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Your favorite Spirit moments over the years!


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a) Anything Jim Ott ever penned.

b) Purlie at Virgina Beach in '78 (first time I ever saw them)

c) Let it be Me (Now and forever - when I hear that song - Jim lives on)

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Another great Spirit memory, or two...or more...all stemming from the close friendship that developed between Spirit and Garfield in 83 and 84...

If I remember correctly, it all began in 83 when the Cadets lost their equipment truck while on tour heading into Toledo. They showed up for the show but didn't have their horns, drums, or guard equipment. So, they borrowed ours. Keep in mind that at that time, we had some rather old horns that were not in the best shape. I can't imagine playing a show with someone else's equipment, but they did, and they rocked the place...winning of course. A few nights later, they returned the favor by playing a "private" concert in the parking lot after a show for us...they had rounded the buses up so that there was limited access into the area. They formed an arc and played their entire show for us. Standing in front of that arc listening to Rocky Point and Berstein's Mass was unbelievable. Then a few nights after that, we played for them in the same manner. It was such a high to have a corps that was running for the championship standing in the middle of our arc cheering us on like high school groupies.

The next year, we shared our favorite chart, Georgia on my Mind, with them so that we could play it together throughout the summer. I don't rember where, but we played the chart together and as the DM, I was front and center...talk about power...OMG!

Those were some great times, and frankly, that's what drum corps was all about for me.

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Wrong on all guesses Sue...it is 1982.

Day show...perhaps Allentown prelims?

LOL! Well duh, I saw that background and immediately thought of Boulder. Oh, well. I've performed in Allentown, but so many details -- the stadium, etc. -- are a blur or missing altogether.

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I'll tell 'ya, my favorite recent spirit moments were the 2002 on the line warm up...the crowd was electric wh they belted out "Georgia". The 2003 Semis performance was one of legend...powerful, inspiring, balls-out....holy smokes that was absolutely awesome.

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Unfortunately, when I marched, most of my fond memories had nothing to do with performance or rehearsals... (Go 23rd place!)

I remember what came to be known as "The Day We Ate"... Thanks Toms River HS Band Parents!!!!!!

I remember the one and only show we broke 70... :thumbup: Kingston, NY (or was it Clifton?)

I remember the people I met and some I still keep in touch with...

I remember my parents bringing large buckets of chicken for the entire drumline to Evansville, IN...

I remember winning an I&E jacket placing first over BD in 2nd for "electronic" percussion ensemble...

Anyway, some great memories and some not-so-great ones...

For '08, GO SPIRIT DRUMLINE!!! Ironically, I marched with a kid named Daniel at MCL this past year who is now in the same position I was in 12 years ago - end of the snareline in a drumline that outplaced the rest of the corps...

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when they were still from georgia.

well the few ive seen. to young :thumbup:

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Another great Spirit memory, or two...or more...all stemming from the close friendship that developed between Spirit and Garfield in 83 and 84...

If I remember correctly, it all began in 83 when the Cadets lost their equipment truck while on tour heading into Toledo. They showed up for the show but didn't have their horns, drums, or guard equipment. So, they borrowed ours. Keep in mind that at that time, we had some rather old horns that were not in the best shape. I can't imagine playing a show with someone else's equipment, but they did, and they rocked the place...winning of course. A few nights later, they returned the favor by playing a "private" concert in the parking lot after a show for us...they had rounded the buses up so that there was limited access into the area. They formed an arc and played their entire show for us. Standing in front of that arc listening to Rocky Point and Berstein's Mass was unbelievable. Then a few nights after that, we played for them in the same manner. It was such a high to have a corps that was running for the championship standing in the middle of our arc cheering us on like high school groupies.

The next year, we shared our favorite chart, Georgia on my Mind, with them so that we could play it together throughout the summer. I don't rember where, but we played the chart together and as the DM, I was front and center...talk about power...OMG!

Those were some great times, and frankly, that's what drum corps was all about for me.

Cool story Steve....Mine was ramming clean ### notes in front of my Freelancers buddies in 89....

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Not a performance or show related memory, but a funny one that sticks out for me...

I think it was 1984...on tour in the middle of somehwere...

I don't remember if we pulled up to a gas station for fuel or what, but we unloaded and at least half of us walked to a McDonalds nearby. If you were around in the mid 80s, you would remember that we had many attractive female guard members. As a few of them were walking in the parking lot towards the McDonalds, a local made some lewd comments to one of our own. One of our percussionists heard the comments and responded to the unsuspecting male. About that time, another witness ran into the McDonalds and yelled "Hey Spirit...we need you in the parking lot...there's a fight about to happen". As the local guy and our guy continued to exchange words, all of a sudden about 70 guys, some as large as small pickup trucks, exited the restaurant to back up our boy. Needless to say, no fight ever took place.

I bet the guy had to go clean his shorts when he saw all of us coming to the aid of one of our members.

Here's a clue...if you are going to pick a fight...search the area for a convoy of buses and make sure that the person you are arguing with didn't step out with a family of 127 brothers and sisters.

Much of my story could be paraphrased...it was, after all...24 years ago.

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A night I remember like it was yesterday (except I can't remember the year... maybe '79). Spirit came out to the west coast and did the Santa Clara show. The crowd sat there for the opening solo in Georgia, and then when the full line came in, everyone STOOD UP. This happened through the whole show... everyone sat as usual watching the show, but when they went full-bore, we all just went up on our feet (silently, too... it was like a magnet pulling us up). Man, THAT was a corps!

One of the coolest moments I've ever had. Must have been equally cool for their local-boy horn instructor, bringing his new group to show his family and friends in California.

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