JimF-LowBari

Know a person who went from guard to Bari without being able to read music very well. The horn instructor taped himself playing that persons charts so she could get a better ear for what to play. It also helped in learnig to read the music. I came back from not playing for 19 years. At the start my biggest problem playing at home wasn't fingerings but starting on the wrong tone (playing open E instead of open C, etc, etc). First few weeks a lot of time was spent just finding the right pitch.

More Div II/III involvement - good More voice for non Top 12 corps - good Have to agree with audiodb on seperate Div II/III classes. Seems theses two classes have different goals and ways of operation. Wonder how much input they had in the Spring meeting. Possible that all talking about Div II/III was done by Div I people????? Edit - Forgot to say Thanks Jonathan

Well the threads are out on predictions on what the corps will do in 2006. Here's one for what will happen in the new season outside of the corps themselves. Fell free to add what you think will happen or a wish list of what you hope will happen. And you don't have to tell which is which. :P Here's mine Junior side: More All Age/Jr/Alumnis perfoming at same show. (And I'll be in one this June :) ) Div II/III gets a mention at the telecast: "Want to do Dum Corps but don't think you're ready for what you see tonight. Here's an idea...." (My theory is all corps sink or swim together. DCI and DCA have finally gotten that idea. Edit: Just read jwillis' thread on the DCI spring meeting, possible tie in with this line) Rondo gets a note before the telecast saying: "Psst, after 21 they can't march in their corps". Can't tell if he uses it though. :P DCI realizes that having 100s of people show up at a big corps tryouts is not only a good thing but a challenge. The challenge is how to hold on to the 1000s of people (DCI wide) that are cut. More corps info via internet all around (including video).

Not sure if it's 'cause I have connections to some Alumni corps (even if they don't use that term :P ) or just because I'm back in DC during the Internet age. But whenever I get an email from a corps it's a 50/50 shot that the msg is about a gig or news about a corps family member (good, bad or sad). My wife was never connected with corps but thinks it's great how the corps that send these emails watch out and care for each other. ^OO^

Interesting reading the last few posts as I listened to the 1978 recording about a year ago and was the only chance I ever had to really hear the shows. Even had a thread on the differences between 1978 and today and caught Hades from some folks for being "overly fond" of what was done in late 70s. Anyway have to agree on Blue Stars and their music. I remember them as being good but was never very excited about what they did on the field. After listening to 78 I just shoke my head and wondered what I missed the first time. Then I replayed Backwoods Sideman about 3 more times in a row.

And the big ol' line up of Cumberland Valley High School Jazz Band Westshoremen (with our "new" Blue Devil hand me down unis :P ) Yankee Rebels Hosted by Mac McCauley, local AM radio DJ and father of one of our guard members. Too bad I lost the tape years ago of Westshore and YR. :(

Was in that ER one night with a friend who fell on the ice one nasty St Paddys Day evening. Women in next area was being visited by a cop. She and her friends were out boozing and got in the car. Then she: 1) put transmission in neutral 2) released parking brake 3) saw ice on windshield 4) got out to scrape off ice Too bad she forgot "reset parking brake". Car rolled backwards, open door knocked her on her ### and she just missed getting hit by a tire. Then the car (with friends in the back seat) rolled into a fence at the bar. Still remember the cop saying "Bar will send a bill for the fence. Just pick up the car.... TOMORROW!!!!.

Yeah, heard bits and pieces from people while they were in various states of intoxication and took a lot of what I heard with a big grain of salt. Never heard who was pushing for changes but doesn't really matter..... None of this came from Wally, it was from folks I didn't know well enough to trust what I heard. Wally was enjoying his farewell tour too much to be down on anything. :)

T'anks - saw it but wasn't sure when I didn't see an attendant there. Saw a nice area with lots of parking then I realized it was Harrisburg Hospital ER parking :(

Pssst - don't tell Hershman but the first SIB wasn't at the Forum like he keeps saying. Don't wonder he tries to keep the old Alumni happy (so we won't tell) ^0^

Not to mention only parking garage open was halfway back to the Fourm. Couldn't make the party because the person with me needs a knee replacement and can't walk that far. Even circled around a few times but all street parking was taken. And I wasn't going to play Tow Truck Roulette (aka - "Did the car get towed yet?")

Thought about it last night Jeff and can't remember. Did Hamilton Post drop sponsorship or somethin' for the crap to hit the fan after '76? Pretty sure Southwind used YRs old equipment and unis but you could tell it wasn't the same group in 1977.

Yeah Robbie, that's the one. They made the DCA Album about that time and that's all I really know about the corps. Thanks for the info as I thought there was some kind of connection.

Lot of confusion in 1977 as there was a corps called the Yankee Rebels that competed in DCA during the season. Then at DCA Prelims they changed the name to Southwind. Reason I heard was as "Yankee Rebels" they were considered a DCA member corps and could be at a lot more shows than a new corps. (Back in the days when member corps had to be invited to a DCA show before non-members could be considered.) 1977 was the start of Westshores killer drumline as we picked up a bunch of ex-YRs. Including some instructor named John Flowers Edit: Have no idea where the early 1980s YRs came from. All I remember is the uni was totally different than the ol' white & orange.

Hope she made you stand during the entire song. ^0^ My wife and sister did (KEEP YER ### UP THERE!!!) :sshh: Where were you at? We were in 307 (Upper circle, about 3 sections from the wall and stage was to our left)

"Telly Salvalis shaves his head and he's a sex symbol. Yul Brenner shaves his head and he's a sex symbol. Why can't I shave my head and be a sex symbol?" Nope, don't remember him at all with Erie. Now when John was with Crusaders, THAT I remember. :P

Yep, bottom line is still corps survival over the long term..... And if doing so pisses some people off, so be it....... * Cringing over what the bus bills will be this summer *

Duh - could have mentioned Emmaus (that's E-may-us not E-moss) and Hanover..... Emmaus Sentinels folded around 76/77 and couple of members joined Westshoremen and Buccs to compete. Had two ex-Sentinels in Westshoremen Alumni the other night. Hanover Lancers - went under around 1984 after 60+ years on the field. Never did hear a full story why they went under but think it was the usual declining membership and increasing costs that killed a lot of corps. Rockets, Matadors, Boys/Spirit of '76 - have individual write ups in the History of Drum Corps Vol II book. Can't remember if Geulh is in it or not.....

Looks like Keith has been reading up on the Red Carpet Association as almost every corps (except for 2 or 3) was in the ol' RCA at one time. Still think DCA Alumni Spec should do a tribute to the RCA. Ex-RCA corps with current Alumni groups. Hanover Lancers Westshoremen Guelph Royalaires Dunkirk Patriots (first I hear of this Alumni group) Erie T-Birds Last I heard of the Chocolatiers was when they put a corps together when DCA was at Hershey in '79. After that I never heard a thing.....

Sunday AM go to church and as the usher hands me the bulletin he says "So how's your hearing this morning". I do one of these and then he explains he saw us at the show. :P

MBI at least in the late 70s for DCA. Even saw a few listings for MBI in the early 70s for RCA shows in srcorps.com. 1977-1979 MBI and Chicago Connection were the "far west" :P part of DCA. ChiConn also came "east" to Canton, OH (western half of OH) for a Saturday night DCA show in 78 and 79. Can't remember if they did the next days afternoon show in Erie or went home.

Since it's all Westshore so far posting on this, here's my off beat review posted on RAMD. OK, my sound bite review of the night. Need more souvie tables or different stuff. Mainly t-shirts, CDs and Buccs little stiffed animals. Tried to add to my pin and patch collection to no avail. Favorite t-shirt is a side shot of Kenny Ace Peterson of Mighty St Joes, caption read "You're never too old to play". (How young is Kenny anyway?) Buccs Alum - opened with nice version of National Anthem. Seemed cleaner and maybe bigger than last year. St Joes - Wonderful opener. Ace Peterson jamming while the rest of the corps rambles in and turns their back to the crowd. After the corps is set up, Kenny stops jamming and starts the opener to Georgia on my Mind and the corps turns around while building (ala Spirit of Atlanta) to a crescendo that say HELLO, THIS IS DRUM CORPS. Whoa..... Westshoremen Alumni - I owe Hershman (not in a good way) for making all Alumni in the audience stand while they played Grand Old Scag (errr, Flag). Since I was there with my sister and wife I HAD to stand. ("Get yer ### outta the seat, God (Uncle Larry) wants YOU"). US Navy - very clean but didn't really recognize the music. I enjoyed but...... Park City Park - missed them (kinda) because the knee replacement person needed a walk and my kidneys were full. PCP were loud enough you could really hear them in the concourse. Even joked with two cops about the volume. Hip Pickles - more I see them the more I enjoy. Guess it just grows on us non drummer types. TBirds Alumni - one of the two smaller corps but still a full sound. Just a fun show and the corps seemed to be enjoying themselves. Bandstand Boogie is still a blast after over 25 years. (Yeah I'm biased, the only corps there tonight we had a good rivalary with when I marched.) Cabs Alumni - Whoever did the Bull Call had his wheaties. All conversion stopped dead when that kicked in. When it was announced Larry Kirchner(sp?) was filling in for an ailing Jim Russo our side of the crowd could see LK crossing himself with an "Oh ####" look on his face (priceless). LK then promptly screwed up bringing the horns up. Credit Larry for turning to the crowd and saying it was his fault. When it came time for the Cherry Pink encore looked like confusion on Larrys part on how to start it off. (Could hear someone say "off .... street beat".) Actually worked out as it gave the soloist time to go in the middle of the floor in the Forum (in the crowd) to play. Not downing Kirchner it just added to the fun memories and I'd buy him a round anytime for filling in. Sky Alumni - HOLY #### are these guys *****ing loud!!!! Typical Sky from when I started in '74 and all three of us loved every second of it. Sitting on the contra bass side of the audience during Elks Parade was the primo spot to be. Yeaaaaaah Babbbby..... Cab (Competative) - Really good show and looked like a big improvement from last year music wise. Disclaimer is I only saw them outdoors at Prelims and Finals last year and not indoors. Finale of the night was combined Cabs (Alum/competative) doing Flamingo Cha Cha (Cha Cha Flamingo??). Still a toss up if Sky was louder but highlight was watching 16 contras trying to bring their horns up with out clobbering each other. PS - Got to meet bugleboy1048 and his daughter finally. Glad you made it back safely Craig.

Bravo for your plans. :) My first year my corps came in (a well deserved) dead last in DCA. Learned the hard way that it takes a #### of a lot of time, effort, sweat, etc, etc to put even a last place corps on the field. We took our lumps knowing it would pay off in the future.

Ehhh, count your blessings if you saw it live or on a good TV. That was the year we went to New Orleans for American Legion and got to the cruddy butt motel about 15 minutes before DCI started. (Which was 23 hours and 45 minutes after the busses left PA.) TV in our room had hardly any color and tinny sound. And if you crancked the volume it got all distorted. Funny part was everyone was smelling like goats (A/C crapped out in our bus) but no one wanted to miss any of DCI. In breaks between corps, people would empty their pockets and do a fully clothed Pool dive to cool off and de-smell a bit. No wonder I don't remember the announcers. Thanks all for the memory jog...

Remember a late 70s DCW pic of a Kiltie really getting into their show. Guy had a moustache and looked like he was balding and in his mid 30s. And before anyone flames I knew a guy who looked like that in HS when he was 18..