JimF-LowBari

Working on a picture project of uniforms I have worn over the decades and hit a snag. Snag is I don't have good shots of the second uni I wore from 76-78. Bad news is the shots I have are either from far away or in B/W. Good news is those were bought used from the Blue Devils in 1976 when BD went to the "Frilly Waiter Look" :P . If anyone has a good close shot of the ?-1975 uni please post here or email me. Uniforms had blue pull over blouses with silver sash (front only) and silver cumberbund. Pants were black and we took off the stripe(s?) on the side to add our one white stripe. Thanks in advance as this is the only one I'm missing out of the five I've worn.

Waited a while to send in and just got the tickets the other day. Looks like lower section selling pretty well. Only a few weeks left. :) They even sent me a map so I could find the place :P

Hmm, did I play Bari because I'm that way or did I become that way because I played Bari. Oh ####, I'm BACK to playing Bari... Ook, ook, grumble, grumble, yeah, yeah, BFD, yada, yada (yep, sounds right to me) ^0^ :P :P :P Difference between leads and 3rds. Leads say: Oh boy I get to play solo (or melody) 3rds say: Oh boy I get to play LOUD!!! B) Leads say: What is this drill trying to do? 3rds say: Where's my ####### spot? And since Larry Hershman has ties to both our corps: Leads say: Yes Mr Hershman, what do you wish to say? 3rds say: Yeah Larry, NOW what???

Not to mention where the amps are pointing and where you are sitting. Sat at the end of the bleachers (10 yard line) at Gettysburg and had two different experiences. Crossmen had amp pointing straight at the crowd and could tell the sound difference when the pit played. Cadets had amp on my side pointing at an angle away from me and could barely hear the vocalist. #### think she could have yelled and would have heard her better.

And when you carried a piston/rotor horn no one thought you were part of a marching band either. Usually once or twice before or after a parade someone would ask "What the #### are you playing?" and you had a chance to introduce them to DC. :) If I remember right the County Firemans Convention parades would bring in more than one corps. And if you bought the souvenier mug you could get all the good beer (not Sunnys :P ) you wanted afterwards.

Just make sure Uncle Larry doesn't try to play his old sop... ^0^ Add another point if Hershleberger (old joke) is shown on the telecase. And one <bleep> of a personal flashback as Larry was Westshoremen business manager when I marched.

Allee, wondering if you are feeling burn out or feel you have too much going on with school and having to prepare for school because of your handicap. Given the tough road you had finding a corps this year that could lead to burn out too. Hope you can get some time to figure out what's causing the problem. If it's burn out, then performing should help as that's the fun part. If the problem is too much stuff than you can handle then decide what is best for you and your future and follow that path.

Sounds a little bit like what I went thru in 1979. I was graduating that December and trying to figure out if I should live at home for a while or move out right away. The distance between college and home made things harder. The corps changed horn staff that year and because I couldn't make too many rehearsals it was like being instructed by strangers. Many times I thought I was out of my mind for staying in corps that year because I had more important things going on in my life. I stayed the whole season because I hated to break my promise but it was not easy at times. About an hour after Finals I turned in my horn and uniform without any regrets. And remember if you do walk away for a while, hopefully you might be able to come back.

Never even heard of Drum Corps when I first joined. Was looking for somewhere to keep playing after HS as I was going to a local Community College (so long MB). Guy in my HS band told me about a new "Drum Corps" (what?) starting up a few miles from my house. Corps wasn't going anywhere but I showed up for lack of anything else to do. Few months later the corps folded and I joined Westshoremen (who?). Somewhere along the decades I figured out the what and who questions. :P

As a fan while marching 1975 - First full season and went to a freaking show every weekend in both DCA and RCA. We were rebuilding so the only pressure we had was to improve our show each week. And as bad as we started out that part was easy. We weren't a DCA member so we always were the first corps out. Do the show and watch the rest of the corps. :) Biggest drama I saw at Finals was the 3 way dog fight between Buccs, Sky and Cabs. Each of the corps took a caption award to make things every closer. Favorite marching year 1977 as we made Finals for the first time. Should have been 1979 (my last year) as we came in highest at Finals in corps history up to that point. But too much personal pressure getting ready to graduate college and find a job, etc, etc.... Last year was my first full DCA weekend since Prelims and Finals were held on the same day. My wife went and enjoyed the corps, people and whole experience. Ready to top it this year.

We have been invited by Hanover YMCA to play. <pause 2 seconds> They need to check their contract closely. Anyone have a set of bolt cutters so we can cut the chain to the Stadium gate and march out on the field? Ooops, I didn't say that out loud did I? ^0^ Should be an interesting experience as we will be standing in a line on the walkway in between the upper and lower mezzanines to play. And the DM will be standing below us in the seats. (We couldn't get him to hang by a wire from the lights :P ). Then of course there are the wonderful acoustics of the concrete box that is the old arena. All kidding aside this is a Monday afternoon gig. So a bunch of people are burning up a vacation day from work so the corps can perform. (I lucked out as I'm off every other Monday and this is an "off" day. )

The Hanover, PA YMCA will be hosting the 2006 YMCA National Gymnastics Championships and Festival starting next week. Hanover is the first small town to host a national Gymnastics event but the opening ceremonies will be held at the (old) HersheyPark Arena Monday (6/26) afternoon. Part of the opening ceremonies will be music provided by Hanovers Musical Ambassadors the Hanover Lancers Alumni Drum and Bugle Corps. *** end of "offical" announcement **** Note #1: Tried to Google a link mentioning the corps performing but found nothing. *sigh* Note #2: Yeah, a Drum Corps at Hershey <withholding a LOT of smart remarks>

Great timing as I was going thru my junk in the cellar and found a copy of "MAD About the '50s" which is a collection of MAD magazines' best from the '50s. Why great timing?????? 'cause Steve wrote the intro to the book.....

Think I saw some gauntlets being worked on when I went to take a pi...., err go to the bathroom near the corps trucks. All black which will blend in with the rest of the uniform unless the stadium lights hitting the gauntlets give a contrast.

Back in 1992 or 1993 (forget which) I came to the conclusion that Drum Corps had passed me by after following it for close to 20 years. Realized during a show that my life had changed so much that I really had more important things to do than sit on my butt in a stadium. Especially watching a show with music I didn't "get" or want to "get". End result was I walked out while a corps was doing its' show and that... was... that...... Fast forward to June 2003 when I found out about the Cadets/Crossmen Exhibition at Gettysburg by accident (IOW found it on the web). Just for <Craps> and giggles thought I'd go to see my first show in 10 years (3 years ago last night - more or less) and see what happened. Told my wife I'd either be bck soon or would stay for the whole show and no idea which. First corps out was Hanover Lancers Alumni which wasn't even on the show announcement I saw. First I laughed 'cause I used to compete against the competative corps. Then I was told about the Alumni movement which had really taken off since I walked away from corps. Anyway when the corps started playing I realized I kinda missed doing corps. Few minutes later it was "I REALLY miss doing this". By the end of the show I was wondering how much time out of my life it would take to do the Alumni "thing". Before y'all fall asleep... By the end of 2003 I had bought an eBay Bari, found out my chops still worked and went to the last Lancer practice of the year. And when I got home my wife asked "Well.... how did it go???" When I said the corps horn was in the car her jaw hit the floor. Moral: Go to a Drum Corps show and you never know what will happen. Guys in their mid-40s have been known to rejoin after almost a 20 year layoff.

Yep a couple of "action" shots of us doing our only field drill of the year. :P We're a parade and standstill corps so part of our practice yesterday was figuring out how to get on and off the field. B) Also the corps is open to anyone and think we're about 50% alumni of the competitive Lancers corps. Sorry I missed the original question....

Have never seen DCI judging sheets but understand the pit is worth a certain number of points. For the younger set, at one time the pit was optional and included in the rest of the drum scores. Now if you don't have a pit you are hurting your score before you even start. IOW - who knows what might be on the sheets in 10-15 years be it vocals or use of amps. And back on topic - thanks for the pictures Mike. Even picked myself out based on my position in the horn line. Your daughter must have seen the show thru the view finder. :P

And afterwards the Cadets were doing their laundry and Crossmen were going to WallMart. No I ain't being a smart aleck. Crossmen going to WallMart was announced at the show and I read the Cadets schedule posted at the Semi. And Cop I would also like to see any photos of the Lancers from the show as I am in there somewhere. B)

Two quick responses. Glad George will give a full review as he has a fuller understanding on DCI Div I. And I'm willing to beat big time $$$$ he had a better seat than I did. :P Don't read too much into Cadets and props this time of season. Last year that door thingee :P was not in the Gettysburg show either. But I hope "tonights props" (wouldn't give it away ^0^ ) get painted a different color. Ugh!! :P

Both Cadets and Crossmen were further ahead of where they were this time last year at Gettysburg. What ever YEA did differently to prepare both corps paid off. Heard a few people saying that if Crossmen keep in together this year they have a good shot getting back into top 12.

Was hoping someone else would post on the exhibition this evening at Gettysburg but looks like you're all stuck with me. :sshh: Here's my take as seen from the 10 yard line and with very little background on what goes on in Div I corps today. Crossmen: Big improvement from this time last year sound and blend wise. Fun show like last year but corps just seems to be a lot further along. 60+ in the horn line from what I was told and hearing Russian Christmas Music as a standstill was a real treat. Cadets: Very busy drill as usual. What I wrote sounds kinda dumb but just what you would expect from Cadets drill wise. And for a corps priding itself on being on the cutting edge there was a few guard tosses (rifles?) that were "old school", very impressive and well received by the audience. Incomplete drills: (long discussion in another thread). Both corps did a good looking (for this time of season) 3/4 or so drill. Last song or so was done in standstill. Not quite sure because both corps did extra numbers in standstill mode so saw a lot of corps members in concert formation. Crossmen had a few members going in and out during the drill. Vocals/Narration/Amps: OK, I like none of these things so take the rest with a big grain of salt. Cadets started their show with one lady singing and no horns for quite a while. Couldn't really hear her because I was outside the area the amps hit. Kinda like nothing, nothing with the corps moving around. During a drum solo she kept saying "Where are we?" in between drum licks. Liked the drum work but waiting for some smart ### to yell from the stands "You're in Madison" during Finals weekend. The vocal distracted from some great drum work. (Did I say I didn;t like vocals? :P ). Crossmen had a neat set of songs where there did different types of music as the radio switched stations while "Cruising". Lot of AM radio type talking in between changing stations. Fit into the the show but..... OK the big question (from another thread). Cadets had the tradional type cadet jacket but different pants for horn and drums. Pants looked like a holdover from last years "two tones". PS - Liked the job that Alumni corps did to open the show. (shameless plug :) ).

Ditto, ####### fingerings :P

<Hades> I saw Purry County and thought one year someone tried to bring a sheep on the bus. ^0^ And (like the '60s) if you remember some bus rides then you weren't on the bus. And I'm still trying to remember coming home from New Orleans in 1978.

Sometime the Brady (Bratty) Bunch and sometimes the Manson Family. ^0^ Oh wait, we did have a Manson in the drumline :sshh:

Maybe it took a few viewings of the show to get used to. :P Seeing it without warning in the first half of June was kind of a shock. Feeling some people had was "Why do GH change the Cadets unis?. Because he CAN!". ^0^ Also at the time no one quite had an idea what the <bleep> "Doors of Perception" meant. I was hoping Cadets were going to do Jim Morrison and company since Crossmen were already doing "Radar Love" and "Paradise By the Dashboard Light" (aka - music I can understand )