RocketRay

I remember you Roger!

Yes, that's exactly what they'd do. We'd all meet in lovely Fresno in a not at all gang-ridden part of town for camps every month starting in November. In March/April they'd send someone down to run minicamps as we ramped up for the season.

As a spectator, my best memory was the first drum corps show I ever saw, the Odyssey Classic in Cerritos, CA 1980. I was in a youth band at the time and our assistant director took a bunch of us, I think to show us what we should shoot for. I thought our band was the best, but boy did I get humbled. I was blown away by some of the early corps but was told, you ain't seen nothin'. By the time Santa Clara hit the field my jaw was on the floor, and Concord... OMG. After that I made excuses for why our band wasn't that good, but by the next year's show I realized there was no way we could ever get to anything approaching that level. As a performer, again it's the Odyssey Classic, 1982. Since so much of our corps then came from southern California, it was a second home show for us. We got standing O after standing O (even for the boring "Recuerdos") and as we marched off we were so, so hyped. When Carl said "relax" we screamed and shouted and I knew for sure that I was part of something truly excellent.

It's been about 35 years since it was last performed (AFAIK). Someone should do "Pictures de Espana" for their opener. Preferably Boston. :)

You can amplify the "front ensemble". But only analog, percussion instruments may be amplified. Show begins at first movement or note from the corps after Brandt says "You may take the field for competition". Show must be at least 11.5 minutes long and no longer than 13 minutes. 1/2 point bonus for the corps to play the loudest for (say) ten seconds. 0.4 point bonus for the next loudest, etc.

I remember that! I think one of 'em broke his leg or something; they had a hole after that for a few shows. They didn't water the grass so it was mostly brown and (obviously) quite slippery. I loved Garfield's '83 show except for the part that wasn't "Rocky Point Holiday". "Mass" was a major snoozefest.

Thanks! We shoulda moved up that year. IMHO the powers that be didn't want three California corps in the top 6 or 7. :P The '84 Concord show, I didn't like it until I saw it at Finals. It was like a light turned on and then I understood it. Remember the frat houses across from the stadium?

Actually, I'm from southern California. But I marched soprano for the Sacramento Freelancers from 1982 through 1984. Play ball!