BarryM

I think this is Opti-Knights Donnie.

I'm pretty sure that's either Simcoe Golden Lions, or Peterborough Crescendos.

Bruce, when I left for Philadelphia in May of my age-out year, I was also held up at US Customs in Toronto because the guy couldn't believe we didn't get paid! My dad had to drive all the way back to the airport (about 30 miles) to pick me up and bring me home for the night. I then had to re-schedule a flight the next day. I remember calling Robbie Robertson, the legendary director, to tell him my predicament. For those who know, Robbie didn't suffer fools gladly and was livid!! I can still hear him yelling into the phone "You tell those ########s you're spendin' da summer with your Uncle Robbie and Aunt Charlotte and have 'em call me if they got problems with that!!!" I got through the next morning but it felt like The Great Escape. Then, when we were crossing back into Canada for finals in August, the bus driver tells Canadian Customs that everyone was born in the US. The guy comes on the bus and starts moving down the aisle asking for ID's, but turned back before he gets to me. He probably got grossed out from the bus stench. I nearly soiled myself.

To this day, one of my most enduring memories of any drum corps was of Belleville at the 1974 US Open pre-lims. I was 14 and it was our young corps' first trip to the US. I remember seeing SCV, Madison, Devils and Blue Rock, amongst many others and was totally in awe. But when Belleville went on, the skies opened up in the middle of their show and it just seemed to put them in overdrive. No one left for cover and it was absolutely pouring!! The memories of the ovation they got at the end of that performance still gives me goose-bumps!!

Where's Promo the Robot???

That was a quartet and the reason the sops look so young is that they're both female! That's Lucy Chilco on the left, who went on to march with Blue Devils and taught Ventures in the mid-late 80's. Brian Menard was the contra. he marched with SCV in '80 and '81.

Great pic! Exhibition(ist) Stadium in Toronto wasn't the best drum corps venue. Varsity Stadium was much better, but was quite a bit smaller. The new BMO Field (used by Toronto FC and yards away from the EX) would be a fantastic site today. Thanks for all the Canadian pics too Linda! I grew up a few blocks away from the Scarborough Boys Club and used to stray over to watch the Firefighters/Princemen rehearse. John Phillips worked at the local convenience store and used to talk drum corps with some of us young PB Cardinals for hours! I'm sure we were being pests. John judged field brass when I marched finals with Crossmen in 1981 and actually recognized me and said hi as we exited. Your pics brought back some great memories! Thanks again.

The guy on the left is Jim McCauley (sp?).

Parade of the Giant Marital Aids.

Thanks Malibu! Pic #3 is definitely '81 - my only year with Bones. That's Bill Marshall in the funky glasses. I think most of the folks in that picture were the gang from Finleyville. Bill's dad was a minister, but he had the worst mouth in the corps - period. He was only about 16 or 17, but could make ME blush.

Oakland Crusaders, 1979, Chattanooga, Tenn. ("Spanish Dreams"): Sue, Thanks for posting all the OC pics! Your dad was one busy guy in Chatanooga. I was one of the Cardinal bunch that marched that year. Competetively, it was a dissapointment, as we all had high expectations that year. Still, there were some real characters that marched and I had a great time. I still think we were better than we placed in Birmingham.

It's a Kenton piece. Try here: http://www.bigbandjazz.net/new-design/cd_horns2.asp http://www.allaboutjazz.com/php/article.php?id=19871 I found a copy on Limewire.

That's pushing cookie salad to the next dimension. Wash it all down with some Mountain Dew and stand back!

I'm glad somebody bumped this recently! I remember wanting to agree with the first poster 3 years ago!! I would agree that VK had underrated brass lines, especially in '88 and '92. The corps is always remembered for the crazy stuff, but if you listen to '92 in particular, there was some fantastic playing. With the exception of the opener, that was a show built largely around classical music - a very difficult book performed very well.

Curling is popular on TV for the same reason pool/poker/darts are. They all require a minimum amount of cameras and the action is easily captured on one screen. Plus, it's an Olympic sport. Not disagreeing, but the small screen just doesn't capture the effects of a drum corps show.