Great Openers You've Rediscovered

[garfield]

And it's Christmasey, too:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n33KOXXRYDk

One of the all-time greats, IMO.

[Fish]

That's some of my favorite few minutes of drum corps right there. Fantastic book there like you said, was listening to it full blast in my car on the way to work last week and I just love it.

After Myron Rosanders passing, I pulled out some DVDs to watch some of his creations and came back across 2002s "Trivandrum". A few minutes of unrelenting, almost angry, and intense drum corps. I believe that was an original chart? Regardless, easily one of my favorite openers I had kinda forgotten about.

I agree..Trivandrum is amazing. In fact that whole show is great!

[DrumManTx]

I agree..Trivandrum is amazing. In fact that whole show is great!

Totally, really love the ballad too, gorgeous stuff. When it comes to Vanguard, lots of focus on 1999 and 2004, and deservingly so, but the shows between are my favorites from Vanguard. 2001s "Short Ride in a Fast Machine" is another (though definitely never rediscovered because I listen to it a lot) great one.

Edited December 23, 2015 by DrumManTx

[Chief Guns]

BD 2007.

[garfield]

I've always appreciated the mood-setting quality of the standard opener, but favorites have generally been those that reach up into the stands and grab me by the throat as if to say "Pay Attention!". There have been several over the years but, by far, the most impactful and the one I can hum from memory to this day is...

1983 Rocky. Point. Holiday.

It just screamed "HEY YOU" in the opening two notes, then launched off on a wild ride of emotion through several mood changes, never once loosing the tempo through some amazingly complex meter changes on the run. The incredible bass drum runs, flag silk-snapping, pole smacking, triple-tonguing. I remember being out of breath by the end of that opener.

Then we were all treated to a strong reprise in the closer that drove and drove and drove in that pounding lyrical tempo right until the very cutoff.

I'm likely coloring my recollection but, for many of us, 1983 Garfield was our introduction to a whole-new level of drum corps, and it was Garfield that proclaimed it loudest that year. I remember the chants so clearly...we all screamed "EAST, EAST, EAST" (me, too, even if from the Midwest).

I remember my wife and I sat next to a Garfield guard member on the plane the next morning at 6am. Her face was still painted with makeup, her hair still glopped up on top of her head, her adrenaline still running high and preventing her from sleeping. When I instantly engaged her to tell us of her thoughts and experience, her only words to me were

"For us, as a group, we felt like we were creating history. In the huddle afterwards we all sensed that it would never be same after that show."

I've loved tons of openers but, man, THAT one will always be the benchmark to beat, for me.

Edited December 24, 2015 by garfield

[mfrontz]

I've always appreciated the mood-setting quality of the standard opener, but favorites have generally been those that reach up into the stands and grab me by the throat as if to say "Pay Attention!". There have been several over the years but, by far, the most impactful and the one I can hum from memory to this day is...

1983 Rocky. Point. Holiday.

It just screamed "HEY YOU" in the opening two notes, then launched off on a wild ride of emotion through several mood changes, never once loosing the tempo through some amazingly complex meter changes on the run. The incredible bass drum runs, flag silk-snapping, pole smacking, triple-tonguing. I remember being out of breath by the end of that opener.

Then we were all treated to a strong reprise in the closer that drove and drove and drove in that pounding lyrical tempo right until the very cutoff.

I'm likely coloring my recollection but, for many of us, 1983 Garfield was our introduction to a whole-new level of drum corps, and it was Garfield that proclaimed it loudest that year. I remember the chants so clearly...we all screamed "EAST, EAST, EAST" (me, too, even if from the Midwest).

I remember my wife and I sat next to a Garfield guard member on the plane the next morning at 6am. Her face was still painted with makeup, her hair still glopped up on top of her head, her adrenaline still running high and preventing her from sleeping. When I instantly engaged her to tell us of her thoughts and experience, her only words to me were

"For us, as a group, we felt like we were creating history. In the huddle afterwards we all sensed that it would never be same after that show."

I've loved tons of openers but, man, THAT one will always be the benchmark to beat, for me.

She was right.

[Dave Scott]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BkNUF7H08dI

An oldie, but a goodie, McDuffy's March

[HornTeacher]

I've always appreciated the mood-setting quality of the standard opener, but favorites have generally been those that reach up into the stands and grab me by the throat as if to say "Pay Attention!". There have been several over the years but, by far, the most impactful and the one I can hum from memory to this day is...

1983 Rocky. Point. Holiday.

It just screamed "HEY YOU" in the opening two notes, then launched off on a wild ride of emotion through several mood changes, never once loosing the tempo through some amazingly complex meter changes on the run. The incredible bass drum runs, flag silk-snapping, pole smacking, triple-tonguing. I remember being out of breath by the end of that opener.

Then we were all treated to a strong reprise in the closer that drove and drove and drove in that pounding lyrical tempo right until the very cutoff.

I'm likely coloring my recollection but, for many of us, 1983 Garfield was our introduction to a whole-new level of drum corps, and it was Garfield that proclaimed it loudest that year. I remember the chants so clearly...we all screamed "EAST, EAST, EAST" (me, too, even if from the Midwest).

I remember my wife and I sat next to a Garfield guard member on the plane the next morning at 6am. Her face was still painted with makeup, her hair still glopped up on top of her head, her adrenaline still running high and preventing her from sleeping. When I instantly engaged her to tell us of her thoughts and experience, her only words to me were

"For us, as a group, we felt like we were creating history. In the huddle afterwards we all sensed that it would never be same after that show."

I've loved tons of openers but, man, THAT one will always be the benchmark to beat, for me.

Can I "like" this post a hundred thousand times?? Please?? Pretty please?? I still find myself going back to watch it at least once a month (or did...until my daughter accidently tossed a couple of my "Best of" video tapes while absent-mindedly cleaning out the video case -- grrrrr). And pssssst...I'm not even a huge Cadets fan (please...don't tell my Joisey wifey that).

Edited December 24, 2015 by HornTeacher