Weather

[rodicus]

What if there were no roof?

Seriously, has this never happened before?! God just smiles down on the four days of DCI World Championships every year?!

Heavy rain and lightning threatened to halt Finals in 1993. Fortunately, all that really happened is that everyone between 7th and 5th position got wet while performing and the top 4 got wet warming up.

[TomPeashey]

On numerous occasions corps have gotten VERY wet and the show has gone on...

only in boston did it get so bad near the end of quarters (or was it semis?) or just prelims then.. whatever... I know I got darn wet... and I forget how many top corps had not gone on but it was quite a few... the show was stopped and they were all seeded into the next show... quite certain that's the only time a dci championship event actually had performing corps cancelled...

Division II/III had to reschedule some shows in Sun Prairie WI one year too...

And Sue... Birmingham was hot... Dallas was hotter but holy smokes bat man - Kansas City was the absolute dci inferno... I remember standing outside the stadium listening to the arguments between officials... and finally having the health department step in and say - that's it - you will stop until the sun gets lower... There was a several hour SUN delay.

and of course for those of you as old as me... we all remember DCI #1 in 1972 Whitewater WI when the last corps on finished and one of the worst storms you can imagine hit... most of us sat soaked and huddled in our cars as the scores were read over the loud speakers... with retreat and awards completely cancelled..

Edited August 7, 2008 by TomPeashey

[rkfdPRphan]

During the finals years in Orlando (mid to late 1990's), several times the show was stopped for lightning. Wow wie - that city has some wicked lightning! Rain didnt stop a thing.....

'I AM SPARTICUS!!!!'

[Matt_S]

Weather is sitll looking absolutely perfect for drum corps, for the next three nights!

[ssgt94]

Two particular instances of inclement weather during Championships (during my tenure):

1. 1993, Jackson, Mississippi (Finals)

As most have already heard, it began raining pretty hard about a couple of hours or so after finals began. The light rain became torrential for a while, with some accompanying thunder and lightning. It became increasingly obvious that our attempt to warm up was, at the moment, futile. So, for the majority of our designated warm-up time, we sang humorous songs with PR's hornline, who had also taken shelter under a nearby oak tree (don't ask me what, it's been 15 years).

After a short, but wet, delay, we were told the show was going to proceed. Our instructions were, "...blow warm air into your horn and mouthpiece as we walk to the gate, and then take full advantage of F-tuning to get warmed up." So, in a nutshell, that's what we did. For those of you who enjoy the sound of the 1993 Blue Devils Final's performance, you are now familiar with the warmup regimen that preceded it.

DISCLAIMER: Many years and miles have passed between then and now. If anyone was there, and feels the need to tweak and/or add to the details of my story, please feel free to do so.

2. 1994, Foxborough (Boston), Massachusetts (Quarterfinals)

Again, as most of you are familiar, it began to rain rather heavily about half-way or so through Quarters. Eventually, as we were warming up (in the rain - but not as hard as the previous year), we were told that the remaining Corps would be seeded into Semis. However, Dave Gibbs (I believe it was Dave), told us that there was strong support for the remaining Corps to do a standstill performance. As Blue Devils, I cannot deny the fact that we absolutely love playing for the crowd during standstills - there's not much in this world that compares to it. So, as some of you may or may not know, we, and the majority of the remaining Corps did standstill performances for those brave souls who bared the elements that night.

For the 1994 Blue Devils, it was the best standstill performance we ever did. I just wish someone, anyone, had gotten it on tape. I know about 135 people who'd pay big money for it.

[Whiskey]

Two particular instances of inclement weather during Championships (during my tenure):

1. 1993, Jackson, Mississippi (Finals)

As most have already heard, it began raining pretty hard about a couple of hours or so after finals began. The light rain became torrential for a while, with some accompanying thunder and lightning. It became increasingly obvious that our attempt to warm up was, at the moment, futile. So, for the majority of our designated warm-up time, we sang humorous songs with PR's hornline, who had also taken shelter under a nearby oak tree (don't ask me what, it's been 15 years).

After a short, but wet, delay, we were told the show was going to proceed. Our instructions were, "...blow warm air into your horn and mouthpiece as we walk to the gate, and then take full advantage of F-tuning to get warmed up." So, in a nutshell, that's what we did. For those of you who enjoy the sound of the 1993 Blue Devils Final's performance, you are now familiar with the warmup regimen that preceded it.

DISCLAIMER: Many years and miles have passed between then and now. If anyone was there, and feels the need to tweak and/or add to the details of my story, please feel free to do so.

2. 1994, Foxborough (Boston), Massachusetts (Quarterfinals)

Again, as most of you are familiar, it began to rain rather heavily about half-way or so through Quarters. Eventually, as we were warming up (in the rain - but not as hard as the previous year), we were told that the remaining Corps would be seeded into Semis. However, Dave Gibbs (I believe it was Dave), told us that there was strong support for the remaining Corps to do a standstill performance. As Blue Devils, I cannot deny the fact that we absolutely love playing for the crowd during standstills - there's not much in this world that compares to it. So, as some of you may or may not know, we, and the majority of the remaining Corps did standstill performances for those brave souls who bared the elements that night.

For the 1994 Blue Devils, it was the best standstill performance we ever did. I just wish someone, anyone, had gotten it on tape. I know about 135 people who'd pay big money for it.

I actually have a copy of that 1994 standstill (Cadets too). It's kind of a crappy recording since video recorder technology wasn't so hot back then. It's one of the few VHS tapes I still break out every now and then.

[crfrey71]

Looks like SoCal weather has invaded Indy.

[Dr.Mickey]

I actually have a copy of that 1994 standstill (Cadets too). It's kind of a crappy recording since video recorder technology wasn't so hot back then. It's one of the few VHS tapes I still break out every now and then.

So the Cadets didn't do a standstill only. They marched the opening 30 seconds of the show (with the diagonals rotating and adding from scatter drill, and the guard dashing through...a very cool move). I can say that the rain soaked fans were thrilled to see them come out in the opening formation instead of a horn arc. Just glad no one busted their ***.

[Chris Scott]

re: 1993.

Just wait. the crowd gets CRAZIER.

What would DCI do if it rained at a World Championship?

[Whiskey]

So the Cadets didn't do a standstill only. They marched the opening 30 seconds of the show (with the diagonals rotating and adding from scatter drill, and the guard dashing through...a very cool move). I can say that the rain soaked fans were thrilled to see them come out in the opening formation instead of a horn arc. Just glad no one busted their ***.

Yeah that's right. They started off the show like they were going to perform the whole thing and the crowd went pretty nuts for them too.