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ScottC4746
07-17-2015, 11:16 AM
I saw the New Disneyland Marching Band today in the park. I had to glance at my pocket schedule to make sure it wasn't the College Band. When I heard the news last night the original (that we know) band is gone I was quite peeved. The new band is great, energetic, great sound, and love the choreography.

olegc
07-17-2015, 09:30 PM
I am torn here- as a former Marching Band member at UCLA for many years (and current Alumni Band member who still plays), and with a daughter who just graduated also as a member, the new band is very tight, sound great, and are fun....
BUT....
they are essentially the College Band with slightly different tunes and costumes - and working in the Dapper Dans and Characters. I would even venture to guess that some of these that won spots were actually former College Band members who auditioned and won spots. People in general will love the energy and tunes (more modern versions of Disney tunes) but its not a Marching Band. Its a modern College Band (those march, play music, but are much more tied to Drum Corps style shows than traditional half times).

I even think the conductor is different than the one who was out there previously as the "new" conductor.

Sad but I guess its progress. And the folks tagging along whooping up loud cheers and yells in favor of the group? thanks - but lets have a natural reaction to the great music. We don't need a cheer-track to ensure success. (well, that's my opinion anyway).

Disneyphile
07-18-2015, 12:03 AM
Just no. For the love of all things Disney, they need to go away quickly like Light Magic. I watched them several times today and was totally appalled.

They just don't fit in with the theme of Main Street. Would be more appropriate for a Six Flags park.

Most people within earshot of me were even commenting that they must be a high school or college band.

corona
07-18-2015, 08:36 AM
ugh

The entrance show with Alice, Mad Hatter, and often other characters is being replaced by ... a clone of the college marching band and .... nothing.

josephfive
07-18-2015, 03:09 PM
(off -topic) olegc -- do you play at many of the football games?

olegc
07-18-2015, 09:25 PM
I will pm u.

smd4
07-19-2015, 06:48 AM
Just no. For the love of all things Disney, they need to go away quickly like Light Magic. I watched them several times today and was totally appalled.

They just don't fit in with the theme of Main Street.

I a gree completely with this.

From Walt Disney's Disneyland:

"You board Disneyland's 'time machine' the moment you walk onto old Main Street, U.S.A. The contrast to the hustle and bustle of our modern world and its streamlined modes of transportation is sharp and penetrating. Suddenly, the entire mood changes, and the years roll backward -- back to 'anywhere in America,' circa 1900. And your pace slows to match the leisurely clop-clop of the horse-drawn surrey, the um-pa-pa of a band concert in Town Square, the chug-chug of a horseless carriage."

MadasaHatter
07-20-2015, 07:29 AM
I met a gal from the new Disneyland Band last month and she was super excited about it and said it was great fun and high energy. She said the members were all very excited and honored to be there. I know lots of folks that know a lot of the old band members too and it is a difficult transition.

I am sure they are trying lots of different things to make it work and like all new shows there are growing pains. I'm sure the summer months are going to be full of lots of trials and errors and it will slip into something more streamlined by the off seasons.

Yes, I am scared of the future of Main St. and worry. That quote from Walt hasn't happened in years. Being bashed by a selfie stick, ramming into people texting and hearing over and over again "how stupid it is to have cars, buses, horse drawn carriages going up and down the street while people are trying to walk and take pictures" I fear for the future of Main St. USA. I think you all know by my posts that my favorite attraction is the MAIN ST. VEHICLES and I sometimes go just to hear all of the music. The Mariacha Divas are dynamite! Just heard them the other day.

Having won the DAILY DRAWING SWEEPSTAKES last week, I felt the pressure to rush from ride to ride to ride with our tour guide who was our walking fast pass (SEE TRIP REPORTS JUNE 16th) and it was WONDERFUL don't get me wrong, but a day in Disneyland with no music....is not my idea of a perfect Disney Day.

I am excited to see the new band.....and pardon me for asking but......

WHAT IS THE COLLEGE BAND????? I hardly ever go in the summer months so I suppose that is why I missed them! How long has this been going on? And It is indeed a shame if they look too much alike? Maybe the new DL Band will simply replace the COLLEGE BAND from here on out? Who can say? I am mad!

oregontraveler
07-20-2015, 08:13 AM
I am excited to see the new band.....and pardon me for asking but......

WHAT IS THE COLLEGE BAND????? I hardly ever go in the summer months so I suppose that is why I missed them! How long has this been going on? And It is indeed a shame if they look too much alike? Maybe the new DL Band will simply replace the COLLEGE BAND from here on out? Who can say? I am mad!

The All American College Band has been at DL for 40 years now. It is very much like the new DL Band (without the Dans & characters tagging along) This year's set times start at DCA at 3pm with a Jazz performance. The Flag Retreat at 5:15. Sleeping Beauty Castle at 6:15 (usually 2-3 songs) then they march back down Marin Street. They perform The Incredits score outside Cok Corner then play music from Princess & The Frog to the next stop outside the Cinema ( Under The Sea and a percussion number here) The 7:15 set is on the Train Station steps, this is usually medleys from Steve Wonder, Earth Wind & Fire or maybe Michael Jackson. The last set of the day is around 8 with a pre-parade set (I didn't see this one on my last trip) so can't tell you the music selections.

The band itself is 20-21 members each year. They have 4 different audition cities around the U.S. in January & February. Once they are picked for the band, they have about 3 months to learn all the DL music. The DCA music sets are sit down affairs with music. I think they arrive in early June to work on the staging & choreography. The first day on stage is in mid June and they play for 8 weeks, playing Weds. theu Saturday. This is a work study program, so they get college credits & a small stipend for playing. They are housed over at Cal State Fullerton for the summer.

And while the new DL band is the right age demographic with the AACB. I certainly beleive the 2 can co-exist without any problems.

olegc
07-20-2015, 08:31 AM
and the band is all new members every summer season.

BTW - seeing the Disneyland Band in front of the Golden Horseshoe yesterday - in pics and video - was totally Bad Show! What the heck ever happened to immersive theming? I feel like its trying to force us to "like" it.

oregontraveler
07-20-2015, 09:33 AM
and the band is all new members every summer season.

.

Actually, I know of 2 girls, one from USC and the other from the University of Florida who played in back to back bands. Not this year, but recently.

olegc
07-20-2015, 09:55 AM
Actually, I know of 2 girls, one from USC and the other from the University of Florida who played in back to back bands. Not this year, but recently.

oh, I see. They do hold tryouts every year though, so I assume those players won spots in multiple years based on your comment.

danyoung
07-22-2015, 10:26 AM
I recently posted this on another site -

I just saw the band for myself this last Saturday, performing in front of the Main Street Train Station. I never once thought that they didn't belong in some way. I mean, while Main Street is a nice canvas, I don't for a second think that I've somehow been transported in time. I'm surrounded by tank tops and shorts, by tattoos and tennis shoes, by a modern day coffee shop and a huge castle at the end of the street. So Main Street, while designed as a turn of the century downtown, is a place all its own.

And that's why I can enjoy the Dapper Dans singing the Muppet theme. And that's why I can get a double caff half caff macchiato latte with sprinkles and foam. And that's why I really like the new band. As much as I always enjoyed the "old" band, it was time for a change, and this new band is definitely a change. Much more energy without going over the top. Terrific arrangements - the Disneyland attractions medley brought a tear. Maybe the Marvel medley isn't the best choice, but that'll work out in time.

But the crowd was much larger than I've ever seen for the old band, and were far more enthusiastic. And I don't think it's a matter of just the newness of the band. I'd bet that 80% of the crowd didn't know anything about the behind the scenes story of the old band. They were just enjoying what they saw, and were staying for the entire performance. And that's the mark of a successful event.

olegc
07-22-2015, 11:32 AM
I recently posted this on another site -

I just saw the band for myself this last Saturday, performing in front of the Main Street Train Station. I never once thought that they didn't belong in some way. I mean, while Main Street is a nice canvas, I don't for a second think that I've somehow been transported in time. I'm surrounded by tank tops and shorts, by tattoos and tennis shoes, by a modern day coffee shop and a huge castle at the end of the street. So Main Street, while designed as a turn of the century downtown, is a place all its own.

And that's why I can enjoy the Dapper Dans singing the Muppet theme. And that's why I can get a double caff half caff macchiato latte with sprinkles and foam. And that's why I really like the new band. As much as I always enjoyed the "old" band, it was time for a change, and this new band is definitely a change. Much more energy without going over the top. Terrific arrangements - the Disneyland attractions medley brought a tear. Maybe the Marvel medley isn't the best choice, but that'll work out in time.

But the crowd was much larger than I've ever seen for the old band, and were far more enthusiastic. And I don't think it's a matter of just the newness of the band. I'd bet that 80% of the crowd didn't know anything about the behind the scenes story of the old band. They were just enjoying what they saw, and were staying for the entire performance. And that's the mark of a successful event.

Well then you've taken away one of the most important aspects of Disney Parks - Immersive Theming. If it doesn't matter whether you feel like you're in Turn of the Century USA, then it doesn't matter if you feel like you're anywhere, right? Might as well have less of that and just focus on this ride or that ride. Of course I am generalizing - but that's one of the keys of Walt's vision - to put you in that place in time. Kind of like seeing Frontierland costumes on Main St. or in Tomorrowland; if you're OK with that, then you're OK with any crossover.

And for me - a lot of the cheers I have seen in person and on video are not just for enthusiasm of the performance. Time and again at the parks I know and experience friends of cast whooping it up as they perform because they are excited to see people they know perform in front of them. Is it genuine? yes, but not as an independent experience. And I think we can all agree - high energy and big sound will always attract a crowd. Dance parties anyone? Celebrate it parade anyone? I have no doubt that this group is here to stay - their sound is great and I like them. I never said I hated them. However, I will say its not about that previous design element anymore. Its just entertainment.

danyoung
07-22-2015, 11:57 AM
I have no problem with the concept of theming. I know the difference between Frontierland and Tomorrowland, and I don't want to see a spaceman walking past Big Thunder Mountain Railroad. But I think the concept can be taken to extremes. For me, the new band fit into Main Street just as well as the old one did, and the crowd really seemed to enjoy the show - I know I did!

olegc
07-22-2015, 12:32 PM
I have no problem with the concept of theming. I know the difference between Frontierland and Tomorrowland, and I don't want to see a spaceman walking past Big Thunder Mountain Railroad. But I think the concept can be taken to extremes. For me, the new band fit into Main Street just as well as the old one did, and the crowd really seemed to enjoy the show - I know I did!

fair enough.

as a reference - I should have included that the Band performed - in those unis - in front of Golden Horseshoe. Whole routine. That was not for me.

MadasaHatter
07-23-2015, 07:42 AM
I love this thread.....change is hard and I LOVE all of the opinions. Great fun.


Maybe part of the introduction is giving them more performing time? I agree that the band in Frontierland is a little jarring and out of theming. SO maybe with the new 7 Day a week performing they are performing more this summer so they can all get plenty of rehearsal time.....and maybe they WILL be performing in Frontierland in appropriate costumes and appropriate music sooner than later? Perhaps they will be in every land playing appropriate music? I heard that no one lost their job in the original band and maybe they will be in those lands in appropriate garb (I don't know what they would do in Adventureland with those instruments....but Disney is clever) I would think that summer is going to be considered a soft opening......I am excited by the changes despite the difficulty. But .....I am mad.

danyoung
07-23-2015, 07:55 AM
There was a small combo playing up on the balcony of the Golden Horseshoe, in the proper attire. I think I would have a problem with the entire band, in their band outfits, playing in Frontierland.

corona
07-23-2015, 10:28 AM
On July 17, you could have seen "the entire band, in their band outfits, playing in Frontierland."

danyoung
07-23-2015, 03:49 PM
And that's my problem.