kaiser

Avant Garde placed 16th in 1984 with a score of 80.90.

Wow! I don't doubt it. My first year was 1973 and I believe in a 50 mile radius of Troy,NY, there were 10 active Jr. corps operating. I think! Memories, they fade so fast!!!

This is so sad! I had the duel honor of not only competing in this show but as a Lions Club member, "working it. This event not only provided the area with a great show,it generated a huge amount of charitable funds over the years. Lions Clubs International is the worlds largest service club and is involved in countless community projects,with it's primary focus on sight. I hope the Ft.Edward Lions Club can find another method of bringing in funds to support the wonderful things they do! And of course, I hope that somehow the drum corps community can find another outlet to get their "fix". Like many communities, this area has a long and rich drum corps history. Brian, I am sure you could do a better job of coming up with the number of corps that this area has produced. Double digits for sure.

Avant Garde was a result of a merger between the Speigelaires from Speigeltown NY and the Emerald Knights from Saratoga NY in the fall of 1974.

I have to agree with you Brian. Especially Us Open 77!! I would like to add that the UOEC/DCE Championships were usually "very entertaining". Last show of the year, all corps usually let it all hang out.

1974 DCI Ithaca: "From Hawthorne New Jersey, the Mucha....ROARRRRRRRRRRRR" The most electric corps performance and electric crowd I can remember. I still get chills when I think about that recording. BTW: The Purple Lancers received a ovation just a decibel or so lower than Hawthorne!

What Brian failed to say is that Alice Coopers "Halo of Flies" was combined with Dvoraks "New World Symphony". Neither may have been a first in everyday life. But in "Bizzaro World"... this was a championship show. BTW- I loved that show. Jerry

Keith, I'll try # 2 Avant Garde 1977 3rd place.

As a competitor, sometimes it was cool to not know scores form other corps, and just worry about your own! Trying to beat your score from the night before. As a fan, it was usually a day or two later, after you called your buds that attended different shows around the region. And remember, it was very regional back then. Especially early in the season. Oh yeah, there were no cell phones then. Just CB's LOL And yes, I am a dinosaur!!! jk

Great to see that you found DCP. Lots of great stuff here. If anyone wants to know the loudest horn player ever. Jeff's your man.

Great post Greg. FYI: Greg was the only person to march with the corps from day one to day last. That's what is was all about. I'm sure that Greg had many opportunities to march with one of the "Big" corps,but he stayed to the end. To Mr Reese: You pretty much nailed it on what the corps was all about. I also want to let folks know that Jeff Perkins not only gave his heart and soul to the corps but back in the day but was also one of the most well respected Directors in all of Drum Corps.Jeff's dedication and skill not only kept the Avant Garde in business despite the tough times all corps faced,he was also sought out by many other corps, some of them "finalist" corps, for advise and direction. He did so much with so little. P.S. to Mr. Reese... 2 of the best 2nd place corps on the field at 1975 NY States Phoenix and Avant Garde. We both lost the show, but won the crowd! jerry

Hey Brian, Yup, I'm a very infrequent contributor to DCP. Spending more time reading the Historical Jr. Stuff. Reading the All Ages stuff makes me crazy... well, actually crazier. FYI: to all DCP readers. Brian was one of those little known, amazing soloist's that this forum often talks about. He was one of the most naturally gifted Baritone player's / soloist's I have ever heard. Just never got enough "pub". I'm not quite sure that politics was the downfall of the corps. The Avant Garde, like many NY state corps, had to fight every year to make budget. Monetarily and membership wise. We were not alone. It's just the way it was. Heck,in our first year of competition, there were enough NY corps to have prelims and finals for the American Legion Championship. Flash forward 10 years and there was maybe 1 or 2 competitive Jr corps in NY. Oh well. Great to hear from you Brian. jerry

Keith, Some more names to add to your list. These are just from the Capital District area. Speigelaires Emerald Knights ...these are the organizations that formed the Avant Garde Troy Muchachos Green Sabres Volunteers Magnificent Yankees Johnstown Patriots Mavericks The Killmen Troy Clovers I'm sure I missed some. Also Add In: Purple Lancers Kingston Indians A few people that made an impact on the activity. Rudy Caprifolio Inducted to the World Drum Corps Hall of Fame in 1980 Dom DelRa Inducted to the World Drum Corps Hall of Fame in 1986 Was the creator of the Drum Corps Mellophone There are many others. I'll pm you for your e-mail. jk

I remember the 1975 NY American Legion Championships and the talk your dad gave to our corps after a beat down by the Squires. Of course they deserved the win, but at that time we didn't think so. I was amazed that the director of a competing corps would take the time to not only understand what we were feeling but also to give the corps a "pep talk". Fast forward a few years later. Your Dad and Mom "volunteered" their time and energy to our corps. I used quotation marks around volunteer because they were much more than that. Again, I had to ask myself,why? I realized that there was no hidden agenda, no motive. Your folks simply loved the activity and what it truly meant. This IS what Drum Corps is all about.