bkbass98

01 was the beginning of the drought for BK (fittingly made it back in strong back home in Denver 04). The shock of that one was that we/they had just completed that solid 5 year build from 96 (back in Finals after a year out) to a constant trajectory up every year until finally cracking top 6 (and top 3 in drums) in 2000…coincidentally, ceding way to BAC Finals week, who passed us up for 5th. So to say expectations were high in 01 is correct. And, then… CARTOONS! 🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡 Sigh…that may have been BK’s most talented group ever, and the design team - the same one, more or less, that had led the charge for 5 years, just lost their #### minds and decided to replace the BK w a VK (loveloveloved VK for years…but BK can NOT pull off a VK show) and that was that. Took a couple years to figure out the identity again and brighter days (well, darker, but that was just every show title during that time…Dark Dances, Dark Knights) were soon to come. After a few years meandering creatively to find a more modernized identity again - always when BK is at their best - they struck gold with Mike Jackson (and some guy named Bocook) and the design team that came into the org in 2014. And from 14-19, boy the Knights had found their niche. I’m not as bully on the idea they/we were ever gonna really challenge the top 5 consistently, but #### was it cool as hell to follow them and just live vicariously through them. They brought something no one else did, just as they had under names like Hardimon and Zingali back in the early 90s when they first broke through to Finals in 91. And the same guy responsible for those men coming in the first place then stepped aside - Mark Arnold, just an amazing (and as another poster put it) generational director. The writing was on the wall in fall of 19 that big change was coming (Mike Jackson had already been lured away by Boston), but for everything that’s transpired since then…to all of us, of course, but to a corps that was going through a major change and uncertainty heading into 2020, it was a huge setback. And to have come out of it with a guy who aged out in that 2019 show to now be the exec. director of the corps, that’s just a tough tough place to be in. It feels very much like the group has - creatively - lost all of that direction they had found over 10 years. It’s a tough time, just no way around it. I just hope that the brilliant young performers, the instructors, and especially Daniel (who will never get the thanks he deserves for steering the group through this season) will all return to be a part of the next bounce back and surge into BKs new modern identity for the future. After all… #IGoOn

There’s just a crap ton - too many to remember - from back in the day throughout ths 90s. People weren’t nearly as respectful as they are now, and people would plan out spots where they could “make it on the video/CDs” for Finals. 95 might be the worst example of this, if for no other reason than the sound engineers had absolutely no idea what they were doing and all you can hear is yells and screams throughout. (Especially during 95 Scouts, who of course owned that crowd. But all you hear throughout is this one super shrill female voice just howling yelling at random times in the show, like she’s at an AC-DC show or something.) My own personal moment of 🤬towards an audience member came on semis night for BK in 98. We were playing the Dvorak New World Symphony material for the ballad to that show. Right at the end of the final note to it, some chode yells out, top volume, “GO 89 PHANTOM REGIMENT!” 🙄 Super obnoxious and obviously meant as disrespect of our treatment of the piece. Also, just a weird thing to yell aloud. Of course, the fact that we were tied with them that night going into finals made it that much more a kick in the teeth and got all of us in the battery seething and frothing at the mouth for the start of the closer (which started with the huge impact from Beethoven’s 9th). Don’t think I or anyone in that line ever hit a more aggressive attack than that first note lol. But yeah, other than that personal slight, it’s just rando stuff that I remember: -“GO WONDERBREEEEEAAAADDD” - like 10x a night during the late 90s. Still don’t know why it was a thing, but it was. Usually HS/college age males in the crown yelling it. -There’s a sort of infamous one that occurred during BD’s championship Finals run in 94, which according to the legend of the story, was repeating the phrase that w certain guard member of another corps had said to a certain BD snare player. (Again, allegedly) They waited until the end of the Opener and right during the killer bass lick before the full battery entrance for Night Streets they pounced. It’s not necessary for me to repeat here, but you can’t really miss it if you happen upon that show. (Coincidentally, about a minute later in that same amazing Night Streets chart, there’s a one count rest from the full corps before they hit the big impact phrase where a coordinated, just….gutteral scream/yell is heard from tons of BD staff/alums/boosters in that one count. It works too, because it just heightened that big impact so much more. One of the rare coordinated yells I’ve ever enjoyed.) Like I said, it’s a different (and much, much better) type of audience interaction anymore, although I will admit seeing and being a part of some of those truly visceral crowd moments like the end of Star 93, Madison 95, Phantom 96, SCV 99…they’re just imprinted in my mind and I feel so fortunate to have been there for them throughout those summers. But all in all, it’s a more respectful audience these days, and less of the “sabotage” type yelling at rival corps (which can and did happen bitd).

-2 years at Blue Knights (98-99) -4 years HS marching band -3 years marching WGI in HS -3 years Missouri State marching band -4 years instructor at MSU -3 years of WGI with MSU (2 silver medals in Independent Open 01, 04) - founded the group and wrote all aspects of the programs -4 years of writing/instructor Gateway Indoor (PIW group) -last 5 years teaching WGI w/ Modulation Z (Independent A group, gold medal in 17, silver medal this year) -band director in St. Louis area for the last 20 years Makes me tired just typing it. Yet I can’t wait to get back to these kids of mine tomorrow morning.

You sure you wanna go there??? lol nah I’m an equal opportunity defender and offender …87 SCV was the single greatest pure 3:30 in drum corps history w the Russian Xmas opener. But the better corps and show won. 87 Garfield is an absolutely insane viewing/listening experience, even 35+ years on. Honestly couldn’t tell you on percussion- predates my introduction to the activity by about 5 years and it’s impossible to tell on recordings from back in those days.

1,2...is this thing on? Been like 8 years... Hoo boy...*cracks knuckles* -SCV 88 was better (not cleaner) than SCV 89. -Star 93 was by far the superior drum corps (with better design), but (rightly so) did not win due to the visual disparity between them and CBC on Finals night. (Also Cadets shoulda won in 92, but dat Cavies vibe) -Scouts 95 >>>>>> Scouts 88 (love em both) -DEVILS DESERVED THE WIN IN 08. (and 96...but not 99) -Cadets were the better drum corps in 00, but Cavaliers deserved the win (mostly on their design). -SCV 13 is the best show to hum along to ever. -There should still be a timpani line out on the field. *mic drop* see y'all in 2033!

Still a great topic, and still one with many if not most of the same answers as before...I’ll stick with a couple of previously mentioned (and cliched) answers. For me, it’s SCV 87 and 88. My first introduction to drum corps was in 1990 (my band director’s finals tapes) where the first corps I ever remember obsessing over was 90 Cavies. I’ve owned and studied the late 80s years now for a long time, but just knowing that DCI had been in my state (St. Louis area here) for finals the two years before I fell in love/even knew of the activity is tough to look back on. If I had to pick one though, it would be 87 SCV just for the the Alfred Reed. 88 SCV is personally my favorite show of all time (aside from the shows I marched myself at BK) but I would have done anything to be there for the first 3 minutes of 87 Vanguard. Still my favorite single chart in DCI history.

Or because that would only be two consecutive titles?

I’m gonna dive a little deeper into my personal biases here with my personal fav, then who I thought shoulda won: 83- Garfield x2 84- Garfield x2 85- Garfield x2 86- Garfield (totally uneven show but freaking loved On The Waterfront), BD rightful (dominant) champion 87- SCV (favorite opener/single chart in DCI history w their Russian Xmas Music...my god), but Garfield deserved to win overall 88- SCV (it’s my favorite drum corps show ever...not the cleanest, but it’s my pick if I have to choose one), Scouts FTW (so effing polished, so effing emotional and aggressive...I don’t care if it was “just the closer”- I disagree fwiw, love Concerto - but that closer was 5 minutes and it was epic in every sense of the word) 89-oof....uh, Regiment was my favorite (w Cadets’ Les Mis a close second), but SCV earned it and deserved it 90-Cavaliers/SCV (tie for me on my favorite), Star shoulda won 91-SCV/Star (tie for me on my favorite), Star the clear champ 92-Crossmen (Puma all day and night), Cadets shoulda won but I’m cool w Cavs winning 93-oof part 2....Star was my favorite by far, but Cadets were a worthy champion. Either would’ve been worthy. 94-Cadets my fav, BD kicked everyone’s ### 95-Cadets x2 (shoulda won) 96-Regiment x2 97-SCV my fav (LOVED Fog City Sketches), Cadets shoulda won (but no problems w BD winning...killer drumline) 98-Blue Knights x2 😉 (sorry, couldn’t help myself)....but really SCV x2 99-SCV x2 (loved Cavies’ musical book though) 00- loved BD’s Hermann show....Cadets shoulda won outright 01- Cadets+Farandole=$, probably Cavies to win (but my least favorite from them during this run) 02- Cavies x2 03- BD x2 04- SCV/Cavies (tie for my favorite...Vanguard for the music book, Cavs for the visual book), Cavies the worthy champ 05- Cadets x2 06- Regiment/Cavies (tie for favorite....loved Bloo too), Cavies the worthy champ again 07- BD x2 08- Regiment, as for who shoulda won....ehhh.....*shrug* (2009/2010/2012 are pretty fuzzy for me) 11- Cadets x2 13- SCV (second fav show of all time....just everything a drum corps show should be....also Cadets were fire this year), Crown the worthy champs (Impossible, you say?) 14- Bloo (just based on the ending alone), but cmon...BD the most dominant corps ever this year 15- BK (freaking love “Fly to Paradise” closer), BD the rightful champs (again) 16- Bloo x2 17- SCV, and I lovelovelove Ouroboros but BD the rightful champ (######....really loved that show though) 18- SCV x2 19- BK (I adored this show, no homer...ok a little homer), BD the rightful champ once more

Goodness. Thank you for posting this. What a tragedy, but what a beautiful moment (the kind that only DCI can create). I was instantly taken back to 99 SCV playing Send In the Clowns for the Velarde Family. Both performances moved me to tears. I can only imagine what a bittersweet and heartbreaking moment that was for Dayton’s family. I’m officially Team Cavies the rest of the way this summer, even if that comes at the expense of my alum corps (BK, in case you couldn’t tell). That was just the video I needed to see tonight after a crap day one of drum camp at my HS 😒. Puts it all back in perspective and makes me so grateful that I am a part of this amazing community. More than anything, just heartfelt thoughts and well wishes to the Bryant Family and the entire Cavies organization. That’s a tough, tough thing to reconcile. I’m sure those boys are performing with a little extra emotion each night for Dayton. Thank you again for posting (and congrats to your son on being DM!).

Definitely felt like BD was the favorite heading into Finals week in 95. They hadn’t been beaten in two years at that point. When we all got to Buffalo and it was clear they were dropping, it was a huge surprise (though not in retrospect). And yes, the Day Danse triplet roll redux (same roll was nails in 94 finals run) was...not a great moment for BD’s drums on Finals night. First choice that came to mind for me was Cadets 97 (Year of the Dragon show). Granted, BD made it close at a couple stops, but that show had the feel of a champion and it felt like Cadets were due at that point. Remember seeing their run at Whitewater that summer and thinking they had it. Then quarters happened 10 days later, and we have a tie for first...bd and....VANGUARD! Lolwut alrighty then, that was that for Cadets title hopes. Of course was pulling for SCV but BD just turned it on over the next two nights and slammed the door once again. Still, that Cadets show was one of the stronger early season shows I can remember seeing from them, especially for that time period (where so many of their shows underwent such significant rewrites over the summer, ie 92 & 95, and to a lesser extent 94).