Memorial Weekend Memories

[Fran Haring]

Barbara and I got to talking recently about the Memorial Day weekend, and how it used to be the kickoff for the DCA/senior/all-age corps season.

So I figured I'd start a thread where we could share our memories about our drum corps experiences on that weekend.

That weekend in 1977, I marched in my first competitions with the Sunrisers. I was a deer-in-the-headlights rookie, coming from a local-circuit junior corps that had not broken a 60 for two straight seasons.....and in my first show with Sun.... in New Brunswick, NJ.... we scored a 76 and beat the Skyliners by about 10 points.

Our second show that weekend, in Teaneck, NJ, we tied for first with the Caballeros. By the end of that weekend, I realized that I had taken a bit of a step up on the ladder of competitive drum corps.

1979...... we (Sunrisers) were coming off two straight DCA titles, and feeling pretty good about our chances for a third. Until our first show in Clifton, NJ, that is. That's when we saw the Buccaneers.... in their new "blue coat" uniforms, with their great hornline and show. Suddenly we didn't feel quite as good about a three-peat.....LOL

1981.... we debuted our new orange-tunic uniforms at our first show, also in Clifton. We were coming off a rough year in 1980.... and at that first show in 1981, I think we most definitely made a statement that the Sunrisers were back in the mix.

1982... again, our first show was at Clifton. We finished over six points behind the first-place Westshoremen, but honest to God I think we were just happy to be there and still be on the radar screen. We had gone through some rough months during the off-season ( I remember at one rehearsal, several us literally apologized to a prospective new member who had stopped in to check us out.... we asked that person to hang in there with us, that "we normally aren't this bad"....LOL), and kinda began pulling things together at the last minute.

Good times, indeed!

Fran

Edited May 26, 2008 by Fran Haring

[bugleboy1048]

Barbara and I got to talking recently about the Memorial Day weekend, and how it used to be the kickoff for the DCA/senior/all-age corps season.

So I figured I'd start a thread where we could share our memories about our drum corps experiences on that weekend.

That weekend in 1977, I marched in my first competitions with the Sunrisers. I was a deer-in-the-headlights rookie, coming from a local-circuit junior corps that had not broken a 60 for two straight seasons.....and in my first show with Sun.... in New Brunswick, NJ.... we scored a 76 and beat the Skyliners by about 10 points.

Our second show that weekend, in Teaneck, NJ, we tied for first with the Caballeros. By the end of that weekend, I realized that I had taken a bit of a step up on the ladder of competitive drum corps.

1979...... we (Sunrisers) were coming off two straight DCA titles, and feeling pretty good about our chances for a third. Until our first show in Clifton, NJ, that is. That's when we saw the Buccaneers.... in their new "blue coat" uniforms, with their great hornline and show. Suddenly we didn't feel quite as good about a three-peat.....LOL

1981.... we debuted our new orange-tunic uniforms at our first show, also in Clifton. We were coming off a rough year in 1980.... and at that first show in 1981, I think we most definitely made a statement that the Sunrisers were back in the mix.

1982... again, our first show was at Clifton. We finished over six points behind the first-place Westshoremen, but honest to God I think we were just happy to be there and still be on the radar screen. We had gone through some rough months during the off-season ( I remember at one rehearsal, several us literally apologized to a prospective new member who had stopped in to check us out.... we asked that person to hang in there with us, that "we normally aren't this bad"....LOL), and kinda began pulling things together at the last minute.

Good times, indeed!

Fran

I remember my first memorial day with WBS. We started in Hummelstown in the morning with a parade. We rushed back up to another parade closer to the burg. After a few adult beverages we ran, and I mean ran up to Mt. Carmel for a quick runthru, then a performance at Festival of Stars put on by the GREAT MT. Carmel Mounties High School band. Some really great exhibitions were put on by some real powerhouses back then. I really miss it

[Martybucs]

The Buccaneers season in 1978 started in Danville, PA on a Friday night exhibition. We had a feature in "Another Star" where the sopranos did an ascending chord pyramid ending in a triple high D. I played the first D, (just above high C), which had to be 16 counts as loud as I could play it and then the next note and so on up to the triple D.

When it came to the triple D...nothing, in fact, everyone petered out but me...not the effect we were hoping for.

The next day at Clifton, NJ, we totally revamped that part of the show. Learned the music changes and memorized them and Ralph Pace rewrote the drill, taught it, and I don't think anyone ever noticed we had changed the show. What a fire drill that day was!

1978, we got our butts kicked all season, but it was a fun year and a tremendous hornline.

Then, as now, what a great group to be associated with.

[boomboom]

Too funny another Westshoremen and I were sitting on my back porch Friday night talking about the same thing

It seems like the season always started in Danville and then a long bus trip to NJ for the first "official" show of the year.

My first year, I remember pulling into the parking lot in Danville and looking for Norm's van (that's how I ALWAYS found rehearsal).

half the drum line was there already and so were half the Cab's drumline and hornline for that matter...it appeared Danville gave both corps the same site. That was the first time I had ever really seen Larry "spring into action" as neither corps really wanted to be the ones to move...what a way to start the 81 season.

But my best/worst season was 83. We did a parade that morning in Scranton..so did my high school band as well.

My band director was being a jerk...you dont march band and do corps you are OUT...

so, I marched the friggin parade honking on my sax in a wool uniform YUK only to finish and then have my parents drive me back to where Shore was waiting to "step off"-change uniforms and then march the whole thing again (I wouldnt be able to make the thru 1x now) THEN we got on the buses and hit Danville for rehearsal and show that night.

The next night we were at the Clifton show.

Maybe this is why I dont I ever remember anything past getting off the bus at the end of a weekend...how in the @#$^ did I ever make it back to my house?? HAPPY MEMORIAL DAY FROM THE BACK PORCH

[fish66]

my very first show as a hurricane was may 28th 1966 in allentown pa. we were pumped and ready to go! midway through our show , maybe during heatwave, it started to rain! as anyone who has marched knows, we were unaffected by the rain and just kept playing! by the time we were in our closing finale, the rains turned monsoon, causing the stadium to empty in a flash , and resulting in the show being called an exibition for all corps....disappointing to say the least!

we returned to connecticut that night to be up in the morning for our usual glut of memorial day parades.....problem was we had no uni's, they were soaking wet and would take days to dry!...we marched all of our parades in white shirts that year. on the flip side, our instructors who were watching our show from the fence and the stands got soaked in their street close and had to scrounge up dry uniforms to wear home!

quite a begining to my hurricane career !!!!days like those you never forget, memorial day 1966...

[Andyroo]

While Memorial Day was the beginning of the season for senior corps, up in Massachusetts our junior corps season was already well under way. One thing that I remember, however, was that we didn't have contests on Memorial Day itself - but rather had parades, as most of you did.

One major difference, though, is that my Memorial Day parade "career" started very shortly after World War II - so soon after that there were fresh graves of men whose bodies had been returned from Europe and the Pacific to be buried at home. And the parade always ended at the cemetary for services. And then, after 1950, there were more fresh graves of those being brought home from Korea.

It was a very different "mindset" from those that we see at Memorial Day parades today.

[donincardona]

one mamorial day weekend i remember was 1969. we did a firemans parade on friday night and on saturday may 31st we went to hamilton ontario canada. we had a show there and the brigs were the big competition that night. we went on first to start the show and beat the brigs by 8 points and buried everyone else. it was a great start to the year. problem was we never got a higher score all year then that night even though we came in 5th at dca finals that year. it was the beginning of my favorite year in drum corps.

[HornsUp]

Memorial Day in Racine was always the opportunity for the city's

musical units to unveil their new repertoires. The parade, less than a

mile long, started at the gates of Mound cemetery and finished at the

entrance to Graceland.

In 1961, an irate letter to the editor of the Journal-Times complained

of the highly inappropriate selections proferred by the marching

groups.

The Racine Scouts stepped off proudly with "Happy Days Are Here

Again".

The Boys of '76 offered their classic "Dancing in the Dark".

The Kilties swung down Osborne Boulevard with a jazzy "Goody, Goody".

And the national champion Elks Youth Band wrapped it all up with "I'll

See You in my Dreams."

[JimF-LowBari]

Was with Westshoremen but big memories involving RI Matadors.

1975 (Mt Carmel) my first DCA exhibition show). Standing at the front sideline and whole thing happens about 20 feet from us. Matadors come out carrying double steel drums and guy goes down as the corps sets up for concert. Either he couldn't handle the weight or the straps screwed up. Matadors blasting the concert all around and bunch of guys are talking to the steel drum player as they figure out how to get him out. Just a bizzare scene and one I posted about a few days ago so sorry for the repeat.

1977 Danville. Westshore not there due to HS band comittment (Indy 500?) so too many members out of town. Year before Westshore really improved and Matadors really slipped. So here a couple of us are to see if we might slip by Mats this year. Matadors come out with the "Spanish bedcloths" and come tearing off the line with "Rodeo". Danvilles stands are low so our heads are at bell level as the horn line comes right at us at the end of the number. Too top if off we have the lead sops in front of us. We look at each other and say "Oh ####,ain't gonna beat 'em this year".

Edited May 26, 2008 by JimF-3rdBari

[Racineguy]

Memorial Day in Racine was always the opportunity for the city's

musical units to unveil their new repertoires. The parade, less than a

mile long, started at the gates of Mound cemetery and finished at the

entrance to Graceland.

In 1961, an irate letter to the editor of the Journal-Times complained

of the highly inappropriate selections proferred by the marching

groups.

The Racine Scouts stepped off proudly with "Happy Days Are Here

Again".

The Boys of '76 offered their classic "Dancing in the Dark".

The Kilties swung down Osborne Boulevard with a jazzy "Goody, Goody".

And the national champion Elks Youth Band wrapped it all up with "I'll

See You in my Dreams."

Oh, but it got better than that... Fast forward to 1966 when the Kilties played their new closer going into the cemetary at the end of the memorial Day parade. "Put On a Happy Face"