dc oldtimer

More in '76 since that was the year after "the incident". I don't remember anyone from DCI asking for my birth certificate but I was a snot-nosed 15 year old who looked like I was 10 so I obvioulsy wasn't a target. I think we did have a few of the guys with facial hair who were asked but obviously there were no "findings". Interesting times.

I would only add that, in my opinion, one thing happened that year that changed drum corp forever; BD's drill. I remember standing in the stands in Allentown watching their show from high above. Up until then almost everyone was still doing files, echelons, straight lines, etc. BD came out with this amazing drill with shapes magically bending and turning into new shapes throughout the show. Truly a game changing year. Secondly, it was in 76 that Phantom really started becoming a powerhouse. Also, there still was carry over from the Muchacho incident. I remember before the year started, we couldn’t march if we didn’t submit a valid birth certificate by a certain time. Also, we were asked to carry around our birth certificate during the season in case someone from DCI asked for it.

Had to jump in and say THANKS. We don't hear too much about that show except when the topic of if Crossmen or Troopers deserved to be in finals that year comes up. Just to add my .01, after marrying a former guard gal, my "view" of guards has changed slightly. But comparing today's guards with the guards of yester-year, well, its like comparing hornlines (say Cavaliers of the 60's vs Crown of the 2000's)... or Michael Jordan vs Oscar Robinson. You can compare them for sh*&'s and giggles but to ask which one is better...... well you just can't do it. The guards of the 60's and 70's just couldn't do what guards do these days, no different then guards of today throwing a triple with a 10 lbs rifle..... in unison... 3 times. I have learned to like todays guards by reeling in my "old timer" feelings and appreciating what guards do today because for better or for worse, guards have evolved to what they are today because the activity wanted it that way. It has opened up drum corp to a whole new set of kids who never would have thought about joining our great activity if it remained as it was 30 years ago.

Indy.... with the cost of tickets, it is all I can afford these days.

Add one; Royal Grenadiers – Kankakee IL I taught them briefly…… which probably added to their demise.

Hilarious as usual Mike. "I don't drink f*&%in Merlot!!!" Paul Giamatti - Sideways

If I remember right, I heard that The Cavaliers used the buckles in the 60's to make that "clink" noise when it was by their waist. (They also came in VERY handy during those famous corps fights back in those days ;))In '76 when we moved the buckle up to around the chest with the new sash, it made a GREAT sound.... until it dented horns so much, it started effecting the tune of the horns, and costing us $$ for new horns. We changed to plastic buckles in 77 with prism tape around it to add effect, plus, they didn't want to damage all the new fangled two valve sops we just got. That carried on until, I think, the mid-80's when the uni's were changed to something like you see today.

Someone said told us at rehearsal during a water break.

I'll answer on behalf of my 3 1/2 year old who, BTW, sat through not one, but 3 nights of drum corps with very few meltdowns (if you have littleones, you know what I mean): Cadets - "where is that girl in the flowy dress" (the angel at the end) Blue Devils - "I want to see those men in those boxes" Cavaliers - "When are the men on the stilts coming on?" Crown - "Too Loud" Phantom - "Why is that man laying on the ground?" (Romeo) SCV - "Christmas colors!" Bluecoats "Boooooooo". (We tried to correct her but.... she's 3 :) ) Boston - "TENTS!!!" Blue Knights - "Dots!!!" (After a close up of their uniform showed up on the big screen) Madison - "Mommy, why are you crying?" (My wife marched Suncoast who Robert Smith wrote for in the 80's. That man can write music!) Blue Stars - "Daddy, are those guys going back on the stage?" (as horn players march off the platforms). Also, "Go Howard!" (said wife also marched with Howard Weinstein in Suncoast in the 80's) Spirit - She danced during the balad so she must of liked it.

This. They moved drum corps from a military type drill to one that flows. Not to mention their hornline was something to behold.

No flame, just curious; personally I can't see the "clean" through all the muck the pipes make. Besides hearing how clean they are, can you actually see the clean through the muck? I can't. This is the exact same problem I had with last years show. People were saying how clean they were but how can you tell through all the mirrors?

I don't disagree in terms of the mission in that decade including making sure the new baby of drum corp (DCI) has a solid base. And yes, i marched in a few yawners but I also marched, IMHO, a few good years (1977 and 1979) and one great year (1976 - 5th in prelims). But my point was not directed to the true purpose of drum corp, it was directed to what I saw on the field in Hopunck, IL on a Sunday afternoon with 2 feeder corps, several corps that today would be considered a low-level Open corps and one World corps namely, the Guardsmen.

Regarding boring..... I have to agree. Thank God I marched in the 70's. Let me clarify, not in regard to the major shows (DCI Midwest, DCI East, etc.) but the hundreds of smaller local shows. I know some people complain that there are not as many corps around these days but quantity doesn't equate to quality. I went to a local show we were not in in the 70's (to see a certain female ) and man, was it was boring except for the one top 12 corp that was there. The other 5 corps were yawners.

Yea, Cavaliers had similar issues with their show and luckily they were able to find a "Premier" site. But, 1) Premier sites require Premier rental fees 2) Not sure if there are too many Premier sites in the Rockford area. Unless they move it to DeKalb...... but that's pretty far south and you always want to be sure that the Mayor of the town that helps sponsor you, doesn't have too far to drive to get to the show :)

Yep, you can also read about it here: http://www.cavaliers.org/years/history/1950/03.html

Wow, you are my review idol!Great job.

As an old timer I am against amps period. The only reason why I mildly liked the Cavaliers soloists last year was that it did at least add some more "Madness" to the show. I feel it wasn't mic'd to purely add volume because the solosits couldn't project. No one (yes, no one and I've heard them all) could project to that degree to help with the affect the corps was trying to present at that part of the show. With that said I long for the day that amps are done...... but, I think they will be with us forever. Yet, another nail in the "When Drum corp was drum corps" coffin.

Ahhh.... Whitewater. Some call it the birthplace of DCI. I need to walk up that famous hill one more time before I croke.

What's up with this? Is there an old fashioned protest going on maybe? http://www.dci.org/scores/recap/view.cfm?event_id=66e0acfa-074b-4c01-bc42-22b5b691fd90

Robert Smith - he's been writing like that for over 25 years. One of the best.

I find this comment curious. I certainly am familiar with a respectful rivalry between our two corps, but rarely have I heard either side say they dislike the other corp. ........ or maybe I live in a hole. I for one am VERY happy to see Madison back from a few down years. And trust me, I know down years when I see them (see below).

Disagree. I marched during the dark years. At least the corp made it to finals every year your decade. The 70's, we missed not once, but twice. Although, you probably marched the year we almost folded. So lets call it even :) One thing we can agree on, the more recent versions of the Cavaliers would eat our years for lunch. Incredible.... or should I say xtraordinary

Maybe DCI is trying to take a page out of Apples marketing playbook in creating a "buzz" ala "Oops, I forgot my iPhone4 at a coffee shop"(pre-iPhone4 release).

Amen!!! I said it last year also, WELCOME BACK BLUE STARS!!!!..... now just bring back the hot pants :) (crud, at 50 I now sound like a dirty old man. Sorry. But when I was 19 I loved them!)

I've already read on here someone saying they miss the musicality of the Cavalier hornlines. Can't please everyone. I haven't heard them yet live so I'll form my own opinion soon.