Vince Lamb

I should log in here more often. I enjoy a good troll.

I am so sorry to hear about your marriage.

ScribeToo was a volunteer with Arizona Sun. It's even listed in her profile.

Hi! I aged out with North Star in 1981, so I should know you. In case you don't remember, I'm the contra who flew in from California.

We weren't mad enough. When the corps performed ticked off, we did well. When we didn't have that edge, we were off.

Marion Cadets still exists as a corps but is again not competing.

Another source to use would be Jodeen Popp's book, "Competitive Drum Corps ... There and Then to Here and Now." It's not a very scholarly book, but it has lots of entertaining anecdotes about corps up to the late 1970s. Also, to address another criticism, "she was there." Good luck finding it, though. When I last ran a search on it, back in 1995 or 1996, fewer than a dozen libraries had copies.

Nice to see someone misses me. Yes, I live. I've been very busy applying my talents for organizing things and causing trouble in a forum where both are appreciated. Better there than in drum corps or marching band.

I'm one of the authors in the second volume of Drum Corps World's A History of Drum and Bugle Corps. That series covers pre-DCI drum corps.

Sharon must have been in a bad mood on the 18th. The same day she posted the above, she challenged me in another forum. Here is my response. Back to the original topic. I'm glad to see everyone discussing my favorite year as a member. In particular, I'm thrilled to read all the commentary about 1979 CYO Nationals. I personally think that was the best performance North Star ever put on while I marched with them (1979 and 1981), if not their best performance ever. Thank you, all of you who posted about that magical evening in Newton.

Hi, Rick! I haven't seen you since North Star in 1979, where I was the euphonium from Anaheim. I'm cautiously optimistic about the relationship between DCI and all-age corps in the Midwest, so I'm not as reflexively against this development as you seem to be. As for DCI directly driving North Star out of "business," I'm not quite as sure about that as you are, although I see your point. That might be a topic to debate in the Historical Subforum of the Junior Corps Forum, where it would be more on-topic.

Read this closed thread for starters.

As seen on RAMD: Kiwanis Kavaliers: Back In '07 For Immediate Release: The Kiwanis Kavaliers are pleased to announce their return to the Drum Corps International World Championships. After several months of planning and preparation, the organization's management team has made the decision to participate and embark on a full DCI tour this coming summer. The corps will also move operations to sunny Miami, Florida. This move comes with a strong strategic affiliation with Paradox Percussion Theatre. More information about the 2007 Kiwanis Kavaliers will be made available within the coming weeks. "We Are One" Visit our home site www.kavaliers.com

At the AMC 20 in Livonia, QFinals were shown in a 220-seat theater. Every seat was taken (I may have gotten the very last seat) and people were sitting in the aisles upstairs, where the usher couldn't see them. Sound was great. Most of the audience consisted of H.S. band students (at least 10 competitive H.S. bands are within a 15-mile radius of the theater). Their reactions were interesting in terms of who they liked and what things they enjoyed. I should give my impressions of all the corps I saw, but it's late and I'm too pooped to do justice to anything I start right now. I'll try tomorrow.

Hey, John Stark! How's it going?

Here is something that I found amazing when I wrote the review of Div. II/III finals for DCW: According to corpsreps.com, no junior corps had ever played a "Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory" show until Impulse did it this year. Only one senior corps, Blue Grass Brass, had do so. The film came out in 1971 and it took 32 years for a junior corps to play it? Astounding! BTW, I read a news report on MSN that Tim Burton will soon be filming a new version of "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory" and has offered the role of Willy Wonka to Johnny Depp. Wow, we almost had to wait for the remake for a corps to play music from the original!

Tasslehoff, as in Tasslehoff Burrfoot, the Kender? (D&D players from the mid- to late- 80s will get it)

Thanks! And thanks to all of you who nominated me. Unfortunately, I thought the deadline for submitting a review was September 30th, not the end of voting! w/Stp: Grumble. <_< Hey, George, you didn't specify which time zone you were counting for midnight! Pity all the poor people in California who think they have 90 minutes to vote! :o

And here's my review of the same show... Blast from the Past Delights Fans Despite Soggy Weather September 1, 2002 -- Scranton, PA...What would you think if you read a show line-up that included Preston Scout House, Mighty St. Joes, Chicago Royal Airs, Blessed Sacrament Golden Knights, Boston Crusaders, Syracuse Brigadiers, Hawthorne Caballeros, New York Skyliners, Yankee Rebels, and the Toronto Signals? You might think it was from a National Dream contest from the early 1960s and that, if you were under 50, you were too young to ever see some of these corps. You'd be wrong on both counts. The lineup above was for the 2002 Alumni Spectacular held as part of DCA Championships, a show where legendary corps that had been off the field of competition for decades performed and made drum corps history from the 1950s, 1960s, and 1970s come alive! Fans of old-school drum corps filled every covered area within Lackawanna County Stadium, the home of the Scranton Red Barons, to listen and watch the performances as a steady drizzle fell throughout the show. Despite the precipitation, neither the performances of the corps nor the enthusiasm of the crowd were dampened. If anything, the rain energized the participants and helped the sound carry in this acoustically wonderful venue. First on were the Syracuse Brigadiers Alumni, who stood in concert formation and seranaded the fans with "It's Today", "America the Beautiful", "Yes, Indeed", "Comedians' Galop", Black Saddle, and "You'll Never Walk Alone". The corps looked very sharp in their black cowboy hats, which fit with the playing of "Black Saddle", a trademark of the corps from the early 1960s. The corps' new color guard added visual interest to the musical performance. The Toronto Signals produced a very powerful sound from their 19 Bb/F brass--a few members missed the trip across the border--as they performed a full field show. They had no difficulty marching their drill over the wet Astroturf, although stepping on the slick clay of the bases and pitchers mound proved to be an adventure throughout the afternoon and into the evening. The Signals kept the crowd's spirits up, inducing them to clap along to "Scotland the Brave" and applauding the end of the show, when the honor guard carried four Union Jacks to highlight very British look and sound of the corps. The New York Skyliners Alumni announced their entry onto the field with a soprano soloist screeching the "New York, New York" fanfare. The corps then strolled onto the field from under the stands all around the field while playing the longest "traffic jam" in their history since the infamous "Wet Dream"--the rained-out National Dream Contest of 1979. This opening should have come as no surprise, because, according to member Larry Girard, about half the corps was involved in that memorable event of 23 years ago! A motley assemblage of people wearing member T-shirts, member polo shirts, and corps jackets beneath ran ponchos stood in concert formation. One may not have been able to see that they were the Skyliners Alumni, but once they started playing, there was no doubt. The corps put out its trademark wall of sound and received the first full stadium standing ovation of the afternoon. The time machine really began to operate when the Preston Scout House Alumni Bugle Band stepped onto the starting line. They received a big ovation just for their fanfare and marching in a front onto the field. Their honor guard stole the show during the concert, when the corps played "March of the Wooden Soldiers" and the honor guard acted the part (Oh, yes--great legs!). The show concluded with a more complex exit drill to "Walzing Matilda" than the corps had performed in Hamilton in July. The legendary Canadian champions from the 1950s received a huge standing ovation. Despite cutting their field presentation over the past few years from a full field show down to a show where the corps merely marches into and out of a concert formation, the Yankee Rebels Alumni are still going strong. The highlight of their performance occurred when drum major handed over the podium to Col. Truman Crawford, who conducted the corps in a medley of "America the Beautiful" and "God Bless America". The selection was very moving and prompted the audience to give a prolonged standing ovation. The corps then played their trademark Civil War Medley and concluded the show by marching in front of the sidelines to "Battle Hymn of the Republic", garnering rousing applause. While the other corps were sending the audience through the "way-back" machine to the 1950s and 1960s, the Boston Crusaders Seniors set the dial on their trip for the 1970s (along with a brief stop in 2000 as they went back to the future). While the musicians' drill was confined to marching into concert to the Coronation March from "Boris Gudenov" and marching out of concert to "Conquest", the color guard performed a full drill and equipment show, recreating the state of the art from 1979, one of the last years before guards began to dance and flagwork was still king. The corps finished with "Time to Say Goodbye" from the competitive corps' 2000 show, the corps' song "Giant" and "Conquest" complete with the guard carrying "Waldo" flags. The audience clapped along and gave the corps a standing ovation! One of the members from the Caballeros competitive corps played the solo soprano bullfight call from "Espana Cani" as the Caballeros Alumni swaggered onto the starting line, showing the tight bonds within the Caballeros (Frank Ponzo of the Cabs Alumni returned the favor that night at the championship, rallying the competitive corps as they marched onto the field). The alumni corps responded with an enthusiastic full field show that earned three standing ovations (and a fourth for the encore of "Cherry Pink and Apple Blossum White"). The highlights were a color presentation to "Flamenco Cha-Cha", demonstrating that a corps doesn't have to play a patriotic tune to show the colors, Frank Ponzo's great solo work in "Land of Make Believe", a flashy drum section, and, of course, "Espana Cani". Ole! Blessed Sacrament Golden Knights Alumni did their best to blow the stands down from deep in the outfield, almost 50 yards on the other side of the back sideline--and that was only their warmup. They then marched into concert formation, where they inserted a Dixieland version of "Battle Hymn of the Republic" into "American the Beautiful". They continued with "In the Still of the Night" and concluded with "National Emblem March" to great applause. Mighty St. Joes declined to travel through time. Instead, they presented a full field show that was unlike anything they played either as an alumni corps or in their previous incarnation as St. Joes of Batavia. They presented the colors right off the bat to a very modern drill while playing "God Bless America". The rest of the show was a medley of songs from "West Side Story". They played "America" into concert and then "Mambo" in concert. They marched another very modern drill during the drum solo and put a 21st century twist on the standard "form a front and march off the field" ending while playing "Somewhere". If Mighty St. Joes wanted to show that they could combine the best of the 1960s with the best of today, they succeeded, earning an enthusiastic standing ovation! The Chicago Royal Airs Alumni did the Preston Scout House Alumni one better in sending the fans back to the 1950s and 1960s by having someone imitate a timing and penalties judge, complete with firing a starters pistol at the beginning of the show and then again at the "end of execution" mark just before the big finale. In their press release, the corps boasted that it had 3,000 years of drum corps experience in their members and it showed, as the corps earned six standing ovations to finish the Alumni Spectacular and their season. "It Was a Very Good Year" indeed! ===== Vince Lamb and Whitney Densmore RAMD Readers' and DCW Spectator Pollmasters DCWPoll@yahoo.com

Drum Corps Successfully Returns to Hamilton July 20, 2002 -- Hamilton, ONT...Perfect weather greeted the return of drum corps competition to Hamilton's Ivor Wynne Stadium after being absent for a decade. Four competitive senior corps and four alumni corps delighted an audience that filled the stands from field level to the pressbox and out 30 yards to either side of the 550-yard line of this revered CFL stadium. The corps were thrilled with the fan response and the organizers were encouraged by the fan and corps turnout. All involved look forward to next year's edition of the show. The Empire Statesmen held the audience in the palms of their hands from the very first notes of their moving (pun fully intended :-) warmup of "America the Beautiful" behind their announcer's reading of a Jack Buck poem to the last notes of their medley of songs from "Porgy and Bess", earning three wildly enthusiastic standing ovations from the fans. The corps also elicited applause for their soloists, oohs and ahhs for their guard's dancing and equipment work, and even giggles for the soprano-playing bicycle messengers during "Officer Krupke", a touch reminiscent of "Blast!" Empire Statesmen also impressed the judges, not only earning first place, but sweeping all captions. All aspects of the Rochester Crusaders' visual program have improved since last year. The drill challenged the members, who marched it surprisingly well, and intrigued the spectators with its flowing composition and details of motion and color. The guard spun and danced with sparkle, sneaking past the Empire Statesmen's guard in the Design Effect subcaption of the Color Guard sheet. The brass players joined the guard during the percussion feature as 59 people were spinning flags, sabers, and rifles--great color and wonderful effect! The brass played their horns well, too, getting the audience to clap along during "Oye Como Va" and give the corps a standing ovation at the end of the show. The music pleased the members, too. Baritone player Steve Burstall stated "I really enjoy playing the music. (Arranger) Donnie Allen did a very good job this year--it's just challenging enough!" The Kingston Grenadiers looked very sharp in their new red-plumed Aussie hats. The best competitive corps in Canada marched and played as sharp as the looked, staying within range of the Rochester Crusaders in Brass and Visual and handily defeating them in Percussion. The brass played with much better tone quality and intonation than they had even at the ends of the past two seasons. While the drill was not as complex as it had been the previous two years, the corps marched it with much greater confidence and precision than the 2000 and 2001 programs. The percussion showed the greatest improvement from previous editions of the corps. Quad player Adam Correia related that "our drumline is smaller, but it's a lot tighter. There's a lot of talent and energy in the line. I'm very happy with this year's line." Allegheny Night Storm played their most accessible show in the past three years with Dvorak's "New World Symphony". Staff member and percussionist Adam Street agreed with this assessment. "The staff is more cohesive this year and is giving the members a drum-corps friendly show--enjoyable to perform and easier for the fans to enjoy." The highlight of the show was the guard, which looked good even standing in a pose. They also danced well, spun well, and recovered quickly and gracefully from mistakes. Even though six of the 35 members failed to make it north of the border, the corps gave a very brave performance and managed to earn a sincere and enthusiastic response from the crowd. Four alumni corps representing Ontario's storied drum corps past performed before the contest. Members of all four alumni corps present (as well as a few not performing as units, such as the Jolly Jesters) massed together to play "Oh Canada" at the start of the show. (They also played "The Star-Spangled Banner", but I missed it). The Hamilton Firefighters, one of the show's co-sponsors, played their parade and standstill repertoire, including "What a Difference a Day Makes" and "Brazil", in a concert formation. They paraded off during their last song to a standing ovation. (Literally paraded off!) The Central United Alumni of Simcoe marched into their concert formation, where they played rousing arrangements of "Hava Nagilah", "Never Walk Alone", "Scotland the Brave/Auld Lang Syne", and "Malaguena". The audience clapped along to the songs and applauded their soloists, but gave them a standing ovation as they marched off to their drum line playing their steet beat on their trademark rolling drum carts. (Not a bad idea for a non-competitive corps full of "Old Farts" ;-) The Toronto Signals Band performed a full field show, with "The French National Defile" off the line, "What do you do with a Drunken Sailor" as their drum and bell solo, "The Maple Leaf Forever" for color presentation, "Saint Louis Blues March" in concert, "British Grenadiers/Scotland the Brave" out of concert, "When Johnny Comes Marching Home Again" for a second drum and bell solo, and "Rule Brittania" as the finale. The audience clapped and sang along to the music and then gave the corps a standing ovation at the end. (Forgot the honor guard changing to all Union Jacks at the end--nice old-school GE touch!) While the other alumni units merely evoked the past, the Preston Scout House Alumni Bugle Band sent the entire audience through a time machine back to the late 1950s during their performance. Not only did they sound just like they did back in their competitive glory days, but they marched as if they were still competing, executing as if judges from the Royal Canadian Legion were standing by with tick sheets on their clipboards. The result was two standing ovations for the corps' field show. Despite the successful illusion of time travel, two changes were apparent to close observation. First, the corps was no longer playing on their original brass lacquer finish Bb piston/slide bugles from the 1950s. They have been replaced by a full set of new silver plated three-piston Bb marching brass, including trumpets, fluegels, french horns, baritones, and euphoniums. The Scout House purchased the set with a CDN$56,000 grant from the provincial government. Second, there are now women in the ranks as the corps accepted alumni from other corps. Despite these changes, the spirit of the corps remained the same. (You can tell I liked the Scout House! BTW, the time warp effect was downright scary! :o ) The Burlington Teen Tour Band performed its field show while the competitive units formed up for retreat and then played the DCA corps on while standing in parade formation. (Glad I covered this show!)

Cavaliers Repeat as All-Star Preview Champions! June 15, 2001 -- Toledo, OH...Perfect weather greeted the return of the All-Star Preview to Toledo's familiar Glass Bowl after a year in exile at Jackson's Wethington Municipal Stadium. Thousands of fans, including some from as far away as Pennsylvania, were treated to what will probably be the best single evening of competitive junior corps until July, as nine of last year's top 21 corps in DCI Division I and a Division III finalist battled for position at the start of the season. The Cavaliers (66 B, 19 FP, 9 PP, 36 G, 4 DM) continued to impress and astound the audience and judges, showing that all-original program can not only be artistically and technically challenging, but also fun to watch and perform. The visual design of the Green Machine's show attested to immaculate attention to detail on the part of the staff, with the multitude of open box and line sets, intersecting black, orange, blue, and purple stripes on the gray guard uniforms, matching orange, blue, and purple squares on the flags, and even the L-shaped guard equipment all visually reinforcing the musical theme of "Frameworks". The transitions between sets also showed great creativity, as evidenced by a flowing build into a company front, a ripple pose, and then a ripple countermarch into a block that slid and transformed into a cross--all during one minute of the opening movement! The Cavaliers' brass players demonstrated that they were willing to push the volume of their Bb/F brass to the levels of G bugles while still maintaining their tone quality and intonation, producing an organ-like sound with ringing releases. The closing drill had only been finished two days earlier, but the corps performed it with such confidence and energy that it seemed as if they had already been performing it all season. The absolute highlight of the show was a build into a box during which the drums played a rocking beat, the brass counted a synchopated number pattern, and the guard danced. When the brass joined the guard in the dance, the audience went wild, giving the corps a standing ovation during a break in the show, a rare event in junior corps competitions lately. The spectators showed their appreciation again at the end, giving the Cavaliers a screaming second standing ovation. The original Odyssey was an epic journey that included a great deal of travel over a wide region. During their "Odyssey" show, the Glassmen (58 B, 20 FP, 12 PP, 29 G, 2 DM) demonstrated that they were true to the meaning of their chosen theme by covering a great deal of ground, both with their sets and with their movement. In fact, they had so much motion in their drill that when they stood still, it came as a bit of a relief--the audience could catch their breath along with the musicians! The brass, guard, and battery began the show in a scroll set that extended from the upper left hand corner to the lower right hand corner, covering most of the field. The battery telegraphed the amount of movement to be expected during the program by collapsing to the left endzone and then reentering the field to an accelerating tympani solo, all within the first minute. The fluegel soloist who was the star of last year's show returned during the second selection. This year, he was called upon to be lively, instead of lyrical, as he had in 2001. He was still flawless. The rest of the brass players demonstrated their ability to project through their brand new multi-key brass by playing a stunning fanfare to begin the final movement of the show. The quality of their playing was enough to earn the corps a first place in Ensemble Music, spoiling an otherwise complete sweep of all subcaptions by the Cavaliers. The corps displayed great use of side-to-side movement while rotating the Glassmen triangle logo, with the guard earning applause with high ripple tosses. The hometown fans responded with an appreciative full-stadium standing ovation. After several years of performing "empty calorie" drills, Phantom Regiment (65 B, 16 FP, 11 PP, 36 G, 2 DM) presented their most substantive and demanding drill since 1996, when they last played Shostakovich's music and ended the season sharing their only DCI championship. The corps' members were up to the challenge of the intricate and active drill, performing it quite cleanly for mid-June, and maintaining the pulse center across the field while the corps was spread from corner to corner. The guard was more than ready to hold up their end of the visual program. To begin with, their purple cossack coat-dresses with red sashes and black leather boots (something not seen on an all-female guard in many years) highlighted the Russian origin of the show's music. Furthermore, they had a well-written equipment book and they performed it with elan. One routine that was a spectator favorite included a saber toss over head-chopping sickles, a saber-sickle exchange, and a ending pose of crossed sickles and sabers against a backdrop of spread flags. The result was a second place score in the Color Guard subcaption. Phantom Regiment's revived visual program alone was enough to earn the corps an energetic standing ovation. The Bluecoats (63 B, 23 FP, 9 PP, 35 G, 2 DM) pulled off a perfect marriage of concept and execution, vividly evoking a sunrise through their original music and opening set and drill, setting up the mood for their "Urban Dances" show. The brass played both loudly and lusciously, earning them second place in the Brass subcaption. The guard grabbed the eye, both through their equipment work and their dancing, but not their uniforms, which were refreshingly color-coordinated with the musicians' navy blue uniforms. The percussion kept the trademark Bluecoat swing in the music, that is, when they weren't dancing with the guard. The show ended as strongly as it began, with sexy sabers who tossed as well as they danced, a rocking beat, a screaming soprano soloist, and a full-throated park and blow. The audience didn't notice the missing drill and equipment work during the last 30 seconds of the show. Instead, they appreciated the powerful and energetic performance, giving the corps an enthusiastic standing ovation. The Madison Scouts (64 B, 23 FP, 12 PP, 26 G, 3 DM) put on a show from the moment they set foot on the field. The corps stepped off to "Conquest" while they marched in a company front to the 50. A squad of guard members formed a Latin percussion squad, accompanying the musicians onto the field. A guard member even wore a conquistador helmet and breastplate to complete the mood. When the corps turned to face the stands, blowing the last strains of the song in the audience's faces, the fans went wild, prompting the announcer to remind them "Yeah, and that's just the warm up!" The corps continued its crowd-pleasing ways throughout the show, with a drill full of big, flashy, easy-to-read moves, lots of stickwork and rudimental drumming from the battery, and a powerful brassline, a package that earned the corps a second place score in General Effect Music. The guard has continued to improve, both with its equipment work and versatility, as the Latin percussion ensemble from the warmup made a return appearance during the middle part of the show. One word could sum up the show--energy! It was a thrilling show that brought the audience to its feet in a roaring standing ovation. The first thing that struck the eyes of the spectators when Colts (56 B, 21 FP, 10 PP, 33 G, 2 DM) came on the field were the colorful outfits of the guard. They were wearing black and crimson pantsuits with bright red half-skirts with bright yellow linings. The guard members themselves like these uniforms and find them as enjoyable to perform in as they are to look at. The attention of the audience was well-rewarded, as the Colts guard spun and tossed crisply and danced dramatically, earning them a third place in the Color Guard subcaption, ahead of the host Glassmen. Despite some minor timing problems, the brass managed to get a beautiful sound off the back stands and the percussion generated an interesting effect while playing an intricate rimshot pattern. After cleanly executing most of their moves, the corps attempted a contracting and expanding rotating block near the end of the show. While not a success, this will be a move that will be very effective when the execution is up to the level of the concept. The corps then remained in a block diamond set for the last minute of the show. Despite the lack of motion, the corps was able to elicit a "wow" ending and a scattered standing ovation just from the energy of the music. Southwind (51 B, 22 FP, 10 PP, 23 G, 2 DM) began the show strongly, causing the audience to sit up straight from the very first thunderous note of "Toccata and Fugue". The corps continued with its by-now traditional selection of familiar drum corps music with "March Slav". The highlight of this selection was a quote from the "1812 Overture" during which the battery played on side-slung muffled snares--a nice period touch! The performance of "Esprit de Corps" was not up to the standards of the first two pieces--equipment work was missing and the corps began having difficulties maintaining alignment and spacing. However, this was a very accessible show which will be much more effective when the performance problems are cleaned up, equipment work is added, and three guard members sitting on the sidelines join the drill. Despite its problems, the show was still able to garner a sincere scattered standing ovation. Capital Regiment (42 B, 19 FP, 9 PP, 19 G, 2 DM) retained many of its members from its inaugural year in Division II and it showed in a very confident performance. The defending DCM Division II champions showed that they were as ready to climb to new summits as the mountaineering music they had selected from the movies "Everest" and "Vertical Limit". The corps is already ahead of last year by expanding its guard from 9 to 19 members. It also retained its ability to communicate with the audience, drawing "oohs", "ahhs", and "wows" from the first growl from the contras and baritones, through impressive big rotating files, to the closing contrary motion company front. All these qualities allowed Capital Regiment to score ahead of Southwind in General Effect Music, Ensemble Visual, Color Guard, and Total Visual. Pioneer (28 B, 21 FP, 12 PP, 13 G, 2 DM) fielded their smallest brass section since 1995, along with the second largest combined percussion section of any corps on the field this evening. The corps compensated for this imbalance by staging its pit between midfield and the back hash and filling up the field with 19 low tables that doubled as stands and backdrops. The brass line was able to balance the volume of the battery and use the tables effectively as stands, especially when the tables were placed in a heart set during a very hummable ballad. Once the holes are filled, the brass performs with consistent quality, and the equipment work and drill are cleaned up, this will be a very enjoyable show! Despite the difficulties the corps is having with the show so far, Pioneer was able to hang on to eighth place in General Effect Visual over Capital Regiment. Marion Glory Cadets (12 B, 7 FP, 9 PP, 6 G, 1 DM) put on a very game performance featuring a larger pit, a larger guard, and a more demanding repertoire and drill than last year. They also had five members in reserve, three brass and two percussion, who will sooner or later be added to the show, increasing the size of the musicians marching in the drill by 25 percent. Not only was the guard larger, it was more effective than last year, with equipment work being performed for half the show. This show has lots of potential--look for the corps the begin reaching it when all the members and equipment work are added and the show is cleaned up. The perfect weather held throughout the retreat and post-show concert. The new arrangement of "America the Beautiful" met with a sincerely enthusiastic response from the crowd. For the second year, running, the Cavaliers gracefully gave up their victory concert so that the Glassmen could serenade their hometown fans.

Glassmen hang on as Bluecoats sneak up on them June 25, 2002 -- Lima, OH...Despite thunderstorms sweeping the region after nearly a week of scorching weather, the entire fifth annual Summer Serenade contest came off without a hitch as skies cleared by the scheduled start time and conditions improved steadily throughout the evening. The determined fans who came to the contest were rewarded for their perseverence with inspired performances that transcended the damp field and humid air. In return, the audience responded enthusiastically to every corps, continuing a tradition of great performances and appreciative crowds in Lima. Lima was also one of several contests where Drum Corps Midwest tried out an experimental four-judge panel. The panel consisted of the two General Effect judges and the two Ensemble judges. The resulting score was then multiplied to 1.25 to compensate for the missing three Performance judges and Color Guard judge. The scores and placements from this system were very similar to those expected from a full panel, although a few of the spreads seemed anomalous, such as the very slim 0.2 between Glassmen and Bluecoats. Still judges, corps staffs, and show sponsors alike will all be scrutinizing the results of these experiments before the next meeting of the regional association. When the announcer asked if the corps was ready, Glassmen's Union-Jack-waving volunteer Vivian Whittaker yelled back "We're always ready! We're rockin'!" The corps (56 B, 21 FP, 11 PP, 32 G, 2 DM) proved him right with a performance that drew applause from the audience 12 times, including a very respectful standing ovation at the end of the show. The corps demonstrated great growth over the past two weeks, especially in the visual captions. In particular, the drill which had seemed busy to the point of being hard on the eyes at the All-Star Preview now was now revealed by the corps as well-crafted choreography that was a treat to watch, especially the rotating triangles that formed the Glassmen logo both right-side-up and upside-down during the finale of the show--what an ending! Bluecoats (62 B/24 FP/9 PP/35 G/2 DM) showed their refined side by delicately performing their "Sunrise" opening from the back left corner. Once they were sure the audience was completely awake, the corps then unleashed the press-box shaking power for which they are justifiably famous. The solid brass, screaming soloists, driving percussion, and talented and energetic guard put on a roller-coaster of a performance. As a result, they matched the Glassmen in numbers of times the audience applauded them (12 each) but managed to elicit even greater volume and enthusiasm from the fans. The judges noticed as well, with the surprisingly narrow spread between the Bluecoats and Glassmen coming from a strong showing in General Effect Music. After a year when the Blue Knights ((58 B/16 FP/12 PP/26 G/2 DM) did their best to evoke images of Wile E. Coyote chasing the Roadrunner and falling off a cliff, the Colorado corps has returned to the classical music format that brought them success in previous years. They have also brought back the modern dance and ballet for the entire corps that they showed off in their 6th place finish in 2000. The result was a soprano section that danced better than most guards. Of course, their guard dances even better than the musicians, making them one of the top dancing units in the activity and a real treat to watch. Apparently, the guard thinks it's a treat to perform, as well. Third-year guard veteran Kat Kumlin commented that "the show is really intense. It's a thrill just to be a part of it. It's fun to perform and easy to get into." Capital Regiment (41 B/19 FP/10 PP/19 G/2DM) continued to scale their personal Everest by defeating the Troopers in the two corps' first meeting this year by the astonishing spread of seven points. The corps managed this through its evocative arrangements, expressive brass, and vastly improved guard. The opening strains of the show successfully mimicked the throat singing of Tibetan monks. The dramatic modulations in volume, the effectively eerie sound of the brass echoing off the back stands, and the emotional playing of the soloists all successfully communicated the solitude of climbing the Himalayas. As a result, they earned the first standing ovation of the evening. Once the execution of the marching and drumming show reaches the level of the guard performance and brass playing, the corps should reach the summit toward which they are striving. Despite two minutes of drill missing from the end of their show and the large gap between them and Capital Regiment, Troopers (37 B/15 FP/8 PP/17 G/2DM) looked and sounded miles ahead of where they were at this time last year. The brass projected a very powerful and well-balanced sound for their size right into the press box, drawing appreciative comments from the audience. The corps marched more confidently than in their appearance in Lima last June and had a more substantial drill to perform. The corps members themselves have felt that they are better off than last year as well. Soprano player Paul Equinhua noted that "the corps is working harder together and like each other more than last year. It's like a family"--a sentiment echoed by many other veterans in the corps. Scenic City (19 B/11 FP/ 6 PP/6 G/1 DM) looked like they had a wonderful "Saturday in the Park", complete with park benches, a jogger, a mime, a flower girl, and even a beat cop, as the corps played their all-Chicago show. The audience enjoyed the corps also, especially the two screaming soprano soloists, the crisp sound of the brass, the solid drum line and the dancing and equipment work of the guard. Despite being the first corps on and dealing with a wet field, the corps did an admirable job of maintaining its footing. Veteran guard member Amanda McCarter, who portrayed the flower girl, had this to say about the show and the corps: "The show has lots of potential to go far, the fans love it, and it's very competitive. The corps has lots of talent in every section." Marion Glory Cadets (12 B/10 FP/8 PP/6 G/2 DM) have completely revamped their opening drill and added many details to their show since it debuted in Toledo two weeks earlier. The changes were effective. The new opening drill made the relatively small brass line look and sound much larger. The guard performed equipment work and drill throughout the show. Finally, the most striking additions were the five large wood frames set on the field. The corps used them to showcase featured sections, even managing to fit the largest around the entire brass section at one time. As staff member Matt James explained, the frames derived from the translated title of one of the pieces they are performing--"Mathis the Painter" from the original "Mathis der Mahler". The corps is still adding members to both the brass and percussion, so look for a larger unit and an even more detailed and polished performance in the weeks ahead.

Glassmen shine in front of hometown crowd! June 29, 2002 -- Toledo, OH...Scorching weather greeted a second drum corps contest in Toledo's Glass Bowl in two weeks. As if on cue, the corps themselves produced equally sizzling performances. The fans responded enthusiastically to every corps, disregarding the potentially withering heat. With the help of their hometown fans, Glassmen (56 B, 21 FP, 11 PP, 32 G, 2 DM) won the battle of applause with the Bluecoats--earning ovations at 17 points during their show, including two standing ovations, to the Bluecoats 16 rounds and one standing ovation. Not only did this reflect the partisan crowd, but also the energized and clean performance the corps put on. One particular bright spot was the fluegel soloist. While he had been clean earlier in the year, he finally sold his solo tonight. Also, the music was becoming much more familiar and accessible, with people humming along during "Javelin". Glassmen swept all captions except Brass Performance and opened up a 3 point lead over their in-state rivals after being only 0.2 ahead of Bluecoats earlier in the week. Enough has been written about the brass and percussion of Bluecoats (62 B, 23 FP, 9 PP, 35 G, 2 DM) who can go from the quiet and introspection of Bjork's "Dancer in the Dark" to a raucous traffic jam worthy of the Skyliners during "Pedal to the Metal". Music has been this corps' strength for many years and earned the corps a first place in Brass Performance tonight. Instead, the corps should be given credit for its revived visual program. The guard danced expressively during the Sunrise opening and again during the "Dancer in the Dark" interlude, along with the battery, who are put to good use during their tacet. The brass pose and flash their horns effectively throughout the show. Finally, the corps marched a more substantive drill than in years past. The Glassmen may have the better feet, but the Bluecoats are not far behind in the visual captions! Despite a stronger start to this season than to last season, Southwind (53 B, 23 FP, 10 PP, 24 G, 2 DM) still struggled with performance problems, including a collision between guard and brass during the opener. They were also having some difficulty maintaining interval and alignment, which was surprising, given that the drill did not move as fast or cover as much ground as in previous years. Still, the corps was enjoyable to watch, especially during the drum feature within "March Slav", which elicited 3 of the 6 rounds of applause the corps earned during the show. Capital Regiment (41 B, 19 FP, 9 PP, 23 G, 2 DM) replaced their opening drill and added guard members during the four days since it last performed in Lima. The new opening was much more visually compelling than the previous drill, even though it lost a little of the suspense of the original arrangement. The corps also replaced the old closing drill with a cross-through that was exciting to watch but lacked the refined execution needed for a stellar moment. Despite some of the flaws in execution, the judges rewarded Capital Regiment with third place finishes in General Effect Visual and Color Guard over Southwind. The corps also won the battle of ovations with Southwind, earning 10 rounds of applause, including the first standing ovation of the night. The new guard uniforms for Pioneer (28 B, 21 FP, 12 PP, 12 G, 2 DM), along with the plaid sashes on the musicians, made the corps look much sharper than it had two weeks earlier. The corps also played with more musicianship, marched transitions more cleanly, and generally performed with more confidence. The corps also seemed to use its many props more effectively, at one point using them as a frame around the field that caused the corps to look larger than it really was. The staging also helped the brass sound fuller than a mere 28 horns. The judges noticed this, giving Pioneer fourth place in both Music Ensemble and Percussion Perfomance over Capital Regiment. The audience also enjoyed the show more than it did two weeks earlier. Applause count: 9. Troopers (37 B/13 FP/8 PP/17 G/2DM) added another minute of their drill to the end of their show, but have another minute to go. The result was that one could hear where the sunburst will be (Quotes from "Battle Hymn of the Republic") but it wasn't there to see yet. With luck and practice, the final minute of drill, including sunburst, should be ready for the July 1st performance in Port Huron. The bright spot of their performance was in music, with America's Corps beating Pioneer in Brass Performance and Capital Regiment in both Music Ensemble and Percussion Performance. As always, the audience was receptive to the Long Blue Line, giving them 8 rounds of applause, including a standing ovation. Lake Erie Regiment (9 B, 10 FP, 6 PP, 11 G, 1 DM) performed a very ambitious program based on the Firebird Suite. The focus of their show is a riser on the left side of the field. The guard and brass began the show around this piece of stage dressing and every section of the corps is featured on it. The highlight of the corps was the color guard, which managed to edge past the Troopers in the guard subcaption. The brass lived up to the ambition of the show until they last minute, when they finally ran out of gas. They managed to recover for the last note, earning an enthusiastic round of applause, the eighth of their show. Bandettes (9 B/0 FP/9 PP/5 G/1DM) surprised people last year with their smooth brass sound. They continued to demonstrate their ability to get a full, quality sound out of a small brass section this year. They were rewarded for it as well, as the smallest spread between the Bandettes and Lake Erie Regiment was in Brass Performance. The audience recognized a game performance and gave the last all-girl corps six rounds of applause. According to Corps Director Mary Wilson, the corps will grow to 11 brass, 11 percussion, and 7 guard over the next few weeks, as six members now on the sidelines will be added.