usmc5577

BTW Loved your '84 show! Classic BD. Loved you guys even more after you fed us at the Canadian border. Best meal I ever had in all my years of drum corps.

First I've seen this. That is so funny. ROFL. It was also almost 30 years ago (is it possible we are that old?)

I just love a happy ending

I recall that a Christmas show was considered following the 1984 season as well a Pat Metheny show. Both were ditched. But in 1985 the Bridgemen did a Christmas show and Blue Devils played Pat Metheny, which is one of my favorite shows of all time. I believe the Bridgemen may have picked up on the idea after we decided not to do it and that we decided not to play Metheny because BD had already decided to. Of course, I may be wrong on some or all of this. It was a long time ago and old-timers disease is creeping in. One thing I am sure of is '85 BD was bloody AWESOME!

I would be interested in information. Thanks.

I was in a theatre, as well, in Northern Virginia. Agree much with what you had in your review. Here are some additional thoughts. Keep in mind that this was in a theatre and it was my first viewing of the corps. Glassmen-Couldn't help but like their sound. Very nice. Madison- Any show in which one can fart at any time during the show and no one would hear it must be a great show. Hope they can continue to improve without having to play stuff they have already played. i.e. create new classic shows without redoing old classic shows. Blue Knights-They wanted to be more accessable and I think they went a long way in attaining that goal. A thoroughly entertaining show. Blue Stars-WOW! I've not heard the music they're playing before, but I like it. A lot. Great show! SCV-I think you would really have to be a Bartok fan to like this show. As one who has not heard this music before, I found the show to be a bit pretentious and definitely inaccessable. Some really nice visuals, though. Phantom-Largely not-so-great show but with a handful of seriously WOW moments. Cadets-Gotta like the way they execute that show. Accessable and entertaining. Like a machine out there. Awesome drum feature. Crown-First half of the show was AMAZING. Couldn't figure out why they weren't scoring better. Then came the second half of the show and suddenly I understood. It lost all momentum and never got it back. Their color pallate was beautiful and elegant. Blue Coats-Another show where you can fart at anytime and no one would hear you. Love the energy level but, visually, it seemed to be lacking something. Didn't seem to be on the same level as the other top corps. Nice to see them doing so well. Cavs-Definitely outside the box. Tons of energy and very entertaining. They always have the best visual package. Would like to see them take it but they won't because... BD-They gonna win. If you were to say, as quoted above, that "their show was hands-down the most unpleasant show I have ever experienced. Musically grating and annoying" then my guess is that BD would say "mission accomplished". I agree that this corps is uber talented and execute the snot out of the show. I would also say that said show is poo-poo. Seriously, is this the future of the activity? Where a corps can win with most of the crowd sitting on their hands? That's a sure-fire way to esoteric your way out of a fan base (yes, I used the word "esoteric" as a verb). Last year they were the best corps to sit on a chair, cross their legs while sitting on a chair, walk around a chair, stand on a chair, etc ad nauseum. It's a shame the staff can't give the kids a show that gives them the satisfaction of, not just winning, but hearing the crowd go ape because they're so entertaining. There! I said it. Cathartic experience complete. I feel better. Hellcats-Hell yes! Well done, gentlemen. 'nuf said. Peace out.

I refuse to participate in this poll as the Cambria Cadets are not listed as one of the options.

Well said David. As I recall, my first Drum Major there had 2 purple hearts. I'm pretty sure he didn't get them out of a crackerjack box. He was, and still is, an awesome Marine. Not sure how the all-knowing and all-seeing Mr. Porter missed him. Maybe he needs to double-check our service record books. Might be an eye-opener for him. Facts are stubborn things; and whatever may be our wishes, our inclinations, or the dictates of our passion, they cannot alter the state of facts and evidence. John Adams, 'Argument in Defense of the Soldiers in the Boston Massacre Trials,' December 1770 US diplomat & politician (1735 - 1826) See also: Stupid is as stupid does.

DO NOT try to underestimate the Cambria Cadets. It is not possible to do. The highlight of my years with them was when we beat the Mellodears. Those of us who marched in small corps know how memorable they were. You had to LOVE drum corps to march with them. Goodness knows, we didn't march with them to win

I respect the fact that you didn't care for the Marine D&B. However, there may be some things that you might want to consider.It is miportant to keep in mind that they have a totally different mission statement than do DCI corps. DCI corps spend all year refining an 11 minute show that is evaluated by a judging panel. The Marine D&B's task if far more than that.What you saw on the field is maybe a quarter of the what they do (concerts, pat openers, ceremonies etc). Also, keep in mind that they are Marine musicians and the word Marine comes before the word musician. So in addition to performing, training takes place to ensure that their martial skills are kept sharp. Keep in mind that there are Marines out there that have been deployed to Iraq and Afganistan. They have a lot on their plate. The point is that they are not a DCI (nor DCA) corps and don't pretend to be. So it would be fundamentally unfair to do so. It is their job to demonstrate all that is good and true about the Marine Corps while instilling patriotism and pride into ta vast and varying audience. This is far different that appealing to a small judging panel. I write from the perspective of having marched both DCI and with the Marines. Trust me, I know the difference between the two. Hopefully, you understand a little better the difference as well. With respect, Jim Drass SSgt USMC (ret) BTW- I wonder how my old DCI team would fare against your '91 Bluecoats.

The point is that if you listen to Crown they sound remarkably similar to Star. I know that Porgy has been done by several corps but Crown would sound like Star. So if you want to know what Crown would sound like playing Porgy and Bess, listen to '88 Star.

Crown hornline, Star hornlline, what's the difference. Both sound so much the same (and that's not a bad thing). Love Spirit but it's a totally different sound.

They've already done it. It's called '88 Star of Indiana.

Here's a thought. Be better than the Bucs. Corps need to raise their game instead of waiting for the Bucs to fall. May the best corps win, even if its the same corps every year.

DCI vs BOA? Um...there's a difference?

INRE: BD Winning. Seriously. This does not pass the straight-face test. Kudos to the members of BD for performing the heck out of their show. Shame on DCI for rewarding the content of the show in the manner that they did. Do we really want the rest of the corps to take their cue from what DCI is telling them? Why work your butt off trying to perform a demanding visual show when you can score better with a more pedestrian presentation. If chairs are good maybe sofas would be even better. That way you can have 3 people on it instead of just one. Show co-ordinators please feel free to run with this idea. You know you want to.

Taking their cue from this years results corps will ditch their current visual programs and perform stand-still concerts. Judges will go wild while crowds go mild. National un-employment will continue to rise as former show co-ordinators, drill designers and instructors join those without jobs. You heard it here first.

I think most would agree that they would like to see the best drum corps and best show win. Yes, we all have our favorites but I, for one, would not like to see my fav, Cadets, (my old team) win if there were a corps that was bettter. It would do all involved an injustice, most of all to the members. That being said it is my opinion that BD simply didn't have the visual show that the rest had (read, top 14 or so.) Does BD perform at a level most can only dream of? Oh yeah! Musically are they worthy of a championship? Oh heck yeah? I love that big sound and the aggresive way they approach their show. Rarely does anyone does it as well. Visually are they worthy of a championship? Um...no. Thats just keeping it real. The message DCI has sent to the rest of the corps is that a demanding, challenging and effective drill is not necessary to score well. Are we ready to see a finals with everyone marching the kind of drill that BD won with? Save your money and stay home from finals next year. Just buy the recordings because, while it is worth listening to, there isn't gonna be a whole lot to see. Just one ticket buying old-timers opinion.

Count me in the Colts fan club. What a fine drum corps and show. If you were competing against anyone else other than the troopers for the 12th slot you would've made it. Remember, its not good unless it's good and loud. You guys play loud...um...goodly. GREAT SHOW COLTS!

Tuba? Kinda sorta. Back in the day it was a contra-bass. What they have in common is that they are both heavy. I am actually a back-slidden soprano player and have marched bari as well. Perhaps I am more sensitive to the lower brass sound when listening and therefore notice when the amps/pit interferes but really I am listening to the overall brass ensemble sound. Its a shame when the raw power and emotion of the brass and percussion can be changed (compromised? cheated?) with a simple push of a button. But that's just my opinion. Semper Fi

The HNC are losing weight because of their crazy drill. Back when I was marching Garfield we lost weight because our food truck was always breaking down and was 3 states away. Be proud of your son. Win, lose or draw this show is destined to be a classic. BTW, I was the only contra to march all three years (83-85) FHNSAB Semper Fi

I wish I could say that they couldn't have done it without me but the fact of the matter is that I was just extremely fortunate. It was like voting for Pedro. All my wildest came true. BTW, I remember competing against the Bluecoats in the late '70s. Of course, they beat the snot out of us (Cambria Cadets) by double digits as they were scoring in the 50s and 60s. We broke 40 a couple of times and even beat the Mello-dears. High point of our season.

WARNING!!! OLD GUY REVIEW!!! I will not try to critique the shows but will give only my general impressions of them. It's only my opinions and I have no axes to grind. Please leave your flame-throwers on 'safe.' Weather: Rain let up right at show-time but remained hot and humid until well after sun-down. Stadium: The side-line was about 30 yards from the stands due to a large track around the field. This really cut down on the impact of the corps. Not a very intimate venue as one felt such distance from the performers. Freedom: Caught only a bit of the show due to the line to get into the stadium. This is a new corps in the northern Virginia area. They are small and young but displayed talent and potential. They didn't let their size stop them from playing some challenging music. Hope to see big things from them in a few years. Nice job and good luck. The Commandant's Own, USMC Drum & Bugle Corps: Freedom of Information Act in action - I spent twenty years of my life as a member of this fine organization and count myself privileged to have done so. G-Bugles! Yay! There are definitely some nice moments in this show. The fanfare parts in the push at the end of the first half of the show was one of them. Nicely done! The drum-line is great as usual. The soprano line was one of the busiest of the evening. They fire off alot of notes down-range. They played the piccalo solo from 'Stars & Stripes Forever' while high-stepping in a front going from right to left. (It's amazing what you can play with only two-valves) Again, nicely done! The show is about twenty minutes long and there was no drop-off in intensity from the horn-line. Monster chops. Strong start to finish. It's amazing what these Marines can do given the minimal amount of rehearsal time that they get. Well done, Marines. Semper Fi Spirit: The show seemed awful 'bandish' to me. A lot of jumping up and down and waving arms about just seemed awkward to me. Starting a trend that I saw throughout the evening were amplification issues. A baritone-section feature was covered up by the pit section and I'm not sure why a corps would march tubas when they are covered up by an electric bass that doubles their parts half of the show. You just can't hear the tubas when that happens. HOWEVER: let me say that this is a case of a very good drum corps being better than the show they are given to perform. Strong horns and drums. Love the corps, just not the show concept. Sorry. But hey, you can't win 'em all. That's just me. Plenty of fans like the show very much. Colts: I liked this show. Nice opening statement! The ripple down the horn-line was a nice effect. The wind/surf sounds piped in through the amps sounded a bit thin and un-natural to me. Had the effect of 'whats that noise' moment during the show.The guard did a nice job in conveying the beach/sea theme with the different nautical type props they used and actually did work with. Especially appreciated seeing drum corps in semaphore! Hopefully it spelled out 'see you at finals.' As a friend of mine once said of music 'it's not good unless it's good and loud'. These guys play loud goodly. (What?) Well done, Colts. Glassmen: Definitely a contrast from the Colts. Whereas the Colts were aggresive musically the Glassmen had a very controlled sound. Not a bad thing, just different. Enjoyed the drum-line. The ballad was the high point of their show to me. Beautiful and at times lush. The impact point of the ballad was one of my favorite moments of the night. This was an enjoyable show from the Glassmen. Smooth and controlled this is a fine drum corps. Boston Crusaders: Wow! These guys are good! They have a busy drill that features quick, sharp and crisp movements executed extremely well. The horn book is challenging but was performed, as a whole, very well. There was an occasional mis-fire here and there through-out the show. I'm sure that come finals night it will be sounding pretty tight. I found the guard to just be distracting for some reason. Maybe it was because the horns and drums were so fun to watch. An excellent drum corps top to bottom. Madison Scouts: Gotta be honest. I wasn't expecting a whole lot from these guys judging from the reviews I've been reading in these forums. In a way they reminded me of female mud-wrestling. Exciting but dirty. No, they may not be the best executing drum corps out there but there is a lot of fun and entertainment in this show. Q: How many guys in spandex does it take to beat up Madisons horn-line? A: Apparently, just one. Too much amp in this show for this old-timer. I thought it was distracting. (ir)Regardless, this show was a blast to watch. Holy Name: (Freedom of Information Act in action again. I am an alumni of the Garfield Cadets.) I have NEVER seen a corps march as much as these guys. It would've been interesting if they had weighed the members at the begining of the season and compared it to what they will weigh at the end. This show is not for the faint-of-heart. The amazing part is how well and controlled they play while marching. The voices integrated from the movie didn't bother me but thought that they were guilty of covering up the tubas by doubling up their parts with electronics. If I were a tuba for Holy Name I would be fighting mad to march and play my butt off out there and not be heard. Even so, wow, what a show! They will continue to clean and improve all the way to finals night whereas some 'contending' corps will plateau. Well done, Holy Name! Some of you will notice that I didn't have much to say about the guards. As I stated earlier I spent twenty years in a drum corps that didn't have a guard so I tend not to notice them much. Sorry. I'm old and set in my ways. Electronics and the pit - I understand that corps want the pit sound integrated into the overall sound of the corps. However, I have a few issues on what I heard tonight. Balance, while not always a problem was enough of a problem so as to be distracting. The sound coming from the speakers do not capture the full, rich sound of the instruments. It sounds like something being played on 'mono' instead of 'stereo.' (From time to time horns are picked up on the mikes.) The doubling of bass parts drowns out the tubas and gives the corps an artificial, non-drum corps sound. Either don't march tubas and give other sections more bodies (you would still get that artificial sound) or let the tubas do their own talking. I would think that the best pit sound is the one that you don't notice is amped. Anyways, thats my story and I'm sticking to it.

At least the Canadian flag wasn't up-side down. Not that I would know anything about that.

Technically speaking, drum corps ceased when the first valve/rotor was slapped onto a bugle. Since then it has been a slippery slope to becoming a marching band which is the only logical end. Deny it if you want but it is only a matter of time.