Chris McDowell

***UPDATE*** Went with my daughter's high school band to Sevier County for a game the other night. They have not installed turf as I was told. I did find out that the Sevier County school system has pretty much decimated the school music program to where the high school band there has thirty less kids than last year. I'm sure with the band being so small that they didn't feel like they had the resources to continue hosting a DCI show.

Was talking with someone today who told me that Sevier County H.S. was indeed installing a turf field this summer. All hope is not lost for the show returning to the lineup in 2014. If they do resume next year, the slope of the field should certainly be less!

I was there that night! More than the field performances, I remember the parking lot performance the Crossmen did for the Spirit kids. It was a night that further bonded those two corps for years to come.

No delay in my theater (Knoxville) This has been the first time that upon occasion, the volume was painfully high, particularly during the replays of the excerpts of earlier corps.

In 2002, Symphony #2 was done by the Vanguard, not the cadet corps.

I got hooked on Tuesday, August 9, 1977 in Martin TN. Little did I know that that night would begin a lifelong love affair with Drum Corps! 1 Kilts 81.050 2 Garfield Cadets 79.700 3 Guardsmen 79.450 4 Crossmen 78.550 5 Capitol Aires 54.300 6 Sword Excalibur 50.800

My nine year-old daughter, going to her first contest, liked the Troopers best. During part of the Trooper's show when the crowd was quiet, she said loudly "Hey, they're doing a train!". I'll talk with her later about proper decorum!

Could be interesting if a kid in the corps facing backfield looks to find himself in the jumbotron, sees himself out of alignment and makes his correction!

I always liked these: From Flushing, NY, the Flushing Toileteers The Stealthmen

In Knoxville, we had bad thunderstorms and you know what that means! Lost the feed near the end of Bluecoats opener and didn't get it back until after Phantom's opener, although we did get to listen to audio of the Cadets. The manager handled it well, keeping the crowd informed and giving out free movie passes at the end. We also missed the audio at the very beginning up until Southwind stepped off. The sound wasn't cranked up until the 2nd corps but was good after that. I just wish they would have turned it down a little during Jessica's interviews. Her voice really loud kind of grates on you!

In Knoxville, we had bad thunderstorms and you know what that means! Lost the feed near the end of Bluecoats opener and didn't get it back until after Phantom's opener, although we did get to listen to audio of the Cadets. The manager handled it well, keeping the crowd informed and giving out free movie passes at the end. We also missed the audio at the very beginning up until Southwind stepped off. The sound wasn't cranked up until the 2nd corps but was good after that. I just wish they would have turned it down a little during Jessica's interviews. Her voice really loud kind of grates on you!

Correct me if I am wrong, but Arrowhead's conversion from turf to natural grass is a major factor for Kansas City giving DCI the cold shoulder as far as ever returning.

Tuesday August 9, 1977 Martin TN Position Corps Score 1 Kilts 81.050 2 Garfield Cadets 79.700 3 Guardsmen 79.450 4 Crossmen 78.550 5 Capitol Aires 54.300 6 Sword Excalibur 50.800 I was a Junior in High School at the time when our HS band director took us.

Congradulations! (.01 to Terrence!) :)

As I was leaving the stands after the Cadets stopped, a Cadets supporter was cussing like a sailor about G-D DCI, making the Cadets start their show when he knew they could see G-D lightning on their dopplar radar. There was never any lightning and he sure showed his lack of class! Sir, you were an embarassment to your corps!

Here is the list of Cookeville Housing so far: Madison Scouts - Not Listed Santa Clara Vanguard - Upperman HS - Baxter TN Carolina Crown - Eagleville HS - Eagleville TN The Cadets - Cookeville HS - Cookeville TN Bluecoats - Station Camp HS - Gallatin TN Phantom Regiment - Austin Peay State Univ - Clarksville, TN The Cavaliers - Not Listed Blue Devils - Not Listed

Hopefully, we'll get the Sevierville contest in tonight. Showers have ceased in the Knoxville area and will be clearing in Sevierville soon, for the time being anyway. We sure needed the rain in East TN though.

According to the article, D.C.I. = state Division of Criminal Investagations! b**bs

torn8o, I remember that "natural GE" from back in 1988 at Sevierville. That performance was truly electric!

As a fan, I remember the 1988 Sevierville, TN show where a thunderstorm moved in while the Freelancers were on the field. The Crossmen set up next and go shooed under the backfield stands while the storm passed through. Everyone was extremely hyped when it was announced that the show would go on!

Man, I was at that show and I missed it?!?! Was that in lieu of a retreat? I remember a rain delay after the Freelancers and when the show resumed with the Crossmen, the crowd and the corps were hyped for the rest of the night!

One of my most vivid memories out of 27 years of watching drum corps was seeing the '88 Freelancers in Sevierville, TN as a fierce lightning/thunderstorm was almost on top of the stadium!

For all the young bandos there tonight: Spirit was really the loudest corp (in person) shown tonight although you wouldn't know it in our theatre by the sound.

Looking to Buy 1 or 2 Murfreesboro tickets @ face value. Email me @ cmsmjm@quixnet.net

Hey, I've got a Ken Kobold tape of the Rivermen's 1980 show I could copy you on. I saw them at a show in Memphis, TN that year. E-mail me at cmsmjm@quixnet.net. :D