Favorite DC moment

[Leland]

Not to be discounted is what would be somewhat insignificant had it not happened in our back yard..I think it was 1989, and we had just performed at a DCM show on the 4th of July in St. Peter with Madison and Glassmen, Troopers, Blue Stars, and Northern Aurora.

I wonder if we (Railmen) were there, too; if we weren't, we still heard about it. I do remember finally catching up to MBI in '91 in, I think, Mankato. It was a blast, actually being competitive with a corps that we respected & knew to be good.

My favorite DCA moment was 1997 Finals with Empire. That last performance was one of only two peak ensemble performances, both in emotion and execution, that I've experienced anywhere. Even though we won in '98 more decisively and with a higher score, we somehow felt that it could've been just a bit better. But, after that '97 show, we were spent -- the normally chatty Empire Statesmen was still in a stone-cold focus. I'll never be able to describe it.

[TenorsForWorldDomination]

Some great Drum Corps memories for me:

1975 RCA - Marching in my first ever Drum Corps show at the age of 14.

1980's - Not sure what year it was, sometime in the 80's though, Playing for the Kennedy Family at an awards dinner in Holy Oak Mas.

1995 DCA - Reaching our Corps goal of performing on Finals night by finishing in 12th place our first year back in full competion. Also experiencing this with my son playing in the Pit, I was very proud of him, he was only 11 or 12 I think.

1996 DCA - Experiencing the calliber of a Drum Corps like Westshoremen.

1998 DCA - Bridgeport CT. (BEST EVER EXPERIENCE) Hearing the responce of the crowd booing the Judges for our score and placement for what seemed to be about 3 or 4 minutes and then when the Corps was called to attetnion the crowd of a sold out stadium of 6000 I believe it was, changed from booing the Judges to a standing ovation for what seemed to be another 3 or 4 minutes and when the announcer made a comment about the crowds responce towars the corps the volume level went up even higher. Then as we left the field after the retreat the crowd gave us another standing ovation right until we were out to our buses. The following day at the Barnum Parade it was all topped off to hear the crowd along the streets yell out to us that they thought we should have won the show and that we got screwed and to see the kids on their lawns holding up signs like "CANADA ROCKS" and "GO Grenadiers GO" it really was a very cool thing to see and here. Although we knew that we should not have won because of who was there competing I did feel that we should have placed higher for a few different reasons. That was the experience of a lifetime for me and my son.

1998 DCA - Making the Top 10 for the first time and seeing Gil Silva come out onto the field and Welcome the Corp to DCA. A moment of exceptance and a classy thing to do I thought .

2000 DCA - Hearing our score and placement of 8th place, the highest placement for us ever to date and also meeting and working with Duane DeWire, Glenn Rhines and George Growcott all whom came to work with us from the Buccaneers. Great people.

2002 DCA -Finals night, my last year ever marching at Championships.

There are probably many other times I really enjoyed over the years but these are my favourites. I am also very proud to say it was all with the Kingston Grenadiers Drum & Bugle Corps, Kingston Ontario Canada and with all my many friends within.

Jeff Adams

Kingston Grenadiers

Drum & Bugle Corps

1975 to 2002 but a

Grenadier for life.

Jeff, the "Madison" treatment you speak of was in 2000. It was Canada Day back home and there we were, on the field at the Barnum show. I'll never forget that year. It was quite a year for crowd reactions. That night was in Hurricanes backyard and the fans weren't happy with the score or the placement. They believed we should have been higher than the hometown favourite. You win some, you lose some!

I also remember the parade the day after. A family at the start of the parade route let us rehearse in their backyard. They fed us food that was on the table for the family get together. We played a standstill for them, with Petey blasting the "Land of Make Believe" solo in their face.