DDANN

Sue....... The De La Salle Oakland Crusader Alumni have performed two years in a row in Simcoe. ON, at the annual indoor concert sponsored by Simcoe United Alumni. We have also played at three different concerts with the school orchetras and at the last two Annual Zack Nites. On October 2 we will be playing in the Vaughan City Playhouse at the "Love of Music" concert sponsored and promoted by DCAT (Drum Corps Alumni Toronto). The concerts's gonna' be great! Check out the details at www.dcatchorus.ca.

The DCA East committe always publishes a list and you can pick i up at the booth right near the box office when it opens about mid-morning on Friday.

Thanks for your excellent review of the show and all the participants but especially for your kind words about Scout House. If even a small portion of the audience ennjoyed our show as much as you suggest it makes the work well worth our while. We put more than 80 people on the field; we brought a "support staff" (spouses, friends, family, instructors, etc.) of more than thirty; we travelled eight hours in two busses and a dozen automobiles; we spent quite some time at the border to convince your "border guards" that no - we were not professionals, we were not being "paid", and we were not in any way "taking a job from an American band". We stayed two nights in a local hotel, ate many meals in local restaurants, and were welcomed with open arms by two very grateful Lewiston "beer barns". So although we did not "win the contest" or receive a score from the judges, we did have a wonderful time and hope to come back again next year. It's what the boys (and now girls) of Scout House do and have done since 1938. Yes, there may have been a small gap of about thirty years roughly between 1968 and 1998 when the Bb horns of "Canada's Famous Bugle Band" were quiet, but as long as the fans are enjoying our efforts I'm quite sure the "band" will be performing for many years to come.

Love your review, Kevin. Thanks a bunch! The "finale" of the Scout House Colour Presentation is "The Maple Leaf Forever". Just as you mention in your thread two before this one.

Let me suggest that one of the more unique names in "drum corps" has to be: "Preston Scout House - Canada's Famous Scout House 'Bugle Band'" Here's brief history, but for a more complete story go to http://www.scouthouseband.com/about-us/history/ Canada’s famous Scout House Bugle Band began in 1938 as an activity to interest local boys in the 1st Preston Scout troop, a Boy Scout troop in the town of Preston, Ontario. Under the visionary leadership of a Preston pharmacist, Wilf Blum, the Preston Scout House Bugle Band, developed into “Canada’s Famous Bugle Band” with a deserved international reputation as an outstanding parade and performing marching unit. Over 30 years, the Preston Scout House Bugle Band became the best-known "drum and bugle corps" in North America, winning more than 80 major awards and titles—many of them during a 10-year undefeated streak against all competition. At its peak in the late 1950s and early 1960s, Scout House traveled up to eight thousand miles a year, to perform for audiences of all sizes adding up to over one million annually. Scout troop leader Wilf Blum, introduced music as a Scout activity after he noticed how excited the boys of Preston became each summer when traveling bands performed in town on their way to the Waterloo Music Festival. The bright, clean sounds of bugle bands, the splendid uniforms and the military precision displayed during parades and other performances captivated the members of his troop, so he decided to create a band. As the Band evolved Blum was the band director. The success of the Scout House Band was shaped by his vision, his direction and his effort. Wilf Blum was inducted into the World Drum Corps Hall of Fame in 1985, one of the first Canadians to receive this honour. And in 2005, he was inducted posthumously into the City of Cambridge Hall of Fame. The entire Band was inducted in 1997. A distinctive knees-up marching style, with fully extended arms swinging to shoulder height was developed during the World War II years. When on Sunday morning church parades, the band would accompany members of the local Women’s Royal Canadian Navy unit (WRENs) to services. The marching style produced a comfortable, marching pace that made Scout House look different from every other “drum and bugle corps” in North America. In the 1950s and ’60s, the use of B flat horns also made the Band sound different from the other drum and bugle corps of the day. The Preston Scout House Band was named for the building where the Scout troop met; an abandoned brewery stable that the scouts restored. The "Scout House" became the social centre of the town of Preston, attracting huge crowds to dances and music theatre events staged there. The organized activities for the community’s young people became so popular that Scout House and its activities were featured in national newspaper articles. Today there are about 130 involved with the Alumni Band. Ages range from 18 to 75, with 61 being the average age of the Band’s membership. New members – both young and old – are welcome! The Preston Scout House Alumni Band includes members from close to 20 different Ontario communities ranging from London to Ottawa– east to west and from Kincardine to Stoney Creek – north to South and even includes two “Yankee Boys” from the Warren PA area. This past weekend the band continued its amazing tradition of traveling great distances to entertain audiences by: first; celebrating Canada's 143rd birthday on July 1 by marching in the annual Canada Day Parade in Cambridge, Ontario; then travelling to Warren, PA, for their 4th of July Parade (held on July 3); then hurrying up to Rochester (where they arrived literally three minutes before they were scheduled to take the field at St. John Fisher College) to present their 2010 field show at the DCA competition sponsored by the Empire Statesmen; and then completed their weekend of travel by moving east along Route 104 to Irondequoit, NY, to perform in their 4th of July Parade before finally heading home to rest up for their next engagement. If you would like to see this amazing "Bugle Band" (drum corps to all our American friends) you will want to be in Lewisburg, PA, for the Cavalcade of Champions on July 17 where they have been invited to perform in exhibition for the third year in a row.

I was at the '89 show and just couldn't believe it when Phantom came second. I was very surprised and terribly disappointed. Twenty years later when people ask me "What's a drum corps?" I show them a DVD I have put together with just four shows on it. Bridgemen 1980; SCV 1989; Phantom 1989; and Boston 2000. All four of these shows were unique, exciting, and above all - entertaining. Phantom's NWS is to this day my all-time favourite DC Show. Even ahead of Spartacus in Montreal and the "winning" Spartacus two years ago. Even ahead of the tie when they won their first championship. But in all four examples, two thins really stand out. First the music (while difficult and challenging) consists of real tunes. Tunes you recognize, enjoy and can actually hum to yourself on the way out of the stadium rather than the garbled, cobbled-together esoteric exercises that most corps use today to cue their drill maneuvers. And second, you can actually hear the bugles play 95% of the music instead of straining to hear them as they compete with ten or twelve amplified marimbas, xylophones and other contraptions in the pit. What can I say. Every once in a while I feel the need to "rant". I guess what's really bugging me today is this whole G7 thing. I'm almost hoping the G7 will go their way and join up with the "marching band" circuit and that the remaining "drum corps" will seize the chance to go back at little closer to their roots. But I guess that's just me. Nostalgic for the "good old days" when drum corps was drum corps.

Nice! Very nice! Best of luck in 2010.

Grandchilden? Yes we do! I love drum corps. I have played in many over the last 54 years but I have to agree with my grandaughter when she said - "We like your Yellow Band best, Grampa". So sorry I can't make it to the HoF dinner and meet Jim Brady. Now that would be a real treat.

Weird. here I am reading through this thread. I finally see a comment I can agree with - 100% - and it turns out to be you. Now how does that happen? Would this be the first thing we've ever agreed on? Oh no..... We both like Bridgemen! We miss you Keith. Stay weel.

Marching Ensemble? How 'bout "Pipe Band" or "Bugle Band"? If you browse through the archives in the Toronto Public Library you will see reference to a "pipe band" from De La Salle Academy marching in the Saint Patrick's Day Parade as early as 1876. But by 1910 the Cadet Corps decided they needed a real band to march to and thus began the De La Salle Drum and Bugle Corps. For almost half a century the "band" was a parade unit. At its peak in the late 40's and early 50's the band was HUGE. Believe it or not they marched with 32 snare drums; 8 "swinging tenors"; a row of bass drums and "bugle bells" (glockenspeils); and 64 single valve "harmony bugles". In 1958 the corps cut its size in half, got hold of some "G" bugles, and recruited a local "drill team" (The Precisionnaires) to be their first colour guard and came third at the Canadian Championships. In 1972 De La Salle "Oaklands" was a founding member of DCI and, in fact, Del is the reason for the "i" in DCI. By 1975 the school had decided they could no longer support such an expensive activity so the corps merged with the Etobicoke Crusaders and competed for several years (well into the 80's) as the Oakland Crusaders. And yes, the De La Salle Oakland Crusader Alumni are still active and performing as the DOCA Stage Band.

Ted Key can be reached at: edwardkey@rogers.com When drum corps in Canada became (shall we say) inactive many years ago, Ted and a bunch of other Toronto drum corps alumni from Southern Ontario started up DCAT - Drum Corps Alumni - Toronto. Back in 1994 a bunch of us in Toronto heard about a G.A.S. convention being sponsored by the Preston Scout House Alumni Band in Canbridge Ontario and dropped in to see what it was all about. We had so much we decided we just had to get in on this annual convention and celebration. Because we figured we were too old to march we becane a Chorus. Ted was our music director for the first ten or eleven years before he retired and many of the songs we sing were written by him. The DCAT Chorus is now under the direction of Wyatt Gill, an alumnus of the Ditch Boy Drum Corps - Canada's last DCI finalist. DCAT has definitely retained its "drum corps roots" but welcomes anyone who loves music, good fun, and good fellowship. Check us out: www.dcatchorus.ca

I know Bridgemen had 61 bugles (one baritone with a very sore back was missing) but we had full attendance from the guard, the drum line and out pit/percussion section. Can't wait for next year. It's gonna' be great!

So in Allentown on Friday night I happened to look to my left during a portion of a top contenders show and saw 16 contras/tubas advancing in an echelon to the sideline from about the 20 towards me at the 40. I was impressed with the nice low bass note they struck as an "introduction" to the next number when I saw them turn around and head backfield but the volume and tone of their note never changed. Which was when I realized they might not have even been playing. The sound was coming from some contraption buried in the pit. But here I thought I was at a "drum corps" show. Silly me. Eighty horns on the field, 16 tubas being "featured", and one guy/gal with their finger on a button overpowered them all. A little later (while all the "marchers" on the field were going through some pretty amazing maneuvers backfield) my attention was drawn to the pit where the 12 xylophones, marimbas and other assorted percussion instruments were carrying the tune. A measure or two into this feature I realized this entire collection of modern glockenspiels were competing to be heard with some other guy or girl clanking away on a "piano" no less. And was that a bass guitar I heard in the background? Somehow I'm thinking were going to have to change the name of this activity. Please, DCI........ Once reeds and flutes get added to the mix next year or the year after, can you please pass a motion to change the name to something more appropriate?

I'll be leaving in eight hours to be sure I'm not late.

Quite a coincidence. I decided Preston Scout House definitely deserved to be added to the list and as I scanned to the end of the thread what do I see but the Jolly Jesters. Absolutely one of the most intriguing uniforms ever. But now click here to see the Preston Scout House Alumni Band web site: http://www.scouthouseband.com/photos/archi...&gallery=10 The old tyme pictures are in B & W but the "today" uniforms for the colour guard are identical to their world famous unis from the 50s and 60s. Since the average age of the alumni marching on the field is over 60 it's not surprising they opted for long pants rather than the original "short shorts". But the brave colour guard carries on the tradion and even marches in the high-step manner that always set this "corps" apart from any other. Check them out at the DCA Alumni Spectacular in Rochester where they will be performing for (I think() the sixth year in a row.the

Just got back from Cambridge where I watched Scout House rehearsing. They've got their usual full field show and several new tunes for 2009. Just one of the many great corps that will perform at the T.O.S. in a couple of weeks. Don't miss it.

Check this out! If these guys raren't "Renegades" I don't know who is. I sent this idea to Sara Julian last summer. Give a listen; then pick a song; any song; and play it in 2009! www.bonerama.net You don't have to thank me. Just hearing you guys/gals on the field next year will be thanks enough.

Many years ago when I marched with De La Salle "Oaklands" we stopped at a county fair during tour to do an exhibition. As we lined up on the strating line (I said it was many years ago) the announcer inroduced us with: "Please give a loud welcome to the Dee La Sally Drum Corps" We chuckled for wekks after that.

What we need from Phantom next is New World Symphony. Until 2008 this was my absolute favourite show of all time. 1989 to 2009 is twenty years so it's time for a re-write. With the bigger horn line, the full three valves, and the Bb "bugles" the music ould be amazing. Can't wait to see it.

I'm sure they played this cadence way back in the late 50's or early 60's when they carried only two bass drums. Back then Cavies were known as the Green Machine. The reason I'm so sure is because the Toronto Optimists (Canadian Champions 11 years in a row) had pretty much an exact copy of Cavies uniform, they often also called themselves the Green Machine, and they even played Cavies cadence. Also with only two bass drums.

I have to agree, FrankA! On Saturday night in Allenown I was on the field right Phantom waiting to perform with Bridgemen and the "standing O" started with about a minute to go. With 30 or 40 seconds still to go the applause was overwhelming. When the corps finished and brought their horns down I thought the stadium would explode. I don't know if I have ever heard applause like that. If I have, it was probably right after Phantom's New World Symphony in Kansas City many years ago. Absolutely my all-time favourite show! Whenever someone asks me "What's a drum corps?" I pull out the '89 finals DVD and show them SCV and Phantom. Probably the two best back-to-back performances ever recorded. But I'm pretty sure that once I see '08 from the front Phantom will surpass '89. While I didn't see Crown on the field at Allentown, I was able to spend hours watching them rehearse on Friday afternoon. If by chance Crown comes on after (or I hope before?) Phantom on finals night then it's very possible these two shows will become the finest back-to-back ever recorded. I just hope it's Phantom who wins and Crown who comes second. Next year Crown can win but '08 just has to be Phantom's year. Please, oh gods of drum corps, let it happen!

Love your picks! Why? Well I'm guessing that we must be of a similar age and we both remember fondly the days when drum corps faced two main challenges. How to actually play real "tunes" on a single valve bugle and at the same time entertain the crowd while avoiding "ticks" from the field judges. Also, I marched in De La Salle from 1955 'til 1963. Del started as a "bugle band" in 1910 and evolved into a "drum corps" in 1958 so I was there for the beginning of the drum corps era. In October we are organizing a giant 50th Anniversary Reunion of all De La Salle / Oakland Crusader alumni and planning to nonour as many of those 1958 "pioneers" as we can locate with a special memento. As well, years later (even though Del and Scout House had been intense rivals in the late 50s and early 60s) I marched in Preston Scout House Alumni from 2000 until September 2007. I joined Bridgemen Alumni in 2005 and I'm still there. Yes, I marched both for three years. Can't wait for Allentown next weekend. For the third year in a row I promise Bridgemen will "WOW" the crowd. St. Catherine's Queensmen! Now that was a corps that has been seriously underated or under-appreciated for decades. Billy Hightower? Black Bottom concert? For two or three years in the early 60's these guys and gals were by far the most entertaining drum corps around. One of the most exciting shows I've ever attended was sponsored by the Queensmen at Randall's Island in 1961 the Saturday night before the National Dream Contest. Judging was still mostly based on "ticks" so SAC was still marching 27 horns and trying to win by making no (and I do mean NO!) mistakes. They were unbelieveably precise and undefeated for the year. Their main attempt at GE was the introduction of rudimental bass - the first I had ever seen on the field in a competition. Garfield Cadets had pretty much conceded the "execution captions" to SAC and apparently decided to go for all-out for "GE". So that night they marched 48 horns and still managed to perform with precision. The horn line included about eight contras (if I remember the number right) and this was the first time I had ever seen them in a competition as well. St. Kevins at this point (again, if I remember correctly) was also undefeated but this was the first time they had competed out of the New England area all season. St. Kevins had been my favourite corps for several years. I loved their music. Slaughter on 19th Avenue? Stars & Stripes? Wonderful stuff. But in my mind the most appealing aspect of the corps was their colour guard. Lovely! So much so that I regularly swore to my friends that I would some day marry a girl (any girl) from Kevin's guard. This never happened, of course. Partly beecause I lived 500 miles away from Boston, but mostly because a couple of years later a lovely girl from home made me see the error of my ways and forty-one years later it's pretty clear she made the right decision for me. (I'm kidding, sweetheart! I'm kidding!) I'm sure SAC won that night but I have no memory of who was second or third. And, althogh I don't remember all the other corps who competed that night, I do remember they were all excellent as well. So much so that even today that Saturday night contest is still my all-time favourite drum corps memory. And in terms of actuall drum coprs "shows" it ranks just slightly ahead of the 2000 DCI Finals in Maryland (Boston, Cadets & Cavaliers); the 1989 Finals in Kansas City (SCV, Phantom & VK); and the 1981 DCI Finals in Montreal (Phantom & Bridgemen). HYPE!!! .....it's a Drum Corps thing!

This is a wonderful thread. Everything positive that has been said about BAC is absolutely true. And I can add at least another three or four chapters of praise. My introduction to BAC 2000 was at their afternoon rehearsal before Allentown at a school yard three blocks from the field. This rehearsal was ELECTRIC! First, we arrived just in time to watch the kids gather under a huge shade tree and rehearse the "singing part" of the ballad. They tried it at least three different ways (mainly switching between straight "humming" and the actual words) trying to determine which version projected most effectively. For that evening "words" won out. Then we watched and listened as they warmed up the bugles and spent ten minutes (at least) on the opening soprano solo with the staff debating exactly where (and how) the soloist should breath to most effectively deliver the sound from the back right corner of the field and evoke the "mood" in the audience. When they finally hit the drill field and we watched the opening from the sideline we could tell immediately we were seeing an "all-time-classic" opening. We looked around for a set of stairs, or some bleachers, or even a tree we could climb to get the full effect. Seeing weren't any in the area we were very glad we had opted for seats five rows from the top for the night show. And the guard! On the surface, their show looked "simple" at first. But when you watch the full show you can see that everything they did was designed to compliment (as well as complement) the show. Their uniforms and their "weapons work" for sure but especially their choreography. Whether you were standing ten feet from them on the sideline at rehearsal or up in the 43rd row of the original Burney Crum Stadium you could tell these girls were into this show every moment. That night the Allentown crowd loved them. I thought it was the most unique, "original" and especially the most emotional show since Phantom Regiment's New World Symphony in 1989. We have a group of ten drum corps fans that have been attending either DCI Finals or the northern or mid-west "regional" every year since 1981 in Montreal (and ten of us will be in Allentown again in 2008) so of course we already had our prime seats for finals in Washington. But after seeing BAC that evening we got on the phone to order more and insist that more of our friends just had to come and see this corps "live". Even though their seats were on the twenty about 15 rows up the experience is something they still talk about (and thank us for) today. But here's the real kicker! Many of you will remember that in 2000, PBS was still broadcasting the top five "live" on Saturday night. So to make it onto TV, BAC obviously needed to finish fifth or better on Friday. Now THAT imho is the show that should have been on the DVD. Saturday's show was gorgeous - but Friday's was the classic for the ages. Every note and every move was amazing. There was no doubt in anyone's mind that that performance was going to get them onto TV. On Saturday night, there was about a ten minute pause before Boston came on the field so the timing would be right for the PBS broadcast. If you were in the stands that night I'm sure you will agree that the applause and cheering that erupted when BAC came on the field to kick-off the "live" performance was just about the loudest ever heard for a corps before they have played a single note. Why? Well if your only reference is the 2000 Finals DVD you will still love their show. However, some might quibble about the scoring and think they could have been sixth or maybe even seventh on the night. But if you were there for the Friday show, that is the one most fans will remember forever. And you know what is most amazing? I can still hum every note of their show. Every "song" is actually a song. Every drill move and guard move enhances the music and adds to my enjoyment but I can listen to my CD and picture in my mind what's happening on the field. Eight years on this show is still one of my favorites.

Started in De La Salle "Blue & Gold" Bugle Bnad - '55 St. Margarets's Drum Corps - '56 & '57 Back to De La Salle "Oaklands" when they became a drum corps in '58 and aged out in '63 Canada's Marching Ambassadors '65 to '67 DCAT (Drum Corps Alumni Toronto) Chorus since '96 Toronto Signals off and on since '99 Preston Scout House Alumni '01 to '07 Bridgemen Alumni since '05 Canadian GAS Ensemble in '08

Hey, folks! I just happened to drop by the Scout House rehearsal last Sunday and I can tell you that "the band" (ie: "Canada's Famous Preston Scout House 'Bugle Band'") is looking and sounding GREAT! Some of you may remember them from their many U.S. appearances at the Barnum Festival in Bridgeport or the National Dream Contest at Roosevelt Stadium in the late '50s and early '60s. If so, you will be pleased to hear that the Alumni Band has been marching since 1999 and has been a crowd favourite at the DCA Alumni Spectacular and many, many other "drum corps" shows for the last several years. Those of you who saw them perform "back in the day" might even recognize a few faces out on the field because just over half of their 108 marching members (54 bugles, 33 percussion, 21 colour guard) marched in the original "band". So I guess it makes sense that the oldest marching member is 74 and the average age is 61. They play a full 13 to 15 minute M & M field show and I guarantee that you will recognize - and enjoy - every song they play. Talk about nostalgia...... Maybe it's just because Scout House was my favourite "drum corps" between 1958 and 1963 when I marched in a junior corps but their closing number for 2008 literally caused a little moisture in my eyes. It's a wonderful medley of some of their most famous and moving tunes. The "glocks" start off with a couple of measures of Waltzing Matilda before the horns carry the tune for a phrase or two. They then transition into Wish Me Luck and finish with mournful reprise of the famous Waterloo Fanfare which (of course) is how they open their show. This is an unbeatable lineup! You better get your tickets early - with a lineup like this I can't see tickets lasting very long.