"Leave behind shoes no one can fill." ~ Tattoo on bicep of Vinnie Ciesielski, Bernoulli Principle champ for Music City Legend

Labor Day weekend – Rachacha, NY…There was no Clarion cash-bar condom ceremony at DCAssociates Rachacha like '07 although I was thanked by the dreamy "groom" once again. He giddily told me, "We're still together. I'm prepared now" (pointing to his wallet). Nope, the aught eight DCA Championships in Rochester concentrated on less partying and even more entertainment than some past years. Greetings to my Clarion Hotel mates: Brigs, Cabs, Dream, Grenadiers, Gulf Coast Sound (bused out early due to Gustav, now battening down the plywood for Ike, a hurricane the size of Texas, honestly), Kilties, Shenandoah Sound, Erie T'birds, et cetera! I made it to the Renegades party at the Doubletree. Always good to see the 'Gades. Tiffany Mackey, cg, please e-mail the photos with Lolita, Rubi, you and more. At the Doubletree, I espied Roger Grupp and other MBI members toasting to their incredible second place ascension.

The DCInternational Championships had had* mesmerizing entertainment prior to DCA, ahhhh, "I am Spartacus!" and the Blue Devils' "Constantly Risking Absurdity," Cavaliers "Samurai," Carolina Crown fielding 80 harnessed precise horns and a phenomenal GE package, and traditions like Bones from West Chester, PA. Attending the DCI and DCA Championships are alternatives for Viagra, no prescription required.

Steve "Hairbear" Masters, Sandy McNeal, "Bee" Sharpley and I journeyed in a trusty jalopy from Ohio via Pittsburgh, escaping tropical storm Fay by Erie, PA.

Clarion valet and bellboys packed us up for the trek into the sun. (Mike Plachta photo of his '52 MGTB.)

Kudos to Jeff DeMello, John Donovan and a Sony HD video cam. Wow! The slightly delayed DCPlanet broadcasts during DCA Pre, Finals and Alumni Spectacular were 21st Century kewl! Go back and review the videos and reviews by Kevin Gamin, Danielle, Jeff DeMello, JohnD et al. from the press box. For me, it was fun blogcasting from the 49-1/2 yard line down on the field for Hurcs, Cabs and Empire during Prelims.

Also flip through the superb photos by Charlie Groh with his upgraded Nikon toys. Four DCWorld photogs, Francesca DeMello, Harry Heidelmark, Dan Scafidi and Richard Wersinger, snapped over 2,000 pics! These photojournalists are some of the best in the biz. Contact them. Odds are they have you in a candid moment.

The Homeland Security industry, much of it regulated privatization, is a $200 billion enterprise; e.g. Halliburton, according to Naomi Klein, author of "Shock Doctrine," larger than Hollywood and the music industry combined. Possibly with the buzz created by Phantom winning DCI, Minnesota Brass placing second in DCA, and Music City Legend and Kilties missing out for The Night Show, the interest generated can put a dent in the shocking figures.

Examples of increased ticket sales:

One exuberant DCA Prelims fan, just after the opening licks from Music City Legend, yelled, "I waited five hours for that!"

Just before I interviewed Dennis DeLucia, Bridgemen staff legend, on the front sideline at the Alumni Spectacular, the Bridgemen were exiting the field, no, turned for an encore. A fan screamed, "They ain't done! In my face!!"

J.C. Caspers, Kiltie mello soloist, opined about the Kilties, "Definitely loud, noble to afterlife loud!"

Stephan Anderman, Music City Legend admin staff, show announcer at Alliance's August 17 show in Alpharetta, GA, miced, "For those who knew the activity as senior corps before it became all-age corps, you might recognize that thing in the (Gulf coast Sound) pit (beer keg). I'm not sure in all my years in drum corps that I've ever seen one used quite that way (as an instrument)."

"There's the second sexiest drum major in corpsdom," I said aloud to those around me as Lolita Tabujara arose to her Renegade podium in her midnight blue bustier. "You got that right," a fan yelled out. Contact me if you need an explanation.

Stephan Anderman, Alumni Spectacular emcee, was in uniform to go on with the Music City Legend in Prelims. He showed me a conductor's baton hidden up his sleeve. Anderman commented, "Tell Ashley (Nilles, MCL drum major), that she left something in my bedroom." (Nilles apparently had changed in the motorhome of Mr. and Ms. Anderman.)...Finding Nilles leading MCL towards the corps entry gate, I whispered to her, "Anderman has something for you."

MBI dotted the "i" in "Inc." ~ Roger Grupp: "I got to follow the number two line up - Wow! - to our name. By golly!"

Pat Byrne, DCP's Goalie Guy, spoke of Minnesota Brass's surge to second at DCA Finals, "It's better than sex. It only took 32 years!" Byrne or another MBI member commented that Roman Blenski, Pioneer executive director, predicted the second place finish. Dennis Tischhauser, MBI contra, and I chatted for a long time after Finals. What a happy man he was.

Roger Grupp and I shared a streetside curb in the exuberant corps parking area behind the MBI equipment truck. Grupp glanced at the recaps, then stated, "I got to follow the number two line up - Wow! - to our name. By golly! In the 70s, we dreamed of this, to be a THIRD place corps!" Congratulations on a well-deserved second place finish.

DCA invited Star United, the three-time winner of the I&E/Minicorps Championships, to perform for the Finals night crowd at the conclusion of the competition before Retreat. Drum Major Becky Saddlemire and 18 of their 21 superb musicians were standing off at the corps entry area nervous as young newlyweds as they espied the huge crowd they would soon entertain. Having nothing else to do, I took a moment to chat with Saddlemire, Scooter Pirtle, Nancy Brown, Blue Stars tour manager, Michael Chromik, Sean Conley, Kim Sommer, Jeff Banyots, Frank "El Guapo" Cardenas, the energetic Kansas City percussionist and more. A "Rocky Point" was about to occur as Star United was about to "Fly!" in. How would the crowd respond in Paetec Park to the high-brow minicorps? If I'd had a backpack, I would have traded for one of their unique hockey jerseys. Kewl!

Kim Sommer, Star United bari, posted, "For all we knew following the Bucs with only 18 horns was potentially dicey."

Gerris, you're in my barrio

What possessed me? Frank Gerris, Cabs president/general manager, stepped off the elevator onto my hotel floor. I quipped, "You're in my barrio now! This is my barrio!" I respect Gerris even more. Thanks for getting Dennis Argul and I together on Finals night. I had mentioned to Gerris that I always wanted to march Cabs. He said, "Well, do it. Come march with our alumni," to which I responded, "That is not what I said." "Okay, then come march with us anytime."

Frank Ponzo, Curt Hawkins and Duke Terrari were a fave moment fronting the Cabs Alumni in "Flamenco Cha Cha." Another spine tingler was Vinnie Ciesielski, Bb Grammy award winner, LOUD Horn trumpet, Celebration trumpeter in the 80s in Cincinnati, and Joe Murphy, contra gawd, LOUD Horns founder, energizing my grandfathers and more with Music City Legend, including Regi Jones, sop, Dr. Willard Johnson, bari soloist, Hulka McCoy, snare, and DM Ashley Nilles. Kudos to Hulka for winning I&E Snare Solo (also '06).

Leaving the Mini-Corps Associates meeting early to attend another meeting, I thanked Rod Keppel, Gary Matczak, Tom McDonald, Susan "VIP Pass" VanEssendelft, Donny Allen and other MCA folks for holding their meeting conveniently on my hotel room floor.

Al Chez and Riggie Laus in the same soppy room

Al Chez was one of the many I introduced in the Soprano/High Brass/Mid-voice I&E venue. Before mid-voice judging began Chez graciously came up and talked. Judges Shawn Halquist and Dr. Cecil Austin, who gives graciously of his time and skills to the South Africa Field Band Foundation in its project with Roman and Sue Blenski's Pioneer, were spared my jokes to fill time. I did have a superb guest tell a quick joke. It was nice to cordially pass Chez out in the corps parking area after Finals.

Riggie Laus, 82, Steel City Ambassadors and Pittsburgh Rockets, gave an impromptu performance on Dick Pomerleau's valve/slide soprano during the Sop I&E venue to a cheering crowd.

Regi Jones, Music City lead sop, is one lucky dude to escort his lovely Vickie around corpsdom. A fan at Prelims spotted Vickie, adorned in red, leaving the stands and exclaimed, "Who is that? I responded, "I know Vickie." He looked like he was ready to trade his 50-yard-line seat for a phone number.

Lindsay Benoit has played contra with Kilties, Bush, Golden Eagles and more. At DCA Finals, SoCal Dream was looking around in the pit for some equipment prior to starting...Benoit ran in from the corps entry gate to save the day rolling the needed cymbal case.

Dream DM Valiant Yan was not yawning, nay, was wide awake last time I saw him in the Clarion lobby after Finals. Yan proudly wears an initial prototype corps jacket with "ValiEnt." Got to love proofreaders...Handed my '94 patch at the Empire banquet, I glanced at it and quipped to Mr. B, "'Empire StatesmAn'? I thought it was a team of us on the field." Mr. B did not take kindly to mistakes.

Rubi Burke, Dream pit, gave me a thoughtful gift of "warm and cozy tea." Golly, thanks! What a dream!

Jon Gifford, Rochester Crusaders brass staff, won the Sop I&E with Dan Owens, Renegades former SCV, 2nd, and Kenton Clarke, Sky, 3rd. Scooter Pirtle, Star United, won mello with Paul MacDonald, Capital Brass, 2nd, Dan Owens 3rd. When I saw Pirtle was entered, I commented a couple weeks before that, if Scooter had his chops, he'd win. Pirtle marched Star of Indiana. When I met Pirtle, he was with Blue Grass Brass, while I marched Cincinnati Tradition in '93. He and Nancy Brown, Blue Stars tour director and Star United, impressed me back then.

The other Scooter is Scooter, Kilties guard/visuals staff, who has 22 years at least in the activity, staffing Madison Scouts and more. Scooter and Mac McEntire know each other from the '88 DCI Champs Madison Scouts.

Barry Hewes, founder/director of Sounds of Philadelphia, is creating an all-age corps. Hewes also has plans to recreate the CYO Dream Contest in 2010 with six DCA corps and six DCI Open Class corps competing. CYO = Catholic Youth Organization and was a huge corps sponsor decades ago.

Fran and Barb Haring were missed in Rochester. I wore a dressy formal Hawaiian shirt in honor of Barb and Fran Finals day.

After interviewing World Drum Corps Hall of Fame inductees Steve Cooley and Harold "Robby" Robinson Sr. during Star United's Finals exhibition, I sat to chat with HoF Bill McGrath Jr. Who should sit down beside me but Bob Glovna, HoF president and Park City Pride potentate. I was in HoF heaven as HoF Larry Hershman and Dick Eschenmann strolled by. If only some of their experience could rub off.

Assigned to match the trophy presenters with the appropriate trophy -- "You know these folks, Cozy." -- I was baffled how to find the Papa John's rep. I wandered around until I found a man with a Papa John's shirt. Either the correct trophy was presented or, 20 minutes later, a trophy was delivered to a Rochester front door. I had trouble finding the folks in the glare of Allen Buell's sharkskin suit.

Madar to McNeal, 'You're the guy!' ~ Dinosaur ribs, Nick's garbage plate, MacKinley in the beer garden

Jeff DeMello chided, “Here are all the people you know in drum corps,” seated we were at a table of 12 in the Dinosaur BBQ, an annual celebration after each Rochester Alumni Spectacular.

Rich Templin, DCA chief judge coordinator, and another adjudicator were sitting in an elevated booth over our table. I deadpanned the comment, "Judges sit higher." Later, when Templin was leaving he gave our table a low score in GE. We beg to differ. I've had reoccurring dreams of Templin in Napa Valley, but that must have just been from the Thunderbird wine.

Steve Vickers, DCWorld publisher, was gnawing ribs with Doug Madar, Carolina Crown well-dressed honcho. Every year I've also seen Cabs sop legend Duke Terrari with a large entourage at the Dinosaur BBQ. Madar kept staring at Sandy McNeal, then exclaimed, "You're the guy, the wild one!" referring to McNeal's and The Brothers's pit antics with Steel City, Brigs and Westshoremen back in the day. The Showmanship award was invented on the spot during the 1985 DCA Finals by Fred Windish, Bucs alumnus, Mickey Petrone, past DCA president, et al. to honor entertainment that Pepe Notaro would be and was proud of in the 80s.

Eating is a fave hobby in Rachacha. At 4 AM, after DCA Prelims, Donny Allen, Lance and I went to Nick's. The cheeseburger garbage plate is to die for...and I do mean that! Ace Holleran, DCWorld writer, posted, "There is a certain je ne sais quoi about a cheeseburger garbage plate from Nick Tahou's."

Dale MacKinley, '94, '95, '97, '98 Kilties Senior DM, has been a familiar sight at the Paetec "Beer Garden" under the prime seats. This year, MacKinley seemed to operate as the manager there. If only I had time to bend an elbow....

Lois Nicholls, Ontario corps vet who founded the Hamilton Firefighters guard in 2002, gave me a lesson on polishing cymbals: Flitz polish is the secret used by Lois's late husband, Terry Nicholls. I now have a luggage tag, a photo of Terry next to Al DeSantis, legendary Hurc cymbalist (30" plates!), at the '94 Macy's All-Stars parade where I also got to march. Larry Hershman and Tony DiCarlo directed 400+ corps vets.

Paul Collins, The Brass Shop brasssmith, lacquersmith, chromesmith, et cetera, and I initiated two new members to the Red Cup Brigade in Rochester, Dream's sharing sops Mike "Witchdoc" Plachta and Bill Howard, proud papa of BD DM Brian Howard. Thanks for the London broil, Collins!!! That reminds me of Tom Colgan. It was a dreamy tailgate visit.

Al Murray, Dynasty VP, and Dino Riccio, Yamaha rep, were everywhere this summer, including Rochester.

JoEllen McEntire, BD cg ring bearer, was a pleasure to see in Rochester. It was a delight to meet Mike New, DCP community administrator, at the DCI Championships in Bloomington, IN.

Jim Cossetti, Jimbalaya -- There's just never enough time. Great to chat for a bit!

If one were to have been crazy enough to write reviews of all performances at DCA Pre, Finals and Alumni Spectacular, that would task one with reviewing 48 performances. Who would be nuts enough to do that?

Not having anything else to do during Rochester, I chatted beforehand with Lee Rudnicki about helping out with the Renegades' prop crew...No time. I couldn't make the rehearsals other than Saturday morn rehearsal where I enjoyed seeing Renegades on Monette mouthpieces, Kevin Gamin practice with the A-team and Mr. and Ms. Correria watching son, Chris Correria, tech the front ensemble. Great to see Thu Powell, Bonnie Ott Thompson, Rich Duarte, Greg Gilman, Chris Nalls, Dugada Peterson, Tiffany Carrico, Dave Leland, Dan Owens...!

I also had a serious meeting at 6 AM after Finals with Mac McEntire, then breakfast with the Steel City Brothers, Hairbear, Sandy and Bee, also Lois Nicholls, Edna Kingsley, Bill Howard and Mike Plachta. Who needs sleep in Rachacha? Tom Colgan sure doesn't. It was an easier DCA Championships for me. I even had time to remove the plaque from my teeth.

[Your regularly scheduled column is being interrupted for a commercial. The following advertiser has not bribed Cozy in any way, shape, manner or buck. MCA could have but didn't even try. If an erection lasts longer than 4 hours, one can blame the music from the minicorps listed below. Consult with your physician before attending.]

MCA will host the first-ever Mini-Corps Championship at Albany, NY, Saturday, Sept. 27, 2008.

In Competition:

Defenders Alumni - Rockland, MA

Windsor Regiment - West Windsor, NJ

Amoskeag Sound - Manchester, NH
Capital Brass! - Albany, NY
Ghost Riders - Parts Unknown, NY
Golden Eagles - West Sayville, NY
Mass Brass - South Boston, MA

In exhibition:
The Latin Express
CB! Alumni All-Stars
Interstatesmen Tribute Ensemble

And YOUR MC: Andy Lisko! Tickets are only $10, in Advance, for this ten corps show!

An Individual and Ensemble competition will be held, beginning at 2pm. Entries may be made until Sept. 20. Admission to the I&E show is free. www.capitalbrass.org. Or call Tom MacDonald at 518-286-3148.

[Back to the column....]

As I get older polite folks offer to help me do this 'n that. Looking at most of these polite people, I observe that I can do more pushups, situps and out-distance many in an endurance race. I work to stay in shape. I have shed 55 pounds since '99. For those who suggest that at a certain age it's time to step aside from competition, I say, No. Physical shape determines when it is time, and conditioning can extend marching years. Check the legendary Frank "The Beard" Lozar, MBI sop marching into his 70s, and Ace Peterson, who marched the '93 Empire Statesmen at 63. Ace is still busy out-showboating Donny Allen fronting St. Joe's.This should not be considered the off-season. I highly encourage performers, staff, fan$, too, to get a physical, then pursue a logical program of exercise, including aerobics. Again, age is not the gauge for performing. Physical conditioning is the decision-maker.

Eating at Dinosaur BBQ has become a post-Alumni Spectacular ritual in Rachacha. Thanks for sharing tall tales and anecdotes to "Bee" Eugene A. Sharpley, Bob Fitzpatrick, Sandy McNeal, all of Steel City, Lois Nicholls, Edna Kingsley, both Ontarians in DCAT, Guelph Royalaires and more, Jeff DeMello, video Grand Poobah and BD BoD, Todd Tanji, Minne Brass and BD BoD, Lee Portz, Minne Brass and St. Paul Scouts, Larry Wasz, MBI, Cavs, Norwood Park Imperials and more, Brent Turner, Minne Brass, MBI and Madison Scouts, and Francesca DeMello, DCWorld photog. We scored high in GE despite Rich Templin's ruling as our table had the honor to raucously proclaim Morgan, our waitress, as Dinosaur BBQ Employee of the Month.

To Bob and Annie Sullivan, Dr. Whitney Eure, Spirit of Atlanta, and Jodie Knight, VK and SCV vet, and 83-year old Helen and pal, Manny, once again it was a delight to share the front sideline memories.

For two consecutive DCA Championships, I have been a guinea pig in testing the capacity of DCA Contest Director's Dick Eschenmann's cell phone for volume meltdowns. 'Nuf said. Eschenmann sure did chuckle.

If the worst thing from the Rochester weekend was that the Clarion staff poo-poohed my pleas to fix the flag code violation of the U.S. and Maple Leaf at the front entrance despite daily reminders, then it was a successful championships yet again. Another memorable DCA Championships weekend ended at 11:11 AM Labor Day when I closed the hotel door on the '08 memories.

Back to fall band, horn woodshedding, more exercise and guitar lessons from Hairbear. My fingertips still hurt, Argul. I'm mastering Dmajor.

From my Indian jewelry sales jobbing days on the Indian reservations, turquoise has been my fave stone. Might be ruby now. Help me, Rhonda, help, help.

I love good coffee. Hmm, but can't one give up 12 Starbuck lattes a year and budget that money to buy a subscription to DCWorld instead? www.drumcorpsworld.com .

Moe Knox has taken more photographs than all other corps photographers combined. Steve Vickers, DCWorld publisher, agrees. Why is Knox not in the Halls of Fame?

* Punctuate this, grasshopper: John while James had had had had had had had Had had had had a better effect on the teacher

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Publisher's Note: Cozy's Corpsdom features updates from the world of drum corps as only Cozy Baker can deliver ..... in his own unique style and presentation. A featured Drum Corps World reporter and contributing columnist for many years, Cozy travels the country as a competitive marching member, instructor, observer, and commentator on the state-of-the-activity. The opinions expressed in this column are strictly those of the author. (Cozy mug photo by Christina Mavroudis-Dempsey.) You may write to Cozy directly at mailto: This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it This email address is being protected from spam bots, you need Javascript enabled to view it .