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DeanInChicago

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Everything posted by DeanInChicago

  1. Welcome to Indy. The Alexander is a fine hotel. However, it is immediately south and next to railroad tracks. You may hear screeching wheels as the slow moving freight lumbers by the hotel throughout the day and night. Otherwise, you are near the Slippery Noodle -- a great hang out -- between the hotel and Lucas Oil.
  2. Allentown snow cones. Lucas Oil addictive nachos. Allentown dumpy washrooms. Lucas Oil sparkling commodes. Allentown outdoor sunsets. Lucas Oil florescent lighting. Allentown free parking. Lucas Oil nearby $10 surface lots. Allentown 2 days of shows. Lucas Oil 3 days. Allentown diners. Indianapolis Shapiro's Deli. Allentown bench style seats. Lucas Oil blue-colored cushioned comfort. Allentown outdoor performances. Indy indoor. Allentown audible warm-ups whilst current corps is performing. Lucas Oil nil. Allentown climbing hill to seats. Indy escalators to upper levels. Allentown souvenir full price purchases. Indy closeout deals. Allentown affordable motels. Indy more expensive ones. Allentown route 22. Indy Meridian Street. Allentown stadium funnel cakes. Indianapolis Slippery Noodle tater tots.
  3. I've been to Indy every year - for Finals only - obligated to go since it is so close to Chicago. Thank you, one dollar Megabus. 600s are ideal for visual, but there are an acre of seats in the 600s, and the large - albeit well-behaved - crowd can be intimidating. Phantom Regiment's storybook, or V-A-N guard, were lovely from up high. One year, sat in the front row, but on the 20, with an aisle seat in the 100s. The best part about front row seats are the spectacular rifle tosses. All other years, have bought directly from Cavaliers or Phantom Regiment. These seats were generally my favorites: usually on the 20 or 25s, and in the 400 sections. Fans in the 100s between the 35s are GREAT fans, offering up many mid-show standing ovations.
  4. Please let me know where the baby will be, so that I may sit somewhere else.
  5. Did I miss the annual red tinted plumes on the SCV age outs at Lucas Oil? I do not recall seeing the special plumes on Finals night. Anybody have an answer, or do I need my eyes checked?
  6. One of the GREAT things about the Centerville show is that is has my two favorite lump-in-the-throat moments of the DCI season: 1. Madison's "Come on Get Happy" company front 2. The ending of the Troopers performance. Shalom to the Libermans: Soaring Sounds attendees.
  7. To paraphrase John Waters, "Good Morning Allentown". Heading out the motel door with a stack of one dollar bills and loose change to hit the barn sales and a late breakfast at Sunrise Diner.
  8. It's great returning to Allentown each year. Best parking is on Chew Street, which is 2 parallel blocks behind the grandstand. We Chew Street regulars like to show up each night about the same time as the 5PM gates open. Nearby: towering stadium lights. That's the direction to go! There is a safe alley that borders Greenwood Cemetery en route to the show. There are majestic pines near the top gate, and the turf will soon come into view as you enter our national drum corps park. You will see the same welcoming ticket takers as last year, and the year before that. You will soon realize that the very old stadium lower seating is built into the hill. You will meander through the souvenir village: you will buy fifteen T-shirts from every trailer, add cash to everyone's fuel collection plates, and be vastly entertained by the Jersey Surf salesman. May I please recommend the washrooms near the corps entry gate: these washrooms are almost always empty they are not at sauna temperatures like the ones atop the hill you can wave or share a quick hello to Michael Boo whilst he interviews corps staff you will schlep a root beer snow cone to Michael, cause you know he will always welcome a root beer snow cone Unlike modern arenas, you can bring almost any possible food inside the Crum gates: whole cheese pizzas, a carton of addictive Nutter Butters, 2-liter Coke Zero, and from the nearby Allentown fairgrounds on Chew: winsome pickles and delicious banana pudding. In the upper deck, middle section R, there are always a few fans who sneak their way into the can't-sell-for-safety-reasons seats found immediately beneath the judge's platforms. Later each night, after a few of the early performances, the inside-the-forty ticket seller will sit in an unsold seat near the front of R. And right before his favorite show of the season, he will stand up and proudly proclaim that THIS is the show to watch. "THIS is a real drum corps show." or something along those lines. And he will ALWAYS be right, in my heartfelt estimation. You will meet many friendly fans. You will profusely apologize to the guest in front of you that you keep knee'ing. You will savor the relaxing pace of a 2-night outdoor show, seeing all the World Class Corps near the peak of the season. You will realize how lucky you are to be goin' back to Allentown.
  9. This has probably been discussed elsewhere in this 436-page thread .... Finally had the AHA moment this week, realizing what the random flag numbers are in the ballad. 217 ... 406 ... 523 ... 91
  10. At the annual Indiana State High School Marching Band finals at Lucas Oil, the top 10 bands in each of 4 classes perform in random order. Class A: random order of top 10 finishers at semi-state contest (schools with largest enrollment) Class B: random order of top 10 finishers Class C: random order of top 10 finishers Class D; random order of top 10 finishers There have been instances in which the first performing band has won the state championship. I am a big fan of random. But not anchovies. Anyway, looking forward to attending the Whitewater show.
  11. There once was a woman from Maine. She played contra bass in the rain. The whole notes were fun. She nailed a long run. But slipped on a wood bowling lane.
  12. Boarding the 2:40 PM train from Chicago to Lisle, arrival 3:31. Chugga chugga whoo whoo. Weather forecast is ideal. 80s now, but dropping to 70s. Comfortable humidity. No rain in sight. Remembering hat, as the audience faces the setting sun. Train returns from Lisle at 11:38 PM, reaching Chicago at 12:29 AM. Round trip $8 on Metra weekend fare. Such a deal. That's the stats. Looking forward to souvie purchases, concession stand beer, catching up with the stadium roadies, showmanship on the field, and goosebumps.
  13. I resisted the cinemas for several years too, but I got hooked instantly about 3 years ago. SIT CLOSE and you will really enjoy it. DO NOT sit in your usual movie seats. When you sit up close, it's like being at a Drum Corps IMAX experience. And unlike many films, the camera work is very very steady, so you will not get a headache from rapid cuts. SIT NEAR THE FRONT !
  14. Another openin' another show ....... June 17 DCI opening night broadcast at AMC East, Chicago (hot popcorn) June 21 at Lisle, Illinois for Calvacade of Brass (this stadium sells beer) via Metra train June 27 at Michigan City, Indiana for Pageant of Drums (buy ice cream sundae across the street at DQ) July 5 in Whitewater (first time attending this drum corps mecca, will there be food?) July 12 in DeKalb (thank you for allowing us to bring concessions to the seats) July 31 in Allentown (root beer snowcone) Aug 1 in Allentown (mango snowcone) Aug 8 at Finals (Slippery Noodle before the show) via Megabus
  15. From what I can view on Ticketmaster, Opening Night tickets are only being sold for the 100 and 200 street levels. So maybe the 300, 400, 500, and 600 sections will all be closed. I'm all for this. Move the audience near the performers. Last year's opener at Ben Davis HS in Indy was delayed by rain. There will easily be more seats in the 100/200 Lucas stands than at the Giants home field on Indy's west side. I will check out this year's opener at Chicago's AMC River East at 7:30 PM CST. Meanwhile, for the foodies: The new Yard House restaurant on Maryland Street in Indy has over 100 beers. But lousy food. I'm sticking to the excellent food at Shapiro's nearly kosher deli a few blocks south of Lucas.
  16. I am in Indianapolis once a month, and it is a very welcoming city. Thought the state is backwards in parts, I find that Indy itself is tolerant and open.
  17. At the annual Magic Kingdom Halloween parades held during Mickey's Not So Scary Halloween Party there is a great effect with the gravediggers in the parade. The gravediggers march with shovels and whenever the steel shovels hit the pavement, the sparks go flyin'. Disney lore says the effect was not planned, it just happened by mistake when the shovels hit the paved walkways. But it was such an appropriate yet eerie effect, that the boo boo remains in the performance. OK, how can the SCV guard spin heavy steel shovels? Or, an idea from way left field .... is this an INDY 500 show ? Maybe SCV is paying tribute to the Speedway High School Sparkplugs.
  18. Hello Allentown Fan: There are a lot of good properties in the Allentown/Bethlehem area. I have slept cheaply at the so-so Knight's Inn, the Red Roof Inn, and Howard Johnson's. The Wingate near Dorney Park is nice. The Best Western on route 22 in Bethlehem has a large outdoor pool. Springhill Suites is comfy. Stayed downtown once, which was enough. One year, I stayed at Extended Stay near the airport. And to double my points on Southwest Rewards, I checked out Saturday morning, then checked back in Saturday night. Check out the tripadvisor website for a write up of all the hotels in the area. I always like testing my annual luck with a wildcard bid on priceline.
  19. Each summer, there are 1000 staff for our Chicago area day camps and overnight camps. We definitely welcome back great staff without hesitation. But if you're just an OK camp employee for one summer, we are very unlikely to rehire you the following year.
  20. Too much syrup in your Noel notes? May I please recommend these holiday gems: South Park's Mr Hankey's Christmas Album RuPaul John Waters Karen Carpenter Disco Noel
  21. Hello Ghost - I prefer flying into Philly from Chicago, though I did fly into Newark once I rent a car from the Philly airport for 48 hours, travelling 95 South for a spell, then north to Allentown
  22. Mega Monday .... purchased my first ever Whitewater ticket. The circuit lands there on Sunday, July 5. Have already bought Allentown. Still need to buy June shows in nearby Lisle and Michigan City. Still need to buy July Tour of Champions show in Dekalb. Still need to buy Finals ticket. I have rental cars reserved out of Midway airport for Lisle, Michigan City, Whitewater, and DeKalb shows. Need to buy airfare to Philly for Allentown weekend. Need to monitor the Megabus site for annual August $1 bus seat to Lucas Oil. Making plans for summer 2015. The adrenalin's pumpin'.
  23. When Spirit (of Jackson State University, at the time) honored George Zingali with a flag in one of their past shows, that was a lump-in-the-throat effect.
  24. At New York's Lyric Theatre, "On The Town" starts with the audience on its feet with a great arrangement of "The Star Spangled Banner".
  25. For Sale: Several black fabric changing rooms to turn your white swan self into a black swan meanie. Only used for part of the season - proved to be too distracting to everything else going on at the sale. For Sale: Outtakes of "The Office" in which The Cadet's narrator interjects "That's what he said." For Sale: Championship show wardrobe racks filled with glamorous frocks. Ideal for Oscar night or SAG awards. For Sale: Blue Stars futon. Toss your equipment and catch it on the other side. That's what he said.
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