mellobobv

Cathie - thank you for taking the time to review. Sorry you missed us - Blessed Sacrament. I watched most of the shows from the end of St. Joe's to the Cabs. I finally got to sit and relax and enjoy. As I said in a Facebook comment every corps did a fantastic job in entertaining the audience right down to "blow my face-off" of Sky, B-Men and Cabs. It is nice to see differences in song and drill and no "cookie-cutter" corps as in DCI. And, you can leave the show and "hum" songs in your head that turned you on. All of the Alumni corps have their "staple" of songe,ie, Elks Parade, Call of the Bulls, William Tell, Bully, My Romance, etc. And it is why the Alumni Corps have become a popular venue for guys like us who love this activity and continue to partcipate.

That is our music arranger Gary Dicklemen. He writes in both keys and is helping us in the line as we lost quite a few of lower bass players.

Enjoyed the show and great weather. Liked the new mini-corps "Rocketeers" Hunstville, AL. Good luck to you in future I&E @ DCA. Tampa Bay took me by surprise. Quite large for a new all-age but you can tell they need more reps and competition. At times the sound from the hornline was a bit flat and hornplayers not coming in together but all in all I thoroughly enjoyed seeing them for the first time. Shenandoah Sound was a big surprise. Last time I saw them they only had like 5 horns and a couple of drums. Liked their book with Gershwin music. Always nice to listen to music you know. Alliance is much bigger now then when I last saw them. I just wish they had a CG because then they can really fill up the field, but big improvements overall since I last saw them. Clean horn line and nice size percussion section. Drill really moves them around the field and at times too quick for them to do but time will tell in a few weeks before Rochester. (Note: if only they had "G" bugles again and blow the stands away") CV has a great guard that fills the field well and deserved high honors for CG. If they can get a few more percussion and at least 10 more brass they would do really well. Overall I am glad I went and got to see these corps again. It has been a couple of years since I last saw these corps and now with trumphets instead of bugles the sound is much different. These corps need 60 brass to get the power of 30 "G" bugles.

Hey Fran, Bobby Vivalo here. Yes indeek Mike Marsh was the MAN!!! Now, to answer the question both my sister and I began our DC careers with the Manville Crusaders from 1962 to 1969. I then went solo to Blessed Sacrament Golden Knights for the '70 season and am still with them in the alumni. Went back to Manville Crusaders for the '73 season after the GK's broke up. Fran, please give my best to your wife and brothers Lenny and Marty.

Yes, I hear ya. We decided that if it is not in Scranton we would not go. Miss ya' though Gene. Can't believe how fast time flies. I had been a volunteer with the CorpVets this year but could not make it up DCA weekend. (ran out of vacation time). Anyway, I am glad it was you, and yes, our sop line is unbelievable. We have about 10 horses that can do what needs to be done. Sort of like a mirror image of the old "Sky" greats of the '60's and 70's.

"Mean Gene" is that you? This is Bob Vivalo, Blessed Sacrament and we met at the Macy's Super Corps in '94 and a few other shows after that. Glad to see you comment. Live in GA now but still come up to NJ to play with the GK's. Young Brian, my sidekick, is married now but his old man still plays with us. Bob

Been playing since 1962 and now play with Blessed Sacrament alumni. Why do I still do it? Comraderie, enjoyment, just plain love doing the DC thing. Playing in front of crowds and hearing the applause and standing O's when we finish with America or Emblem. (although nothing like the '70 Dream at Roosevelt Stadium with BSGK during Free Again and you could not hear anything except the crowd). Don't attend too many shows now being that I live in GA now, but still travel up to NJ a couple of times per year. Was up at the Archie 75th Anniversary event on Saturday and caught up with a lot of old friends. (Right Robbie?). Never too old to keep playing and marching.