msumello Posted March 30, 2013 Share Posted March 30, 2013 (edited) I was just wondering what everyone's first experience with DCI was, or the first time they heard of it. I don't remember the exact date, but it was the summer of 2000, and I would be entering high school that fall as a freshmen. Band was the only thing I was good at I might add. But one morning my band director called my house and asked if I wanted to go to a "professional" marching band show? It would be $20, and would be in Tulsa,a threeish hour trip, we lived in southwest Missouri between Cassville and Aurora. Mom said it was fine so i said sure. The only reason I was asked was my house was on the way to the school. About 10 students went. We got there and there was the Cadets having their practice on the field and afterward the audience was allowed to ask questions. I was still so new to marching I can only remember three things. A guy asked why trombones were not allowed, I remember that because that's what I played. Why the Cadets had two moves when bringing their horns up or down: I remember this because we copied the movement for our last song in our marching band show that fall. And the question from the instructor if we were Blue Devils' fans, to which a few people clapped and the corps on the field booed.....That night....it was like a life changing experience......I was hooked. Little did I know that the Cadets would win/tie for first place at the world finals the next month. Edited April 2, 2013 by msumello Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JimF-LowBari Posted March 30, 2013 Share Posted March 30, 2013 1974 Troopers did the "waiting for the scores" exhibition at our home DCA show at Carlisle, PA. Night before the show we had practice on the HS field where the show was to be held. After we were done the Troopers did a run thru in street clothes while we sat and watched. LOL - we had been in active the year before, started rehearsals late in the season, had ca 50% rookies and didn't even have the full drill down yet (and it's early August IIRC). All I remember is thinking "Thank goodness we're not playing for them as it'd be too embarrasing". Saw 1975 DCI on TV and next night at Hershey, PA we hosted an exhibition with 5 or 6 of the corps. So first full DCI show.... Didn't see a real live DCI competition until a few years later in Hanover.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TeamQuavers Posted March 30, 2013 Share Posted March 30, 2013 My first experience actually seeing a corps live was when I was working at the Jolesch Photography booth at the Rose Bowl for the 2007 DCI quarterfinals and semifinals. I was able to see the Blue Knights and the Blue Devils. Being used to high school marching bands, I was very astonished by the level of talent and sophistication I was seeing. I also got to see the last half of the Cadet's show. Ever since then, I've been going to live shows and having a blast. I'm especially excited that this year will be my first time seeing Carolina Crown. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
msumello Posted March 30, 2013 Author Share Posted March 30, 2013 (edited) My first experience actually seeing a corps live was when I was working at the Jolesch Photography booth at the Rose Bowl for the 2007 DCI quarterfinals and semifinals. I was able to see the Blue Knights and the Blue Devils. Being used to high school marching bands, I was very astonished by the level of talent and sophistication I was seeing. I also got to see the last half of the Cadet's show. Ever since then, I've been going to live shows and having a blast. I'm especially excited that this year will be my first time seeing Carolina Crown. I finally broke down and got tickets to the world finals this august, for myself and two others...about .$400, but I'm sure it'll be worth it, so I'll be seeing Carolina Crown as well. Edited March 30, 2013 by msumello Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skewerz Posted March 30, 2013 Share Posted March 30, 2013 the line up for the first show I ever saw live... 1 Seneca Optimists 81.950 2 Crossmen 81.900 3 Squires 78.900 4 Oakland Crusaders 77.900 5 Royal Crusaders 74.400 6 Avant Garde 73.050 7 Northstars 70.350 8 Royal Brigade 70.150 9 Edison Saints 70.100 10 Offensive Lions 69.700 11 Holy Family Defenders 68.400 12 Vagabonds 65.550 13 Marion Cadets 64.300 14 Cleveland Caballeros 63.750 15 Fulton Gauchos 63.150 16 Golden Knights 57.850 17 Belvederes 56.850 18 PAL Cadets 46.550 pretty good reason to get hooked on drum corps....U.S. Open...1977. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rayfallon Posted March 30, 2013 Share Posted March 30, 2013 Finals 1975 in Philadelphia - came home from 3 years overseas in 74 and joined Sunrisers (I aged out overseas). Pete China drove me down to Phila to Franklin Field. Wowed and amazed me - Madison was a force of nature. Loved SCV, 27, and many of the corps in prelims. Great experience. One of my favorite DCI experiences? VK at Camp Radall in 1992, especially the wildest minute in drum corps history as they summed up a lifetime of whackiness. Just when you thought it was over, as the fat lady prepared to sing - (cue the jaws music) I literally cried. Even with my Bridgemen background they captured me, 170% - off the charts funny and good enough to be worth the price of admission (that is where they trick lies - being funny is not the deal - corps do that once a year without trying - it's being good while being funny - it's not nearly as easy as it looks). Best DCI experience - on my worst DCI night - Atlanta 1984 - Cadets were simply incredible, and had to be, as BD might have done the other "best show in history" that same night. Long drive home from Atlanta. Hardest DCI experience... tough one between Bayonne 84 (out of finals) and Boston 1994 (in on Wednesday out on Friday) and I was on board for both. Maybe it's me... DCI been benny benny good to me... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
deloop Posted March 30, 2013 Share Posted March 30, 2013 First time I saw a live drum corps show was in uniform from the field. Hadn't even seen a video of any corps before auditioning. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zeke Posted March 30, 2013 Share Posted March 30, 2013 (edited) It was the Summer of 1987 while at band camp and our Band director had us take a break from the afternoon heat. He pops a tape into the vcr then All things great and glorious came before me. We watched Vanguard and Garfield. What was this thing called DCI and Drum and Bugle corps and why I hadn't heard of it before today? First live performance was 1990 RCC Show. Edited March 30, 2013 by Zeke 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mckdan Posted March 31, 2013 Share Posted March 31, 2013 My first drum corps experience was in 1977 when I marched with Troopers. The corps was really down that year and they were desperate for warm bodies to help fill the field. I played the plug-baritone (this meant that I was so terrible that Mr. Jones himself ordered my horn to be blocked with cotton to make sure NO sounds ever were even possibly heard) but I marched like a demon! (Also as ordered by Mr. Jones!) We stepped of the starting line, somewhere in Wisconsin, on our first show. The American flag squad proceeded to march from the back corner of the field directly towards the 40 yard line. The only problem was that they were supposed to march directly towards the 50! The entire corps used the flag squad as the basis for the first movement. I still don't know how we managed to get the corps on the right spots after that. We scored somewhere in the low 50's and truthfully did not come close to deserving that score. Although we did have a terrible year in 77 it was the base for our finals push in 1979. By the time I finished marching in Troopers I managed not only to learn how to play, I was a lead. No matter how many times I winced at what happened in my first show I will never forget or regret it! My first real experience with another corps was at the same show. I watched Guardsmen and was absolutely wowed by their great hornline. It was a real dream when we started beating their hornline in 79. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
whitedawn Posted March 31, 2013 Share Posted March 31, 2013 I was just wondering what everyone's first experience with DCI was, or the first time they heard of it. I don't remember the exact date, but it was the summer of 2000, and I would be entering high school that fall as a freshmen. Band was the only thing I was good at I might add. But one morning my band director called my house and asked if I wanted to go to a "professional" marching band show? It would be $20, and would be in Tulsa. Mom said it was fine so i said sure. The only reason I was asked was my house was on the way to the school. About 10 students went. We got there and there was the Cadets having their practice on the field and afterward the audience was allowed to ask questions. I was still so new to marching I can only remember three things. A guy asked why trombones were not allowed, I remember that because that's what I played. Why the Cadets had two moves when bringing their horns up or down: I remember this because we copied the movement for our last song in our marching band show that fall. And the question from the instructor if we were Blue Devils' fans, to which a few people clapped and the corps on the field booed.....That night....it was like a life changing experience......I was hooked. Little did I know that the Cadets would win/tie for first place at the world finals the next month. This is rad. I was on the field. I remember this day very well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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