KeithHall

Wonder, if execution was being judged, if scores would be as high as they are today!

When I was about 7 or 8 I was riding my bike and heard drums playing. I rode in the direction of the sound and discovered this "band" marching in the street (practicing). Cut to June 1971 and I had started to play trumpet and I wanted to join. My dad talked to the director and was told to go to the fire hall on a Tuesday, which I did and they gave me a brass Getzen V/P soprano and a uniform. I was hooked! Interesting that during the first rehearsal the Director was let go and a new director put in his place and I have been a long time friend of his ever since!

I'll say it even though there will be an attack on me BUT...... How about corps executive directors say "Enough of your freaking ego's and write an exciting, fan-friendly show, where we entertain the PAYING customer and NOT worry about making the judges happy!" Vince Bruni did it best as director of the Empire Statesmen, play music that the fans know and can relate too! As a music educator I am in awe of the talent out there today. I know the old school people hate what is happening and there are some like me who appreciate the advances in corps today. That being said, there was only ONE show that made me happy so thank you Bluecoats! How about 2020 ALL corps make the paying customer happy!!! If the fans don't come then what? Okay so now attack....see my name is there for all to see and not hiding behind a fake name!

It really would be nice to have variety back in drum corps! Why should corps stick with the same type of music? It's only for the designers ego anyways. MM's don't get a say yet they shell out the thousands of dollars. If I were a kid this year I would march Bluecoats just for the music!

You could add....Les Eclipse, Squires (definitely), Marquis, Charioteers, Seneca Princemen, Gauchos, Precisionaires, Offensive Lions, probably a lot more!

I remember in 1989 at US Open (Marion,OH) and it was probably 100 degrees and we LOVED it! Drank Screwdrivers out of the cooler and couldn't get drunk because we sweat it off. Then came SCV pants changing tunnel and then I thought I was drunk! LOL

Will we ever see a Canadian corps in the top 12? Memories of DeLasalle Oaklands, Oakland Crusaders, Seneca Optimists, Dutchboy and add Ventures, St. Johns Girls, Les Eclipse, Les Insolite, etc

Predictions? Just look at the results from next show and there you go

Maybe we should predict what corps will be gone next year. I hope none but........

It's NOT 1970 Go back to three man squads. Color pre. Start on the left "off the line". Concert piece. G BUGLES! Leave via the right side of the field. It's not rocket science. Within two years the stands would be full. So would the horn lines and drum lines. Try it. If it doesn't work in two years....fold. Probably going to fold anyways if they keep going this way.

What, No Bobby Beck from the mid 1970's? Timpani soloist for Night On Bald Mountain

So I heard the story about I. C. Reveries and then the formation of 27th Lancers. BUT.....I believe they competed in 1974. I also remember a former member of my corps in NY (Joel Lamarre) going to march with them.

On our first trip to the US Open in 1972, we first competed in a show in Bellefontaine, OH. My memory was that Beverly Cardinals, Buckeyes, Mello Dears, Marion Cadets and possibly Southern Tier Grenadiers were there. If anyone has scores that would help. I also remember an after show party at what I thought may have been a ski resort. Mind you this is almost 50 years ago LOL

That can't be true LOL

I remember seeing Blue Rock at 1972 US Open. Precisionaires blew me away at the NT Open in 1975! Charioteers were one of my all-time favorites as they were a fantastic small corps that impressed me!

I'm listing corps from the 1970's. If you have an interesting story about them please post. Probably will be a lot of corps but then...there were a lot of corps back then LOL Blue Rock, St. Lucy's Cadets, Argonne Rebels, Spectacle City Mariners, Kenosha Queensmen, Norwood Park Imperials, Stardusters, Nisei Ambassadors, Marion Cadets, St. Paul Scouts, Shoreliners (CT), Midlanders (Ontario), Appleknockers, Oshkosh Warriors, St. Rita's Brassmen, CMCC Warriors, Polish Falcon Cadets, St. Mary's Cardinals, Blessed Sacrament, Charioteers, Precisionaires, Floridians, Belvedere's, I.C. Reveries, Capitolaires, Royal Crusaders, Emerald Cadets (CT), Syracuse Marauders, Tri-Town Cadets, Windjammers, Keystone Regiment,Lasalle cadets, Les Compagnon, 507 Hornets, Sancians That's enough for now.

My old corps dissolved in 1977 but the former director still controls the name 40 plus years later

Story from 1973..... our corps was going to start learning drill and we were told at start of rehearsal that this gut who ran the local drill team was going to do our drill. I was 12 going on 13 and a veteran and knew from the start that this guy was not going to work out. Nothing on paper whatsoever and then he said, "we're going to do a Troopers sunburst!" I just started shaking my head and even the older kids were doing the same thing. We broke for lunch and upon returning the "drill guy" was replaced by our horn instructor who had already had things down on paper. Sadly our horn/drill guy Dick Lewis passed away a few years after that and he was a young man too.

Ahhh Depew High School...I remember it well, 1978 Stan Kenton and his Big Band. It was a year after his stroke and a year before he passed away. Have fun everyone!

Was looking over staff for a few corps and started to laugh.... In our best year (1976) we had three percussion staff (one with the corps all the time and the other two would pop in once in a while). One brass person/arranger who came in periodically while one or two of us would warm up the line during summer and DM would run rehearsals. One guard instructor and one of the girls in rifle line would be in charge of them. Our drill person would pop in once in a while too. When they were all there it would be less than 5 people. Today 5 people would be the tenor techs LOL. How big was your staff?

And like that......the post is dead!

I think I don't think about LI because during the 70's when I marched we NEVER saw those corps. The first and only time I saw Kingston Indians (who is Upstate)was in a show at Greece, NY in 1976. Sorry

I think at some point these corps would have, sadly, faded away. Would Anaheim have been to get back into the top 12? They hung on till 1986 I think, but their best years were well behind them. I saw them in 1972 at US Open and then 10 years later at same show and still loved their brass sound! 27th I miss still! Was the loss of George Z to Cadets the end? Bridgemen and Bobby Hoffman and crew. Without the guiding light........

I started something on FaceBook and many replies.... Tom Peashey said NY does not have one yet PA and NJ have had one for decades. Many names could be grandfathered in due to be in World DCHoF but so many more from Upstate NY Corps of bygone days!

Faith!