tapered to just below the wearer's knee - very athletic looking - and that was years before Crown wore leggings... 

What I see in all of this history is a cyclical trend - our colorguard friends use to be limited to coordinating directly with the musician's uniform proper. That changed through the '80s and costuming for the auxiliary was in full-swing by the '90s - Through the 1990s and especially into the 2000s, there was a desire from show designers to either disguise and mute the musicians or to begin adorning them in such a way as to make them fully part of the show theme. The first concept, where musicians are "heard but not seen', is the philosophy behind the many all-black and neutral gray uniforms we see in the competitive ranks, especially in BOA. The concept there being that if the musicians wear a neutral, dark color, the colorguard, equipment, and props stand out - again, the band is heard but not seen and it's very easy for the visual design to venture in any conceivable color directon. The emerging trend, exemplified by Bluecoats, Crown, and Oregon Crusaders invites the musicians to become a very integral part of the visual presentation by wearing either their own costume or, in the case of Bluecoats, a slight variation on the guard costume. 
Now, do you see the cycle? Guards use to wear something like the musicians. Now, in Bluecoats, we have musicians wearing what the guard would have usually worn. It reflects an overwhelmingly visual and movement orientation in the competitive marching activity - which, by to rights, probably shouldn't be called "marching" any longer, as the idea today seems to be choreography, movement, and staging instead of traditional marching as we may have known it in decades past. Will there still be bands that wear traditionally-constructed garments? Likely - it takes a few decades for a new idea to reach and impact the bands that are not on the cutting edge of competition - but eventually, it does reach every school and a choice must be made: Stay with what you know, or evolve. Either choice informs the way the groups will be perceived by its members, the community, and adjudicators. And, as it stands right now, the overwhelming majority of school band programs do not have the budget allocations to change their look every season. That alone may be the single factor holding this creative new trend at bay. 

What do I think of it? 2016 Bluecoats were amazing to watch, but it's worrisome for me professionally - it validates the movement away from traditional construction and emphasizes indoor guard designers who tend to keep their own council on costuming maters. My work hasn't been as widely accepted in the indoor arena, so while I can and have designed using stretchwear and the company I work for offers a wonderful line of designs made from it (again, Bluecoats), I am concerned that the need for a professional designer will pass away; that the creative voices that lead WGI groups who do not rely on outside consultation overtake the outdoor activity, there will be less and less demand for the work I'm known for - again, even though I have designed using the material, it's not what the new clientele wants. We shall see... 

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leakypipes In reply to Becorps [2017-02-01 18:21:59 +0000 UTC]

That was an incredibly eloquent response. Thank you. And I really appreciated the refresher of drum corps history. Often times, I still think back to the Sky Ryders' West Side Story show. What an undertaking that must have been.

While the new look of the Bluecoats doesn't present a threat to my job security, I do find it a bit worrisome as well. If for no other reason, these massive leaps "forward" often remind me that the activity I fell in love with is, in a lot of ways, gone. I don't think it's a secret that a lot of corps like to imitate success. And why wouldn't they?

But you're right. We shall see.

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Becorps In reply to leakypipes [2017-02-17 17:57:39 +0000 UTC]

Hey again - small addendum... just watched "Downside up" again, along with several other shows from this past season - and in spite of the differences in outfits, corps like Bluecoats and Crossmen actually SOUND LIKE themselves, if  that makes sense... I could drop "Continuum" onto a "Greatest Hits" album for Crossmen and it would stand with some of their more memorable musical years; same for Bluecoats - Were time travel possible, I could bring a recording of "Downside" to the 1987 Bluecoats and they'd likely agree that that's what they should sound like in 2016... I think that this is why I'm a huge collector of the audio from championships as well - that has remained true to those long-standing identities than their appearance on the field... 

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leakypipes In reply to Becorps [2017-02-22 23:17:28 +0000 UTC]

I would have to agree. Some of the best musical moments of the year were from those two shows. The Bluecoats' ballad was particularly awesome.

As for Crossmen, I don't remember the last time a show made of original music sounded so good since The Cavaliers' shows of the early 2000's (Frameworks, Spin Cycle, Machine, to name a few).

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Becorps In reply to ShutUpSprinkles [2013-06-22 12:34:37 +0000 UTC]

Thanks! The whole design process w/most corps is higly collaborative - a true team effort... Which is awesome, 'cause drum corps is a team activity!
But, I like to release selected my sketch work on here & Tumblr as a way to express more of my personal vision for these great units - and I'm glad you enjoyed them as well...

As for process, I started off in colored pencil a decade ago; quickly switched to markers for their immediacy - But even bavk then, I'd edit in Photoshop and attempt some editing... and now, quite recently I've started working all-digital. So, these newest sketches were made in PS.

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