Fran Haring
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Posts posted by Fran Haring
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Fran and Chris..... you guys better be careful here with your additions. LOL
No additions from me.
Honest to God, and I don't want to sound like a wet blanket here, it would be nice if the "Sun Songbook" was kept OFF this thread. Too much really brutal stuff. (Very funny, yet brutal!!)
I'm not sure the current version of the Sunrisers would appreciate having the corps' old "dirty laundry" aired in public.
Sun alums, do the current corps a favor: Think before you post here.
Fran
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Not a full review, but some random (rambling?) thoughts:
My wife Barbara and I watched the Countdown at a Regal Cinema in Abingdon, MD, about 20 minutes north of where we live in the Baltimore area. Very convenient location... right off of I-95.
The auditorium in which we watched the show was maybe half full, with nearly everyone sitting in the upper section of seats that had a "stadium seating" configuration. We saw a few familiar faces in the crowd, and met one family whose son is marching this summer with the Reading Buccaneers. Cool!
The missus and I guessed there probably was a bigger crowd at the other Baltimore-area location, in Columbia about halfway between Baltimore and Washington DC.
Sound quality/volume could have been better for several corps, particularly 1980 Spirit of Atlanta. Spirit's hornline that year may very well have been the loudest in the history of drum corps, but it didn't come across that way on the big screen.
Some of the video, especially from the earlier-era corps, was a bit shaky... a bit grainy for the 1974 Kingsmen, for example. But given the technology of that era versus the present, it's perfectly understandable.
I got chills listening to/seeing the 1975 Madison Scouts and '76 Blue Devils. Two awesome shows, that I had the privilege of seeing in person those years at DCI Championships. Great memories. Also, I hereby pronounce the Scouts' Chris Metzger as the best soprano soloist ever, IMO of course. WOW, could that guy make that valve-and-rotor horn sing!!!
I had forgotten how unbelievably complex Star of Indiana's 1991 Roman show was. Seeing it again.... HOLY MACKEREL. Star's mellophone line that year was one of the finest I've ever heard, handling some otherworldly difficult charts seemingly without effort.
Until today, I had never seen Phantom Regiment's show from 1996. FANTASTIC performance. What a great hornline!
Being a DCA kind of guy, I was very happy to hear Steve Rondinaro mention the fact that DCI is presenting a senior corps show, in Providence, Rhode Island the day after DCI Finals.
I really like Michael Cesario as a "color commentator" for DCI. You can always count on some well-spoken insight from Michael.
Bottom line, for me: Kudos to DCI for presenting this show on the big screen. I liked the pace, with Rondinaro and Cesario briefly setting up the shows for each decade, then letting the corps do their thing. For $12.50 a ticket, it was a nice night out; well worth the price of admission!
Fran
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Nice link!...Hmmmmm not the same girl I knew!......Hey Becka!....guess what! just be yourself!....No need for that!. <**> <**> <**>
Not meaning to stir the pot here, but I agree with Kevin.
Becka, I've never met you, but you may want to think twice before putting the mother of all curse words on a publicly-accessed web page that identifies you with the Brigadiers. NOT good public relations for the Brigs, or by extension DCA, by any stretch of the imagination. Yikes.
Just my opinion.
Fran
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\
I know that Sun HAS to have something about the "dove" incident! (otherwise know as our evil plot to "ice" you before you went on!)
Actually, Sun's never had a song about the dove/pigeon incident.
The night it happened in 1980, however, several of us did want to come to your hotel, chain you all to your beds, and burn the place down. b**bs
However, cooler heads eventually prevailed. :P
Fran
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do it. i loved that song you had for us
Are you talking about Sun's "customized" version of the Westshore corps song?
I have to take credit for authorship of that.... dates back to the 1982 season. The lyrics sometimes changed from week to week back then, depending on the situation. I honest to God only remember a couple of verses now.
If you're not talking about that particular song, then ignore what I've just said.
Move along.... nothing to see here..... :P
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Jeff, don't get me started in this thread - you know I was a Sunriser, don't you? :P
What Chris said!
In all my years in drum corps, I have never heard a corps-song repertoire that can match that of the Sunrisers. Unfortunately (or fortunately, depending on your point of view!!!), a lot of the Sun stuff is either:
1) definitely not for the faint of heart, or:
2) highly self-incriminating. ^0^
Then there were the songs we made up about fellow members of our own corps. Many of them were even more brutal than the ones about other corps. B)
Fran
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Unfortunately I have had some rather negative e-mails from friends telling me that the Brigs are going to fold this season because of the "Bingo Loss".
Yikes. With "friends" like that, who needs enemies?
Best of luck to the Brigs in 2005!
Fran
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Gee, and to think Sun had the "Goodie Two Shoes" reputation back then :P
Well compared to the reputation of that other corps from the NYC area anyway.
Ahhh.... what little you guys knew about us back then. ^0^ B) b**bs
A great corps that worked hard.... but also had a LOT of fun. A whole bunch of rather colorful "war stories" from back in the day!
Fran
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Give me some time to remember,the OL` BRAIN an`t what it used to be!
Lynn Continentals (Lynn,Mass.) 63-68, 1st Bari
Boston Crusaders (Boston,Mass) 69, 3rd Bari
Renagades (Malden,Mass.) 70-73, 1st & 2nd Bari
Huricanes (Sheldon,Conn.) 74,Color Guard, Rifle Line
Sunrisers (L.I.N.Y.) 75, Asst.Color Guard Capt. & DM 81-85
Retired OLD guy!
Tony
TONY WHITE!!!!!
Hmmm..... there was that night, 1982 I think it was, when a certain Sunrisers' drum major drove his motorcycle into the bar where we hung out. b**bs
Fran
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Frank Dorritie managed to obtain a copy of Sunrisers' 1968 DCA Finals performance... it was a recording of a recording of a recording, something like that. Frank and Charlie Schiavone re-mastered it as best as they could, but it has almost a "ghost corps" sound quality to it. Kinda cool, actually. Sun had a great show that year.
The performance is on the "Sunriser Gold" CD.
Shameless plug: You can go to www.Sunrisers.com to order one. :)
Fran
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Yes.... 1969 was the first year the Rebels played "Requiem for an Era".... a drum corps classic!
When/if you get the 1969 album, listen to the crowd response for the Rebs' "Requiem".... the place is absolutely going nuts!!!!!
Fran
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The 1972 DCA Finals was one of the best in the history of DCA, in my opinion. Five GREAT corps at the top, and a bunch of good ones filling out the rest of the finalist spots.
And to top it off, the one and only Wes Hobby as the PA announcer.
Definitely worth a listen, IMO.
Fran
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I'm still a bit conflicted about Phoenix's behavior at the 1976 DCA Finals retreat.
On one hand, their hijinks that night were pathetic, a disgrace to DCA.
But on the other hand, what they did that night was absolutely hilarious!!! :P
Fran
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Next time you break down in Aberdeen, Vic, give us a shout!!! :lolhit:
We're only about 30-35 minutes away from there.
Aberdeen Trivia: The town is the hometown of baseball star Cal Ripken Jr. His mom still lives there.
Fran
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Outstanding review..... thanks!
Fran
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The Hurcs lit the place up at prelims Saturday, and weren't too shabby Sunday, either!!! What a comeback for them over the course of the season... from barely hanging on at the Wildwood show to an outstanding corps at championships. Hats off to you, Hurricanes!!!!!
Fran
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SHAMELESS PLUG TO FOLLOW:
I'll have a review of the show in an upcoming issue of Drum Corps World.
(End of shameless plug)
Fran
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Nice review.... much appreciated!
Fran
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Capital Regiment: For the first time in my life, I realized The Doxology is a fanfare. It will, no doubt, be played that way in Heaven. They also had one of the most nicely blended and balanced horn chords of the night.
[
Man, I forgot to mention Capital Regiment in my earlier stuff. Wow, is this an up-and-coming corps or what? Terrific performance of a nice package. The future definitely looks very bright for these guys.
Fran
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Just got home from watching the DCI Div. 1 Quarterfinals at the Regal Cinemas in Columbia, Maryland..... while I wind down from a long day, some thoughts if I may:
Pretty good-sized crowd at this movieplex......2 auditoriums basically sold out, a third one maybe half-full. Not bad!!!!
Random impressions of some the corps:
1) Cavaliers were rockin'!!!!! This was my first (and only) viewing of them this season, and I was highly impressed. Nice to hear the Cavies' brass actually play some extended melody lines, compared to the all-original, "visual package-is-the-star" shows of the past few years.
2) I love the Blue Devils' show this season. (Then again, I've been a BD fan since the early 1970's, so I love 'em most seasons!!!) But who knows if they can put together a performance to pass the Cavies Friday and/or Saturday night.
3) I think the average car alarm has more melody in it than does the Boston Crusaders' show this season. But that being said, I found myself being drawn into the Crusaders' show and pretty much enjoying it, simply by focusing on their visual effects. Boston's overall performance seemed very energized.
4)Carolina Crown lit the place up! What a hornline. Cool show overall!!
5) Colts have a very entertaining show, with lots of built-in audience appeal. I kept thinking to myself, "this show would work VERY well in DCA." Colts, IMO, have one of the best marching styles I've ever seen... very precise from an individual standpoint.
6) SC Vanguard!!!!!! Enough said. GREAT show this season!!!!!! I'm not sure that their quarterfinals job was even close to their best performance, however.
7) I had Spirit of JSU over Glassmen for the 12th spot. No offense to the Glassmen, who have a great organization, but I just don't "get" them at all.
8) I liked the Cadets' show more than I thought I might, not being a big Jethro Tull fan (this show was my first look at Cadets this season). But there were a couple of spots when watching the militaristic Cadets trying to "rock out"..... it just seemed like it didn't fit.
OK... gotta go and get some sleep. I hope DCI does this "Quarterfinals at the Movies" thing again next year.
Fran
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Also please consider the late Pat McCue ( Marksmen and Sky) played the bari triple tongue solo in 'Comes Love', '71 Sky
PAT McCUE!!!! How could I have forgotten him.... yikes! What a great player he was. That "Comes Love" solo remains one of my faves to this day. May God rest his soul.
Fran
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Dennis Dewey was my HS Band Director (Brentwood HS) and I marched with him in the "81 LI Kingsmen. Does anyone have any info where he might be?
Last I heard, Dennis was teaching music at a school on Long Island.... but I don't remember the name of the school.
He was brass coordinator for the Sunrisers from 1980 through 1982....IMO, one of the two or three best brass instructors Sun has ever had.
Fran
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I The unit, and the shows it performs, serve a very important purpose. That purpose is not to meet the requirements or expectations of a DCI-type show. But the unit does what it does very well, with discipline, musicality and precision.
Semper Fi.
Plus, the Marines, on two-valve G's, can play rings around any other corps out there, IMO.
But hey, everyone is entitled to their opinion.
Fran
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I'm Sorrry i missed you this weekend but I will see you Aug 7th right ????? Stansfield
Absolutely...looking forward to the 7th!!!
Also, are you guys gonna be going to Columbia for the "DCI at the Movies" quarterfinals on Aug. 5? We already have our tickets!!!!
Fran
1980 DCI Finals
in Historical Junior Corps Discussions
Posted · Edited by Fran Haring
Right up front, I'll say that I've been a Blue Devils fan for a long time, and I loved their 1980 show. (The duet in "Dindi" is one of the best in drum corps history, IMO.) I also was blown away by the Bridgemen's performance in the 1980 Finals... they were absolutely on fire that night!
However, that being said:
Every time I either watch the video or hear the tape of the Lancers' performance in the 1980 Finals, I get a sinking feeling, knowing that it turned out to basically be the Lancers' last shot at a DCI title.
The Lancers had a great corps in 1981, but in 1980, the title was RIGHT THERE... right in front of them... theirs for the taking. As fate would have it, they came up just short on the scoresheets. It's heartbreaking to watch them that night, giving it their all, with the hopes of every Eastern drum corps fan riding on their shoulders.
Fran