Navillus WP

I'm thinking that having it catered by Kelly's Roast Beef and the Reveah House-a-Pizza (wanna inna oven?) at the Oak Island Pavilion on The Wall might get people to attend....

My dad remembers hustling up to Boston College many years in the 1960's and early 70's because the tickets for the CYO Nationals and Mission Drums would often sell out.

I guess I'd remind people of Jim Centorino of Salem, MA, the featured soloist of Boston Crusaders 1969-71. Before BAC, he was featured soloist for Majestic Knights (Charlestown MA). After aging out, Jim was featured soloist of the Rhode Island Matadors. While attending Boston College, Jim starred as featured trumpet soloist and was band president, where his focus was on concert programs of popular music. Jim was inducted into the Massachusetts Drum Corps Hall of Fame and the World Drum Corps Hall of Fame.

Sorry for being melodramatic, but it meant a lot to us the context of the times.

I concur with both statements: The proud motto of the Two-Seven drumline was taken from MacArthur Park. "The Marble Cake with Green Frosting" - black and white, covered by Lancer Green. I am not the man I might have become had I not marched in drum corps with people who were different than my family and neighborhood friends.

I'm not surprised. I attended Boston State College (on Huntington Ave near Mission Hill) during the period SEP 1970-JUN 1974. I did my early internship and student teaching during the infamous Boston anti-busing "strikes." The city was racially divided. US District Judge Garrity had ordered the city to desegregate its schools through busing,black kids from mostly black Roxbury were being forced to share classrooms with kids from mostly white high school, and the white residents didn't like it one bit. Boycotts and protests followed in short order. This photo was taken during an April 1976 rally on City Hall Plaza protesting the racial desegregation of Boston Public Schools . From the book: "It was nothing more than a minor skirmish, to hear many of the parties tellit. Beautiful spring day ... couple hundred high-school kids massing outsideCity Hall ... a few tempers flare ... what's the big deal? After all, in that spring of '76,tempers were flaring all across Boston.When a crowd of white students from the previously mostly-white public highschools in South Boston, Dorchester, and Charlestown descended on City HallPlaza on April 5, it was pretty much business as usual. Until a black lawyer named Ted Landsmark, on his way to a meeting, chosethat particular moment to pass by. At once, a knot of protesters set upon him,knocked him down, kicked and punched him, shattered his glasses, broke his nose. Landsmark stumbled to his feet and walked away. On the right: Landsmark, writhing in another man's grip. On the left: a high-school student named Joseph Rakes, caught in the act of driving an American flag into Landsmark's pinioned body."

in the laste 60's and mid-seventies, I used to spend time wondering why all the talented black kids from Metro Boston had to leave the Boston City Limits to find a corps that "had spots open" for them ....

I hear you.

We took Exit 27 off I-95 to get to Kennedy Stadium in Bridgeport .... but I digress. Manning Bowl was a strange venue. It was build as a high school football stadium. It was relatively small, and ensconced a residential neighborhood. But when it filled to capacity, it had nice acoustics (except for the jets flying overhead from nearby Logan Airport ....) No real warm-ups allowed because it was a small setting with sometimes dozens and dozens of corps (in prelims and 12 EACH in EACH of the classes of finals) the corps were packed onto a few acres surrounding the facility. The inspection, ready and starting lines were relatively close together, so we could watch our competitors. The evening shows always seemed to have a soft off-the-ocean breeze. Nice thread subject by he way.

For some reason, the grass at Roosevelt was thick for the 1969 Dream ...

I can't decide between two "stadia" -- * Toronto's original CNE (Canadian National Exhibition) Stadium, along the shore of Lake Ontario. (hosted Shriners) * Dallas' Cotton Bowl (in Irving, actually)

Just don't call them late for practice (sorry, rehearsal).

BITD your corps affiliation was almost ALWAYS regional, and was part of your annual lifecycle. Often was a family tradition to be loyal to "your corps"- thru thick and thin. You joined (as did your siblings) and you stuck with that corps thru thick and thin. Unless there was a readily-apparent reason, we often were wary of people who marched with other corps and suddenly showed up at our practice seeking a spot. "Corpies" didn't audition after a season in search of a championship, We practiced year 'round - 3 nights a week fall & winter, then 6 nights a week as the season approached. We slept over, shared rides, lent money, partied, dated, played sports (ours were hockey, softball and touch football). (Did I mention partied?) We swapped music tapes, and attended local dances and proms together - year 'round. We attended each others' weddings, stood as godparents for each others children, and mourned lost ones together as friends. I remember more of my corpsmates than I remember college or high school classmates.

"Once More in 94" was NOT an alumni corps - but rather an exhibition corps. In 1992 Don Pesceone, DCI executive director (1973-94) asked George Bonfiglio to assemble an exibition for the 1994 DCI Finals in Foxboro. After the initial reaction ( Are you coo-coo?!? ) momentum grew as lots of former Lancers responded, which caught the attention of family as well as friends who played in other corps, most under former Lancers and former Lancer instructors. Ratio? I don't know and I don't care. It didn't matter. They all wore the uniform.

About 290 on the field and in the pit.

Here is a slideshow of photos taken of the participating senior/alumni corps at the 2011 Plymouth Reunion Concert, published in the Brockton (MA) Enterprise. Click on: http://www.enterprisenews.com/photos/x1010858605/Senior-Drum-and-Bugle-Corps-Reunion-Concert?foto=12

After a few years marching in a small local organization, I joined Two-Seven and marched in the 1970 Shriners International at CNE Stadium in Toronto. We received FOUR standing ovations from the huge crowd. This was a first for me, three days after graduating from high school. Marching at Roosevelt Stadium in the legendary National Dream competition. I felt like I'd made the majors, just being part of The Dream. In 1970, the Mission Drums at Boston College was rained out Saturday night and rescheduled for Sunday afternoon, but two corps (Syracuse Brigs & Reading Bucks) pulled out for other engagements. So, organizers asked 27th Lancers and Boston Crusaders to fill-in to have a full slate of 7 corps. The crowd loved our performance. After retreat (and before we were dismissed from ranks), several senior corps legends stopped by to compliment us, including Joe Gennaro, Harvey Olderman, Pepe Nataro, and Ralph Silverbrand. Holy crap! that was like Babe Ruth or Joe DiMaggio telling a kid he "played a good ball game!" ...... and we "won" that 1970 Mission Drums - (1.) 27th Lancers: 74.95 (2.) Conn. Hurricanes: 74.65 (3.) Boston Crusaders: 73.30 (4.) NY Skyliners: 72.75 (5.) Sunrisers: 71.65 (6.) Hawthorne Caballeros: 66.70 (7.) Rochester Crusaders 64.85

Grassroots community-based corps with local kids participating, not college students from all over the country. No "seeding" for standings. Corps could improve as the season progressed: practice hard, make adjustments, play their hearts out, strive for perfection .... maybe break through to winning The Big Shows despite their finishes at prior performances. Generational loyalty to a corps. No "corpies" jumping from organization-to-organization in search of titles. Proud of being being vastly different from (and superior to) marching bands - military precision, in-your-face music. We marched - they shuffled, scrambled and danced. Local corps with no corporate financial backing were able to get the community to help them rent two buses and a truck, having a chance at winning important shows and possible titles on the national scene.

I'm thinking this will not be a performing reunion: just a "beah & chowdah" get-together. Never know, however. Maybe some of us can jam. (P.S.: I have a "piston+rotary valve" F.E. Olds Ultratone baritone...,.)

After that remark, maybe we should call you Pinocchio ....... your nose is getting longer, Saint! PS: Saint was also known as "Chairman of the Board" (the 27th's baritone line).

For those of you who are able to travel, the Plymouth "America's Homecoming Celebration" is a family-oriented weekend. The nReunion Concert Saturday night, great food, a big parade, the concerts, demonstrations, exhibits. (Did I mention the food?)

I marched in St Agnes, 27th and now Defenders Alumni Corps with Steve/Saint. (To be truthful, I "march." Saint kinda "ambles" ... ) In 2011 Saint was inducted into the Massachusetts Drum Corps & Music Educators Hall of Fame. He is also a music teacher/band director in Stoughton, MA, and also plays with the Mass. Brass Alumni Corps. He played a mean slide trombone.

My personal favorites? In no particular order ... 1967: Majestic Knights of Charlestown (MA) - "Now & Forever" 1972, 1994: 27th Lancers (duh) - "Danny Boy" 1970, 75: Blessed Sacrament - "Free Again"

Annual Open House: Sun 15 Jan. 2012 (Noon – 4 PM) Abington Senior Center (MapQuest: 4441 Summer St. Abington MA 02351) Refreshments provided We have percussion instruments, bugles, and color guard equipment to lend. Renew old friendships, talk about "back in the day..." Come check us out! The Defenders Alumni Corps is an all-age drum corps with members ages 16-68. Although the name of the corps is the Defenders Alumni Corps, we respect that many of our members come from other places, such as bands or other drum corps. We acknowledge that some potential members haven't played in years. Have no fear; you'll get your chops and hands back with a little rehearsal. You'll be surprised how much you retained over the years. We understand that not everyone will be able to learn everything, we just tell everyone to know what NOT to play when we perform Membership is open in all sections. Rehearsals are one Sunday a month with 2 optional music rehearsals on two Wednesday nights a month. All are held at the Abington Senior Center. VISITORS ALWAYS WELCOMED. The corps will retain some of our 2011 music and add an additional 2 musical numbers. There will be plenty of rehearsal time and sectional work to get new members caught up and older members more comfortable with what we know.. We do understand that life and family do come first and that members will have to miss rehearsals and performances. However, we ask that you make every effort to attend whenever you can. There are NO DUES to participate. (No "initiation" of rookies, either!) For a $25 uniform fee, members are issued both summer & military uniforms. Member must buy their own black tuxedo or dress pants and black shoes. Members are also required to sell 3 books - 15 tickets - for our annual "Golf Ball Drop" at our annual golf tournament. To see us in action on YouTube, click on this link:

In 1992, Don Pecheone suggested this to the late George Bonfiglio for the 1994 DCI Finals in Foxborough. George B's trademark retort was, "An exhibition? Are you coo-coo?!?" The "Once More In '94" performance was the result. Largest drum corps to perform a full field show in history. Click on << >> to view the show....