oldguard

Good work! Thank you for posting! Some great up close and personal shots of the corp members in action here. I always enjoy a glimpse at the individual performer and seeing the intensity, the sweat and the near exhaustion on the faces. It really brings back the summer and reminds me why I want to be there in the audience ... next summer ... it's a long hard, haul away. It takes lots of time, money and commitment on the part of the performer. If you are looking for a reason to march ... again, or for the first time ... take a look at these faces ... and you will know why you should march ... for the 11 minutes when you will own that field. What you bring and what you leave will never equal what you take away... and what you take away, you have forever. I hope I will see you all on the field next summer.

I always enjoy reading your well-written reviews. I find very often as I read that you have expressed something I have thought myself. So often, in fact, that when you have a somewhat different take on a particular corps perfomance than I do, I stop and think it over to try to see it from your angle. Very often, I find myself aggreeing with you in the end. Thanks for sharing your thoughts and perceptions.

From DCP News: http://www.drumcorpsplanet.com/content/view/2389/28/ Quoted from article: http://morningsentinel.mainetoday.com/news...al/4230069.html "They take novices," Lund said, "and turn them into gold." :) Actually ... Two nice articles in DCP News about Spartans: http://www.drumcorpsplanet.com/content/view/2392/28/ Quote from 2nd article: http://enterprise.southofboston.com/articl...news/news11.txt "On Sept. 25, the city of Nashua plans to present everyone in the corps, including instructors, with personalized certificates in honor of their gold medal." Nice to know that drum corps marchers are still local heros. ^OO^

And one more ... Welcome back! and a ,,, ^OO^

I'm looking forward to it! :)

I am looking forward to hearing LVK's announcement. :)

Indeed. (Typo noted and corrected in the original.)

More Honorable Mentions ... East Coast Classic July 6th Lawrence, MA There were a couple of very good reviews of this show posted right after the event, so if you are looking for such you should scroll down through the reviews. I am just adding my own experience, here. This was Boston Crusaders Home Show and as someone else has already said, it looks like they have found a new home for this classic. This is a great location and facility for this show. It had been several years since I had visited this stadium and at the time it was in state of disrepair with rotting wooden seats, lack of plumbing and overall sense of despair and decay. I was very skeptical. Well, I will tell you .. the renovation job is beautiful! What a turn-around. The high old cement stands have been fixed and painted with new aluminum benches installed. New aluminum visitor stands have been erected on the other side. Great lighting on high poles you can see a half-mile away on the highway at night. The facilities under the stands were modern, clean and sanitary. The field is new high tech artificial turf. High praise to the city of Lawrence for rebuilding and creating such an inviting stadium for large events. Kudos to Boston Crusaders for making this choice and helping to bring back life to to this old mill city. Access off the highway is very easy. Parking was found in several lots and on streets nearby. The corps were clustered somewhere in a school lot up the side streets on the hill next to the stadium and could not be seen or heard until they arrived at their start time. I attended this show with my grandson and four of his band buddies, three boys and a girl, all around 11-13 and my granddaughter who is 9 and a friend of hers who was 10. We borrowed the family van for the night to have enough seat belts. One of the mothers thinks I am crazy, but I'd taken all the boys to a show last year and they had been well-behaved. Actually, they were a really good group this year. It turned out the older girl was very helpful with the younger two. But I am telling you right now, I am not renting a bus next year. This was the first time for most of these kids to see Division I corps and they really loved the show. I am going to give you their run-down as best as I can recall it ... remember these are kids talking ... Teal Sound ... they liked the corps uniforms, but not the guard uniforms ... there was some comment about looking like "killer bees." The girls liked the opening flags best, but they were not impressed with the guard show, especially the middle. They all enjoyed the opening music and were impressed with how loud the hornline was and that the drums were "booming" but this show had a little trouble holding their interest to the end. I actually really liked Teal Sound's repertoire. This music was quite lyrical. This was not one of their best efforts, though, and the drill was very dirty and the quality of sound just was not there. I am thinking that this corps took on a very ambitious opening tour, traveling all the way up and down the east coast from Florida and doing fourteen shows in about three weeks. It looks, though, like they had to do this much traveling to meet up with other Division II corps and they did a considerable number of Division I shows, too. After this they made their way back home, regrouped, reworked some of the show and when they hit the west coast they were smoking. In the final assessment, Teal Sound wins my biggest improvement of the year award, for what it's worth. Spartans ... five of these kids were already fans from last year. They were watching up the hill to see them coming. There was some confusion over the guard uniforms and some of the kids thought they looked like ... um ... native americans. My granddaughter set them straight. She said, "No they aren't. See the pretty skirts and the glittery scarves. They're dancers ... and they're like fortune tellers at the carnival. They got cards on some of their flags. I like the green flags the best and the one with the angel wing at the end." At this point the kids decided they should have had a tent. I was thinking ... no. My grandson then told them about the "wicked looking sickles" near the end and the boys sat up and paid attention. The sickles were for the death movement and were a recent, and quite effective, addition. The corps proper looked small coming on this field, in part because Teal was near full size, and in part because of the high stands. Spartans had about 100 members this year. Once they started playing though they seem to grow. Spartans know how to take a field, focus the audience attention and project. This was very good early season effort for them. The boys were greatly impressed by the drummers. The hornline was much cleaner and louder that Teal, who had at least fifteen more horns. They certainly impressed the "old timers" (like me) seated around us who did not miss the fact they are still playing on G's. I am really hoping that they are able to replace these, though, as they are starting to sound pretty well worn-out. As much as I like the sound of G horns, I am hoping that they go with new Bb horns in order to remain competitive and especially if they do plan to go Division I. On this night, Spartans were "on" and the kids enthused over the "awesomeness" of this corps. Crossmen ... This show just did not hold the kids attention. They were antsy and for a few minutes there I was starting to question the wisdom about bringing such a large group to a show. Therefore, I could not fully appreciate the performance. I actually liked this drill design, especially after it was cleaned somewhat by the end of the year. I think it was ambitious for a what was obviously a big re-building year for the Crossmen. The music did not work as well for me. I do wish they had chosen to use their actual show flags early in the season, as the solid color practice flags were not particularly effective. I have always liked this corps and support their efforts and look forward to seeing their show each year. This, however, was the only chance the Crossmen had to earn the adoration of seven eager new fans and it simply did not happen. Phantom Regiment ... I was found myself sitting in a nest of newly hatched "Phantom Phanatics." The kids sat entranced and then jumped out of their seats at the end. I think they would have liked to follow them to their buses. The girls loved the "birds' The boys only liked the "wicked black ones." They liked their fast-paced drill. They loved the firebird and the closer. Although I enjoyed this show, it was not my favorite Phantom effort. Last year at finals in Madison, they grabbed me in the chest and took my heart with them out the tunnel. This just did not happen for me this year. It seldom does. This was a great show, though, by a great, great corps and the kids will be fans forever. When they thanked me at the end of the night, they said they hope they to go again next year and the big question is already, "Will Phantom Regiment be there next year?" Cadets ... I admire the Cadets, but have one story to tell at this time ... at the end of their performance one of the girls, I think it was the oldest one, said rather loudly something such as this: "Why is the audience supposed to be all quiet and respectful and stuff if THEY just, like, TALK through the whole thing?" Blue Knights ... I found out as Blue Knights took the field that my granddaughter, who had seen this show in Nashua, had actually brought her dance class friend just to see this show. I was a little surprised by her choice as these were, indeed, dark dances. They told me what some of the steps and movements were called, but I have forgotten. The boys did like the drumline, particularly the bass line. They felt the music and drill was a little too "slow,' though. This was a choice for a more "mature" audience, I guess. Blue Knights was actually one of my favorite shows of the year. This is actually one of my favorite Blue Knights shows ever. Each step, each gesture, each note had a purpose. Each had a response, a reaction. Each held a promise for the next ... and for a brighter future. Perhaps you have had to have danced in the darkness to appreciate the light in this show. Much later in the year at the Stanford show, their performance would just reach out and fill me to the brim with it's beauty. More on that at another time ... Carolina Crown ... Everyone agreed it was a good thing I did not let them leave to follow Phantom Regiment. This performance was the kid-pick of the night. They loved everything about it. They loved the horses. All the girls decided they wanted to be in this guard. They all loved the drill, particularly the lasso, the corral, the fences, the race. They loved the musical performance, particularly the William Tell Overture. In the end, this was their favorite hornline of the night, their favorite show of the night. This is the one they jumped out of the van when we rolled in home after midnight ... (the ones that were awake, anyway) ... to go tell the grown-ups that they had missed it and to say "If Crown is there next year, I want to go and you should come!" Boston Crusaders ... I've said it before and I'll say it again ... you have to see Boston Crusaders perform on their own turf to "see" Boston Crusaders. Boston is the best in the eyes of their faithful beholders and they never let them down. This show concept was, I think, a good choice for Boston. The opener was excellent. I was almost overwhelmed by the color visuals in this show at one point and then I realized that, well, yeah, that is the essence of Picasso. My favorite music piece was the Piazzolla, but I think overall the arrangements of these pieces were a bit muddy. The guard did a wonderful job and I did like the off-beat equipment choices. It was not a kid-friendly concept, though, and their appreciation extended only to the loudness of the hornline and the classiness of their uniforms and way they stood and marched. In other words, they really liked the look of this corps but the show went over their heads. The home crowd, however, loved their favorite corps. The Boston Crusader Alumni Corps then dazzled us with some great old gems. "California Dreamin'" was a real good time. "Conquest" had the crowd clapping at the first notes and on their feet for the finish. There was a huge 50/50 pot ... (alas, again I did not win) ... half of which was donated back by the one who did. This is an indicator of how large, how enthusiastic, how supportive, how much of a drum corps fanatic crowd this was. A great night for drum corps in the northeast and a show date I will be putting on my calendar for years to come. Hope even more of you in the northeast join us next year. But you are going to have to get your own ride ... I repeat ... I am not renting a bus next year ... although I would take these kids again ... and, apparently, they have no plans to give up their seat. I just love it when drum corps claims the heart of another kid.

Thanks for adding to the appreciation of the season by offering your picks. We agree on a great many things, particularly the "Good" ... and hopes for " ... A sold out crowd ..." in 2008.

The Full Story: I am sorry for the very long delay getting to this review. As an excuse I will claim it has been a non-stop time with all the details I had to tie up before I could leave. Then I when we were traveling, I just booted up the computer to keep up with business and other essentials, and since I have been back, well, there is all that stuff that is in deep piles waiting to be done. The following is from memory, but for those few who have asked me for reviews and still might want to read, I'll do my best. Without a doubt, it will not be the review I might have written had I taken the time earlier. This was my pick for all-around favorite show of the year: Fiesta de Musica Sunday, July 15th Manchester, NH Sunday in the northeast that day was spent wondering if the weather was going to cooperate with the last drum corps event of the season for our small part of the country. I left CT early Sunday morning with my grandson after the New London Show and headed north through on and off storm squalls. Some of them were pretty strong, but we were both staying optimistic as this was the show he had been most waiting for so far this summer. His Mom and Dad, along with his sister and little brother, were coming with us to his Dad's first drum corps show ever and his Mom's first in over ten years. When we rolled into his home at noon with the rain pelting our backs, his Mom greeted us with hugs, kisses and a cheery "so the show has been cancelled, right?' Not so, my dear. "So we are going to drive all that ways just to have it cancelled at the last minute?" Not likely, my dear. You would think that she would recall that drum corps aficionados are a tougher breed than those who might let a small piece of weather cancel their fun. With a groan she served up lunch, packed the rain gear and grumbled out the door and trundled off to Manchester. My grandson was smiling so bright it should have burned off the clouds. This is the day Mom and Dad had promised to "check it out" regarding this drum corps stuff and his possible future in this activity. Since we had just seen all the scheduled corps the night before, my grandson kept a non-stop preview running about the awesomeness of it all. As I watched my daughter's eyes glaze over and start to roll up in her head, I tried to steer the conversation to other things, before she tried to grab the wheel, hijack the family van and escape back to sanctuary of her barn. I was driving, my daughter next to me, with the two older kids behind us and my son in law enjoying the relative quite of rear-most seat, snoozing with the little guy. When we got to the show site, it was still deluging but we crept into the lot for their new school sports complex. There were already many cars huddled together as close to the gate as you could get. The corps were directed to a lot on the other side of the field, up a different street, and beyond another school somewhere. So we just sat awhile and hoped the weather would break. Forecast was for it to start to clear after 9:30pm ... just in time for the show to be ending... (turned out they were wrong on most counts.) At some point, someone trundled down from the ticket booth in a poncho and said that they were thinking of delaying the show for a short while. A little after five, when the rain had lessened to a heavy shower, there was a shout that the field was rubberized and drained well and they were going to try to start on time. Showtime! The car doors were flung open and an amazing number of people suddenly emerged with their rain gear, umbrellas, tarps and hastened up the hill to the gate. This was, indeed, a brand new field with new aluminum stands built against the hill which you entered from the top. The field below us was nice artificial turf with a wide track around it. On the other side under the overhang of a low field building, our hosts, the Muchachos, an All-Age Corps who have recently been approved by DCI to perform at their events, started assembling for their opening exhibition. The corps were parked somewhere on the other side up the street beyond what may have been another school. They had a long haul in and out that the pit kids definitely must have enjoyed more on the down-hill ride coming on as opposed to the uphill battle after they had performed. The Spartan souvenir trailer was parked opposite the gate and was doing a brisk business selling towels with their logo for those who had not brought something to wipe down the wet seats. The ticket both was a few feet from the main entrance. The Muchachos were selling programs and event t-shirts and it is clear that these people understand all the details that make an ordinary drum corps show become more memorable. Within a matter of minutes the seats between the 30's were pretty much full and everyone prepared for the weather and set up their weatherproofed stations. This was a polite and enthusiastic crowd, though, and I do not think anyone's view was obstructed. Quite a few people also stood above fence around the seats as the blacktop around the top of the stands afforded good view of the field. My family spread our our folded plastic tarps, our stadium seats and cushions with the older kids on the row in front of us. The toddler kind of went back and forth to wherever he would be best behaved for the moment, most often on Dad's lap. Whenever the corps were actually performing he did a fine job of sitting up and paying attention. My daughter looked around and rolled her eyes and muttered some comment about "silly drum corps people who do not have enough sense to stay out of the rain." Rain has never kept this woman from being out in the woods and fields or on a river with a pack or her horse or an oar so I just smiled and let it slide. My grandson continued to be a non-stop advertisement for the up-coming show. He perused the line-up in his soggy program and gave us all things to watch for and not to miss. It was interesting to hear some of the things he mentioned. some of which I had overlooked, even though we were obviously at the same shows. He did this in between shows, too. The announcer soon called us to attention for the National Anthem played ably by the Muchachos. The announcer did a nice job, friendly and professional, and even gave us the repertoire for each corps as they came on the field. Then Muchachos then opened the show with some new and old favorites in a standstill exhibition performance. They were great hosts and really got the audience in the mood for a solid night of drum corps. They have an "old school" sound to them and some very fine solo performers. Looking at the list of performers, I see they have many family connections among their corps members. The crowd pleasing favorite was Herb Alpert's signature tune "The Lonely Bull." I admit spent most of time watching the three terrific snare drummers at the center of the arc. When I mentioned this at the end, my son-in-law started talking drum technique. My grandson said, "How do you know, Dad?" and he replied, "Well I used to drum a lot when I was in school." This little statement was apparently a big surprise to everyone, as my daughter's mouth dropped, and my oldest grandson said, "You had drums? Where are they? Will you teach me to play?" and the littlest guy declared "I want a drum, too!" Fortunately this discussion was put aside because we saw Dutch Boy advancing toward the field. I've already covered their performance so I will only add that there were some misfires in the usually stronger guard that day and some balance issues in the hornline that were just enough to let the corps from CT, who was very much "on" that day, to jump ahead of them in the scores. My son-in law was most impressed with their percussion skills of all the Division III corps. He went so far as to say that he thought their front ensemble was the best of the night. The next corps up was Spirit of Newark, NJ. This is a corps that I much admire. There are some really good people putting together a program for some kids who might never get a chance to march drum corps without their efforts. Staff here is doing a nice job and the kids are learning a lot about themselves and how to work toward their goals. As I said in the New London review, this corps has stepped it up visually this year. It was still very early season for them that night but I could already see some progress in their drill and musicianship. Their phrasing was much better for one thing. My newly discovered percussion critic said he felt that there was a lot of raw talent in this corps that was for some reason was not living up to their potential. This corps covered a huge amount of ground between NH and Pasadena and I am not talking just about the miles they travelled. The next corps was Les Stentors from Quebec. This was the smallest corps I saw all year who just met the 30 member minimum. Nonetheless, they put on a very interesting show. Les Stentors have, I think, a unique sound and approach to programing. Repertoire included "Tribes", "Mekaron" and Paulino Faiakan" from Amazonia and "Leviathan against Kraken" from Blue Horizons. All of this music was new to me and it had an exotic flavor to it that included some interesting effects from the front ensemble. It evoked the jungle and creatures unseen in the depths. That the sky was dripping a bit here and there somehow added to the effect. After taking a year off from touring it was good to see this corps back in the show and although they did not make the trek to Pasadena, I see their tour did take them as far west as Madison before they headed back to Quebec. An announcer two years ago mentioned that this corps had to travel 600 miles to get a competition. Last year they did not field a corps. I applaud the efforts of these dedicated people who are keeping drum corps alive for those kids who want to participate. Throughout these first few corps the rain did spit a little here and there, but the skies were definitely lightening and the clouds breaking up. During intermission, most people seemed to pull off some of the raingear, stretch, wander down to the concessions and dry off a little. The second half of the show began with an outstanding performance by 7th Regiment. This was another very small corps, but they had some very mature performers, particularly in their guard and hornline. There were a couple of very good solo trumpet players. The drill was quite clean and visually this corps has made some great strides in their presentation. Although they chose some well known music, such as Ginastera's "Overture to the Crelo Fausto" and Chick Correa's "Day Danse" and made the popular choice of a Spanish theme, it was very well-done, especially the bullfighter scene in the end. Nice guard soloist. The hornline musically carried this corps on this particular night. My son-in law said they really needed more snares and tenors in this line. This corps is only a few years old and have had some very young memberships, but I would say they look to be coming of age with this year's program. I am very much looking forward to seeing where this takes them next summer.. Hopefully, they will be able to journey to finals in Indianapolis. The next corps was the Targets, who put on a show called "Stargate Atlantis." Since I am not really familiar with this music, my family could not shed much light on it other than to say they thought it came from a television series and there was no repertoire listed in the program, I can only tell you that it was obviously a sci-fi theme with a large circular portal as prop and for staging, a good guy vs. bad guy mock battle in the guard show. The corps members seemed to obviously like what they were performing. My grandson did like this show and his preview mentioned how they had this "great exit through the stargate." Again with this corps the weather actually added to the effect as the cross breeze kept moving the fabric strips covering the portal and it added an eerie effect. The music did seem to be well-arranged for this corps and it played to their hornline strengths, the mello solos and low brass. These kids in this corps display a very obvious pride in what they are doing that never fails to remind me of drum corps roots. During their show we were also treated to some interesting sky effects with a sun setting somewhere behind a broken cloud bank. Citations came on next and had obviously brought a strong contingent of supporters. They, too, were getting on a "Latin Groove" and played some old favorites such part of Los Endos Suite, Hank Levy's "Pegasus", Correa's "My Spanish Heart", and Michael Camilo's "On Fire". Their guard added a great deal to their show all year long. There was some good dance moves, very nice rifle line, attractive and well handled silks. The brass line was very good that night. According to the arm chair drummer, their battery was "pretty good." This is definitely a corps that fed off audience enthusiasm and the crowd was loving it. The sky backdrop was at it's most colorful stage of bright red and gold for this performance. I really liked this show. I honestly thought they unfortunately lost a little of their early season fire on their west coast tour. The last competitor of the night was the only Division II corps, Spartans. The only thing that could have made this night even better would have been for another corps or two in this division. The Spartans, however, came out as if this was a big showdown. This audience was far and away a Spartan crowd. I suspect most every family with someone in the corps was there to see their last New England performance. This was quite a young Spartan corps, I think, and they, too, fed off their crowd's enthusiasm. One thing I have noticed in the many shows that I have attended in the last couple of years is that the Spartan parents are a very supportive group of people, not only for their own corps, but for all the corps. I've seen many, many Spartan folks on their feet at the end of each performance applauding each corps as they pass in review. It is something I notice, because it is a custom I follow myself. On of the things I really like about the Div II/III shows it that the corps always pass in review and give us one more chance to show our appreciation. Although this Spartan performance did not have all the detail of the final version of the show ... for example the big "tarot card" posters were added later on the west coast tour and the fortune teller at this point had just joined the guard and spent most of the show seated at her table with her cards and crystal ball ... it was the performance during which you could see they were ready to take it to the next level and step it up for the end of season. Other than the final Saturday, this was, in my opinion, their finest performance I saw all year. The night before in New London, their were definite issues in the hornline and corps as a whole looked sluggish, something that seemed to happen from time to time all season. I am thinking youth, inexperience, as well as a longer tour exacted a toll. Apparently, there was at least one or two shows early on where they did not have their food truck and at one show they were seen borrowing from Dutch Boy. Kudos to the people at Dutch Boy for helping out another corps in a time of need. This is a corps that struggled and overcame. In my mind, this only shows how hard they worked and how much they poured into it to reach that final golden outcome. On this night in Manchester, though, the Spartans were on fire an lit the deepening storm clouds ablaze in a deep smoldering red. This performance was cleaner than I had seen all year. The few people who were challenged by the music and drill reached inside themselves and found they had what it takes. The hornline sound was full and balanced. When they played the ballad, it was simply beautiful.. This was for the "Lovers" card and the drill ended with a heart with an arrow shot through it ... a very fitting set for a this corps. One thing that gets me about the Spartans is the size of their heart. This hornline does not stand there and play. Even when they appear to be in concert position, they are moving, weaving, dancing in unison ... very demanding for a hornplayer. The front ensemble turned a corner that night when they entered the stadium and they did not look back. It was the first time I felt I had seen them "click." My new percussion commentator said although there were two very good mallet players, at least one of the others looked like he was very new to handling double mallets. He said they looked to be just starting to gel as an ensemble. Of the battery, he said the bass line was excellent and that they played a considerable number of 16th notes, that the tenor line and the snares were very talented and that they were playing well together. He said he thought the battery also had a lot of other considerations to handle in terms of visuals and that he felt the work was pretty demanding. It is the attention to the smallest details that raises this corps up a level. The design team takes a concept, teaches the basics and step by step they add and embellish as they go along, as the corp members are ready for the next round of improvements. Think of a rough sketch to which an artist adds layer and layer until the final masterpiece is achieved. It is, I think, a very effective method. Usually, they take what would seem to be a simple concept, but tums out to be multi-faceted. This show was very complex. The music and drill and visuals had to express each card chosen ... the power and control of the Emperor and Strength, the whimsy of the Fool, the artistry of the Magician, the tenderness of the Lovers, the joy of the Sun, the conflict and pain of Death, and in the end, Judgement ... all in less than 11 minutes. It was a formidable program. The guard, as always, was given the principle role of evoking these emotions, and this they did ... in an exhausting, ever moving, constantly spinning, tapestry of color and depth. This is, indeed, an amazing guard .... and amazing corps ... smaller, but equal in every other way to a top ten Division I effort. At the end of the show, the Muchachos again made efforts to add to the enjoyment of the night, handing out several gift certificates donated by local restaurants and businesses along with the 50/50 raffle drawing. The Spartans and Muchachos played "America" for us and you could see a camaraderie between them as they came out ... two corps with a mutual respect and appreciation for each other. They played well together. Then the Spartans played the standstill encore ... first their corps anthem, "Fire of Eternal Glory" and then their show music. I'll tell you, it was the perfect end to a great night of drum corps. No one left, even as the skies started to weep. Just as the Spartans played the last notes, the clouds burst open and the rain came down ... it was as I said that night ... as if the angels wept. Why was this my favorite show of the year? Pretty obviously, it had everything that makes a show memorable for me ... good facility ... good hosts ... good performances ... good audience ... just a great night of drum corps with my family. Thanks to everyone who shared this night with me.

Thanks for your kind words and your patience. I have been really remiss in my reviewing this year. Time to catch up some ...

Thank you ... for taking the time to give us the correct info ... (my grandson, I suspect, who is now 12 looks for kids who might be younger to use as a "see that guy is younger than me and is already marching" leverage tool)... but thanks most of all for your role in drum corps. I am already looking forward to seeing what Dutch Boy comes up with for a show design for next year. :)

Thank you all for the kind words. Partial preview of the Manchester Show review below. The full story is coming, I promise. I am very long-winded, but I have to write when I have time and the muse strikes. The trip to finals week was a year in the planning stages. Last year, before my grandson and I had even left Madison, we were talking about "next year in Pasadena." I run my own business and for a very long time it was pretty much a one-man operation. A few years ago circumstances necessitated me finding someone to take over when I could not be there. Fortunately, I had an employee who was more than capable of taking on increased responsibilities. He's a junior partner, now, and the long range goal is that in a few more years he will buy me out, as there is no one in my family who will likely want to take on this business anytime in the foreseeable future. Personally, I think he actually likes having me take an extended vacation so he can enjoy being his own boss. I do not have a problem with this. When I "retire" I will have plenty of work as a consultant, if I want it. The big surprise was when his Dad said he wanted to come with us. My son-in law is a great guy and we have always had a good relationship although we have never spent that much time together. He is a good husband and a good dad. My grandson has been pestering his parents about marching since last summer. I think his Dad saw at the Manchester show just how much his son lights up when a corps takes the field and decided this was his chance to see what drum corps has to offer and to spend some time with his kid before he hops on the bus. This was tough all around on my daughter, though, as they are partners in profession as well as in life. So she was left with the two younger kids, keeping up with the house, the barn and their animals and the bulk of his workload along with her own for three weeks. She is very capable so she handled it all okay ... and we three guys, I admit, had the time of our lives ... heh, heh, heh ... :P ... more Honorable Mentions ... Dutch Boy ... 2007: A Space Odyssey was one of our favorite shows of the year .. I saw this one several times very early on when it was still quite rough, although all the pieces were there. This is a show which really took off. (Bad pun, I know) Seriously, I am impressed with how far the were able to bring this show. There was some very major competition in Division III this year for those top spots and even for a place in the semifinals. By the end of the season they were polished and primed and ready to launch when they hit the field and earned that bronze medal in the finals by a few tenths from Revolution, who had a really fine show of their own. My favorite story about this show is from the Manchester show. My grandson and I had driven down to CT for the New London Show so we had just seen this corps the night before, he for the first time. My grandson was giving previews to his family about each corps. About Dutch Boy he said. "This show is so awesome. They got this rocket ship in the drill in the opener and the flags look like fire from the exhaust (at least even I got that part) ... and they got this kid as young as me playing one of the bass drums and at least two on the trumpet, too, ... (on close look, yeah, they definitely had kids as young as 10 or 11 out there) "... and the guard is dressed like astronauts with the Canadian flag on their back and (to his sister who loves the flags) you're going to love this part where the guard lays on their backs and spins the flag around their knees." At this point I said, "Huh? When was that?" He looked at me like I must have been blind and said, "You know, in the middle with the white flags with the red crosses on them?" I asked him if that was before or after the two-sided black and gray flags (my favorite ... they had some really effective work with these), and he correctly told me, "Before, but after they played "Moondance" and wait till you hear what they play in the end when the corps marches off and they guard stays there like stars in the sky! Don't tell them, Grandpa." (Good thing they did not ask.) I was amazed at how much he took in, some of which I had missed completely. For the record, as they marched off toward the end zone and left the flags posed, well, like stars in the sky, my smallest grandson who is only three, announced for everyone around us, "Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star!" What an entertaining, well written, well played show. Well done, Dutch Boy!

In keeping with last year's rambles ... Reflecting on the 2007 season, the following are the Top 10 most memorable moments for me: 1) the Manchester, NH, Show ... for me, it just doesn't get any better than this ... (Among other things, my daughter attended her first drum corps show in over ten years with me, her husband and three children. I just cannot tell you what it means to me to have my family with me. The look on her face (and on my grandson's face) will stay with me forever when in the end my son-in law, who had just watched his first drum corps show ever, announced "So, I'm thinking that I could just re-arrange my schedule and go with you two next week when you head west for those finals. What does everybody think?" ) ... and, yes, I am still going to write that review; 2) following the bus fumes rolling westward in the RV with my grandson as navigator and my son-in law as co-pilot, with the drum corps CD's in the player and the volume turned up; 3) Spartans' Final performance ... this is just a great drum corps; 4) Crown's show anywhere and everywhere all season long ... it was simply the family favorite; 5) Memphis Sound's ballad at Finals; 6) watching my son-in law watch my grandson watch Madison Scouts' Semi-finals performance and both of us turning away while my grandson surreptitiously swiped his eyes; 7) the Indianapolis Show watching Capital Sound and Colt Cadets complete their season; 8) the Stanford Show and just knowing at the end of the night that Blue Devils were going to take this triumphant, glorious dance all the way to winged victory; 9) walking alone in the dark one night after a show in the early season and coming upon a certain uniformed hornline in the arc blocking the street playing a certain song quietly for themselves, their corps, the few neighbors on the lawns, the few cars they had stopped ... and me; 10) sitting in the Rose Bowl as it slowly emptied with my grandson in the middle with one arm around my son-in-law and the other around me and realizing that in drum corps, as in life, things rarely work out as you would have them do so, or even expect them to, but that if you look closely and remain open to the possibilities of life as it unfolds, you will see the beauty and the greatness in the some things and find comfort and salvation in the others and a hand that guides us all; Honorable Mentions ... the Anaheim Kingsman Alumni Corps ... one great step back in time and one great new moment in drum corps history; camping out on a ridge in the northwest and playing a trio ... me and my grandson on horns and my son-in-law keeping the beat (he was a drummer and a jazz saxophone player in high school and college band and no one, not even my daughter who met him after he'd completed grad school, knew ... and trying to catch the echo; the Firebird Duet; Spirit of Newark's formidible Prelims performance; seeing the Velvet Knights reincarnate and take the field again; ... more to come ...

Best wishes to all auditionees for 2008. I hope to see you all on the field next summer. And thanks for choosing to join drum corps.

Rumor or fact ... and I'm inclined to accept it as fact ... the writing is on the wall ... either one or both of these corps would be a great addition to Division I. Go for it! Best wishes to Jersey Surf and Spartans for a long successful future wherever it may lead you.

I second that emotion.

I'll just keep buying tickets and going to shows and writing an occasional review. Speaking of which, I have a few reviews to catch up on now that I am back ... and what a long great trip it has been! :D More later.

Nice clip. Good show. Great fun. VK is my pick for "rookies of the year" for 2007. Hmmm ... can the Velvet Knights be considered rookies? Okay ... how about "comeback of the year award"? Hey, I'll just give them both and call it even.

Great news! The first drum corps show in the "newly rebuilt Manning Bowl"? I'm buying my ticket! Best wishes to East Coast Jazz and every one involved with this endeavor!

Excellent read and words that shoud be "taken to heart."

Congratulations, Spartans! and thank you.

Congratulations and thank you, Memphis Sound! Well done! I loved the music. Wonderful ballad. Nice guard. Tight percussion. One of best and most musical front ensembles I heard all season. The drill was well written to maximize your sound and yet it was interesting enough to keep the audience engaged. Good marching skills. Everything I look for in a drum corps show. And you never let up. You hit the ground running and left it on the field. Excellent final performance. Memphis Sound has always been a very successful corps in my eyes. It is good to see some recognition for their efforts. And I am expecting even greater things in the future to come from this corps.

... and three very happy travelers from the east coast, who almost did not make it. Great show! It was great to see such an appreciative and supportive (albeit small) audience. PS: (I signed on today for the first time since the night of the Manchester, NH, show and found private messages asking for reviews. I am sorry to those who have asked that my reviews have been few and far between this year. I shall try to make up for it sometime after we return.)

I can't believe I'm sitting here in a truck stop, still over three hours from home, on my wireless typing a DCP message, but, hey, I guess there is a first time for eveything ... Muchachos ... Dutch Boy ... Spirit of Newark ... Les Stentors ... 7th Regiment ... Targets ... Citations ... Spartans: Thank You! It was simply a great drum corps show. Spartans ... you brought it and you left it on the field ... the best performance I have seen this year ... from anyone, anywhere. Everyone played their part tonight ... the way I know you can. And in the end, the angels wept. Full review to follow after the long drive and some sleep. Good night, Drum Corps Planet.