Fran Haring

Agreed. 1979. A federal law was passed requiring every third corps to play Children of Sanchez that year. Fran

If I have to narrow it down to one name, I'm with the other posters who have selected Don Angelica. Fran

The guy on the right is Buddy Ebsen, and the guy on the left is a mob enforcer. Fran

Wow..... Elizabeth was my old stompin' ground when I worked at WJDM Radio there. Haven't been there in a while... I miss the pastrami and corned beef combo at Goodman's of Elmora, the best Jewish deli in New Jersey, IMHO!!!!! Fran

That's the one! Martin has built a really good program there in a short period of time. Our nephew is the saxophone section leader this year. Barbara and I hope to get up to NJ to catch a USSBA show with Monroe in the lineup this fall. We can be "band aunt and uncle" for the day.....LOL Fran

Again, what Donny said! Tom, to add to this......for example, a fan might shout out to a DCA drum major or a soloist....... and the drum major or soloist will acknowlege that person. It's a "one on one" connection that never (or rarely) happens on the DCI side. You'll see a DCA DM chatting with the chief judge or a staff member or whoever as the corps gets set up.... much more relaxed than the oh-so-serious "don't dare talk to anyone" demeanor of the junior DM's. NOT picking on or denigrating the junior DM's here.... what they do is what they do. That's their style... I have no problem with that. They do a great job leading their corps. One big reason the DCA drum majors can develop a personality and be recognized by the audience as a "familiar face" is because they can stay with their corps for a longer duration..... unlike a DCI DM who might be on the podium for three or four seasons, max. Example: Empire Statesmen DM David Bruni has led his corps since they first took the field, in 1983. People who regularly attend DCA shows know what to expect from him. And...like Donny said.....a DCA corps member might be performing one minute with his or her corps.... and either sitting in the stands or interacting with the fans elsewhere another minute. Some of those fans might very well be people who marched with that performer at one time or another. I hope that helps answer your question. In my own convoluted way. Fran

Donny, I agree 100 percent. What the DCI corps do is a great thing. I very much enjoy seeing those world-class corps at the top of their game. Awesome stuff, every year. But there is definitely something special, something unique, about DCA championship weekend. The interaction between the performers and the fans is something you don't often (or ever) see at a DCI show, or at DCI championship events. You really do need to experience it. Plus, like Donny says, you have the sheer fun of the I&E/mini-corps event, and the "history lesson" provided by the alumni corps. Is the overall quality level the same as DCI? Of course not. Hey, limit a top DCI corps to only one or two rehearsals a week in-season (a typical all-age corps rehearsal schedule) and you won't see the same product you're seeing now. But are the DCA corps just as serious as the DCI corps about putting out the best product they possibly can, even though their are some limits imposed by the all-age schedule? You bet. Fran

I think Mike Boo's yearly "DCI Quarterfinals - As It Happened" writeups were by far the funniest moments not only in the history of DCI, but in the history of all drum corps. Fran

OK... someone cue the "One-Note Samba" music..... Fran

Not sure if this is totally on topic..... but in 1977 and '78 we (Sunrisers) rehearsed during the spring months at Floyd Bennett Field, an airfield near the Atlantic Ocean in Brooklyn. It was ALWAYS chilly there, especially when the wind kicked up. So we would get some strange looks from our neighbors in NJ when we would leave for rehearsal in late April carrying winter coats, hats and gloves....they'd ask us where we were going... "are you guys taking a late-season ski trip or something".... and we'd say, "no...just going to Brooklyn." Fran

Yeah.... and the old: "I grew up in NY City." "Cool! Do you know (so-and-so)?" Only something like a 10 million-to-one shot that you would know that person. Fran

One of my nephews is in a H.S. band in NJ directed by someone who's a DCI and DCA judge. My nephew is enjoying the experience. At least the last I checked. Fran

They were unbelievable that year. Great horn line. George is absolutely correct about their Dream performance that year.... one for the ages. Fran

I hear ya, John. He was a great, great guy and one helluva horn player and instructor. Taken from us at way too young an age. LOL.... as long as you keep the airgrams dry!!!!!! Fran

THANK YOU. Shop talk. Sheesh. J/K, Charlie.... you did a great job with the pics! Fran

I agree. Fran

The Navy football stadium in Annapolis is, IMO, the best venue in the DC-Baltimore area for a DCA event, hands down. Annapolis is a great tourist town, and not far from Washington or Baltimore. The Redskins' stadium in the Maryland suburbs of DC is too big, again IMO. Plus, the team owner (Daniel Snyder) is a loose cannon. Even if DCA had a signed contract with the guy, I would not trust him to honor it. Forget about RFK Stadium in DC. It's a dump, in a run-down neighborhood. The Ravens' stadium in Baltimore is a great stadium.... but again too big for DCA's purposes, IMO. Towson U.'s football stadium near Baltimore might be a very good idea for a regional, but IMO is not quite big enough to host a championship. Same goes for UMBC's stadium in the Baltimore area. Just my two cents. Fran

And just think.... if the politicos had gone ahead with plans for that "Bridge to Nowhere," then Nowhere could have hosted a show on the Alaska tour, too. Fran

I tell you what, though.... nobody could pronounce French names like Wes. He was definitely in his element anytime there was a French-Canadian corps at a DCA show. Often, he would announce those corps in English and French. For me, English is tough enough, so that's where I draw the line. Fran

If the show was in Marion, perhaps the U.S. Open could be revived! Fran

Joey, you are right on the money on this. Fran

Good points, Fred. From the point of view of a show staff member, there is definitely something to be said for keeping the championships at a particular site for several years running. We get to know the venue(s) well, we deal with basically the same stadium and city personnel year in and year out, the hotel situation becomes familiar. Heck, we even get to know where we like to eat! I'm not speaking for the folks at DCI, but I think that is at least one reason DCI is going with their "permanent base" in Indianapolis for their championship. If you find a good home, it makes sense to keep it. Like I said in an earlier post.... if Paetec ever adds a few thousand seats, I could see it as a semi-permanent "home" for DCA's... perhaps rotating it out of there from time to time to another venue, maybe in the Midwest or South or wherever. Fran

Cool! I haven't been to a GAS weekend since the one in Baltimore in 1997. That was a lot of fun. Basically a drum corps history lesson with food and drinks. Hopefully I can make the trip to Gettyburg in '09. Fran

A semi-related story: Several years back I was the PA guy for the USSBA band championships, at Philly's Franklin Field. Something like 81 bands over two days.... a long haul for me. So..... Saturday morning, the first band of the weekend comes onto the field.... and I announce them as being a different band from a different town. The FIRST BAND!!!!!! What a way to start a long weekend..... yikes!! Fortunately, I was able to correct the mistake before the band got started. And thankfully, that was the only band announcement I screwed up for the weekend. Fran

Good news, Mike. I hope everyone comes through this OK. Some of the images I saw on the Weather Channel were scary. Fran