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Favorite Opening Moments of Drum Corps


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I can still remember sitting in the old Manning Bowl in Lynn and being blown from here to Kingdom Come by Madison in 1999 when the performed "Jesus Christ, Superstar." I was caught so off guard and it's one of my all time favorite shows.

I also love 27th's version of Vaughn Wiliams (in this arrangement with a touch of Holst) "English Folk Song Suite" and often see something new when I watch the DVD.

In 2011, 2012, and especially 2013 were years Crown owned me from the beginning.

My favorite Respighi arrangement for drum corps is 2012 BAC (yes even over Star in 1991, I know that's blasphemy), and I love their version of "Pines along the Appian Way."

For all my griping about trombones, SCV's "Scheherezade" opening in 2014 has to be on my visual and music list.

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I can still remember sitting in the old Manning Bowl in Lynn and being blown from here to Kingdom Come by Madison in 1999 when the performed "Jesus Christ, Superstar." I was caught so off guard and it's one of my all time favorite shows.

I also love 27th's version of Vaughn Wiliams (in this arrangement with a touch of Holst) "English Folk Song Suite" and often see something new when I watch the DVD.

In 2011, 2012, and especially 2013 were years Crown owned me from the beginning.

My favorite Respighi arrangement for drum corps is 2012 BAC (yes even over Star in 1991, I know that's blasphemy), and I love their version of "Pines along the Appian Way."

For all my griping about trombones, SCV's "Scheherezade" opening in 2014 has to be on my visual and music list.

27th Lancers 1979-80

Garfield Cadets 1984

Crown 2009, 10, 13.

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For me, the opening rip of "Rocky Point Holiday" in 1983 was shock wave that rocked the entire activity. We're still feeling its reverberations today. It was a sound unlike any heard from a DCI brass line up to that time. So that one ranks at the top.

That said, I enjoyed the heck out of the way Crown opened "E=mc^2". So much fun.

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My personal favorite:

2014 Bluecoats, "Tilt". How about that opening sound of "Uffe's Woodshop"? Man, that set the tone for the entire show and told everyone this is a show you better pay attention to.

Da-da da-da da-da da-da; Da-da da-da da-da....

Very cool!

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This is my first post in a while. Like, months. Oops.

Off the top of my head...

  • 2014 Blue Knights. The snare book that I'll never forget, accompanied by the voiceover that set the stage for the show. Du-GAH
  • 2015 Blue Knights. Low brass chorale, then more of the corps joins in, then the drumline improves on the prior year's book with a lick that is indescribably tasty, IMO. They executed it in just the way Mike Jackson envisioned it.
  • I kinda want to say something about the opening snare lick in BD '15, but that's too stock of a comment, so I won't mention it.
  • 2015 Phantom Regiment. In case you haven't noticed, I'm a sucker for tasty opening snare licks.
  • '12 and '13 Blue Devils openers were weirdly sweet, and equally enjoyable.
  • Last one - Cadets '11, Between Angels and Demons. Just plain cool.
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Crown '16. Mark my words.

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Star '90 - Belshazzar's Feast

Those opening chords are still haunting and magical to me. Such a wonderful music book that year...

This video starts a few seconds late, but you get the idea...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gsvy3Jq3270

Cavaliers 2000 - Niagra Falls

Powerful opening and interesting drill

Blue Devils 1988

Happy Days are here again...

The Cadets 2005: The Zone

Interesting and different from other shows.

Bluecoats 2013: America

Music is so catchy; they've had some of my favorite musical selections lately...

Crown 2014: Out of this world

Another different type of opener.

Anyway, lots more favorite openers with other corps, but it's probably too much to share...

Edited by jjeffeory
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Also, how could I forget Santa Clara '14? That low brass hit was INASNE. Perfectly complemented during rests by the battery. Gotta love Rennick's writing.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=942smREXNvQ

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