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Please forgive me if this topic has been done before but I wanted a topic that focused on the emotional aspects of drum corps. What shows get to you smile, cry, jump, sing, and so on? Let me give you an example. To this day, I remember three shows that solidified by love for music and music performance, namely Phantom Regiment's take on Dvorak's Symphony 9 (1989), Garfield's Les Miserables (1989), and Santa Clara's Phantom of the Opera (1989). Just hearing this music propelled me to purchase the source music and I have loved this music ever since. My love for it led me to pursue a music education degree, although I did not have the natural talent to complete it (I got a degree in something else and glad I did.), but I love music and so much appreciate the work it takes to be a great performer of it. I can take this love and appreciation right back to drum corps.

Now we can all look at shows from multiple perspectives and often do so, but what shows to touch you all where you say, "I know that this show couldn't compete to win, but the members just brought it and stretched their performance level to what they could to the show." For me, I think of Crown 2007 (Triple Crown), 1992 Crossmen (Planet Show), 2012 Crossmen (Fragile), etc. These are shows that I can listen to over and over because I sense that the members just brought it and put their best efforts forward and I'm so appreciative of them.

Just have fun with this and remember how much you love music itself.

 

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1989 Suncoast Sound: the corps that knew it could. Rough start to the season... steadily improved all summer, and then dazzled at nationals with arguably one of the best smaller hornlines in the activity. Rumor was only 40 were playing (others were on the field for visual).  They were 9th overall, but brass snagged 3rd (ahead of Blue Devils) at semi-finals. Listen to the recording... such a full, dark, smooth, balanced, brass sound.  No rough edges, superior TQ and intonation.  Their colorguard was also superior (top 5). This is my go-to show for inspiration when I'm feeling like an underdog. They folded after this season. Glad they went out in style, with something to smile about. Kudos to the organization for holding things together long enough to give the kids a great summer. 

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Blue Knights 2014...for obvious reasons

Blue Knights 2005 (this show (and only this show) made me want to March DCI but I had to work during the summer the following year to pay for college.  It was musically rich, somewhat profound and dark at times).

Bluecoats 2001(great emotional performance, great soloist, first time the Bluecoats broke 90, they somehow beat phantom in brass)

Phantom 1992 (best performance of 1812)

Have fallen in love with the great jazz shows of SOA and Madison over the years too.

Edited by ThePlanets
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1 hour ago, Ediker said:

1989 Suncoast Sound: the corps that knew it could.   They were 9th overall, but brass snagged 3rd (ahead of Blue Devils) at semi-finals. 

I was always amazed at how brass judge Bill Doyle seemed to be a GREAT fan of Suncoast Sound.  In that '89 championship, it was him that awarded Suncoast 3rd place, while at finals Mike Rubino gave them 9th.  In '86 Doyle had them 1st at finals, while Dallas Niermeyer had them 3rd at prelims.  In '84, Doyle gave Suncoast 1st at prelims, while Bernard Baggs had them 6th at finals.

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12 minutes ago, Northern Thunder said:

I was always amazed at how brass judge Bill Doyle seemed to be a GREAT fan of Suncoast Sound.  In that '89 championship, it was him that awarded Suncoast 3rd place, while at finals Mike Rubino gave them 9th.  In '86 Doyle had them 1st at finals, while Dallas Niermeyer had them 3rd at prelims.  In '84, Doyle gave Suncoast 1st at prelims, while Bernard Baggs had them 6th at finals.

Yeah, it's possible he was biased. Both GE and Performance judges had Suncoast's brass third. Listening to all of the corps that year does indicate that he was onto something. Unlike others, their sound is completely devoid of any harshness or edge to their tone. Every note was flawlessly attacked and released. They sound so distinctly refined imo. 

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1984 Cadets. As a young trumpet player, I went to shows to listen to horn lines. Prior to this show, an 11-minute stand still would have been okay by me. I was in college in 84 and for the first time, I became captivated by the drill and how it allowed a gifted corps to enhance the experience of listening to live music through movement on a stage as uniquely large as a football field. For me, it was less about the visual, but more about how I experienced the sound. (In Whitewater I also witnessed first hand what could happen when the drill went amiss). There are too many other memories to list here. I think it's the consistent, cumulative effect of all of these emotional moments that have kept me a close follower and advocate of this activity from my pre-teen years to my early 50's.

Edited by mrk
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Boston.  The others same over the past 5 years.

 

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13 minutes ago, mrk said:

1984 Cadets. As a young trumpet player, I went to shows to listen to horn lines. Prior to this show, an 11-minute stand still would have been okay by me. I was in college in 84 and for the first time, I became captivated by the drill and how it allowed a gifted corps to enhance the experience of listening to live music through movement on a stage as uniquely large as a football field. For me, it was less about the visual, but more about how I experienced the sound. (In Whitewater I also witnessed first hand what could happen when the drill went amiss). There are too many other memories to list here. I think it's the consistent, cumulative effect of all of these emotional moments that have kept me a close follower and advocate of this activity from my pre-teen years to my early 50's.

An excellent post that really gets to my intent for the OP.

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