What was your “first” Drum Corps show?

[IllianaLancerContra]

1971 Michigan City.

Caught the bug. Have had it now for 37+ years.

[gwdindy]

My first drum corps show was DCM Championships, 1988. My good buddy and college roommate and fraternity brother, Dwight Emmert (who is now the visual caption head for the current DCI CHAMPION Phantom Regiment!!!), was marching his age out year with PR. I was awe-inspired by the beauty and power of that show. I feel today (as I did then) that if DCI had not opted for their "great experiment" of pulling the corps performance order out of a hat, that PR could have been a top 3 corps, if not a contender. It seems that other forces prevailed that year, and PR was resoundingly NOT part of that party. Not to take away from the Scouts grand performance that year ( ), but seriously, does anyone who saw those shows live that year think that Madison was REALLY that far ahead of PR????? I am sure that many do, but pull out the tapes (was it vcr or reel to reel?), and take a close look...

The follwing season, my aged-out friend and I witnessed PR '89 at their very first show of the season (Dwight's lil' bro was marching contra). After the opening statement, Dwight leaned over and said "we weren't that loud at finals last year!" to me. Thus begun a huge, fantastic summer of following PR around at as many shows as possible.

'89 finals was a mixed blessing of being there, feeling the power, and then realizing that the corps that should have won in '88 was getting their prize ahead of PR this year...ouch.

I miss the G bugle days, but man, oh man am I happy that PR finally has their own Championship to cherish.

"disclaimer...I am a fan of the activity...PR is my favorite. I am no hater to any corps, and just because I don't always agree with placement, does not mean I have ANY disrespect for ANY corps. God bless this activity, and all active corps who find a way to make it work in these trying economic times.

Long live music...long live the activity...

[devsabre]

The strangest part of my joining drum corp was the fact that I joined without ever having heard of the activity or been to a show beforehand. I was blessed to march in drum corp even before marching band.

Short story: I moved to Salina, Kansas in November 1976 (at the time I was 14 and in 8th grade). My family was still looking for a home, living in a hotel when Bill Siebert came and asked my mother about Drum Corps and if I might be interested. I had never heard of or seen a drum corp before. I went to a rehearsal with the Silver Sabers the following weekend and joined on the spot. Thank you Bill!

My first show was during the 1977 season in Wisconsin (not sure of the city). After we performed we sat in the cheap seats at the back of the stands. I remember seeing the Pioneer, Wausau Story, Marquis and Phantom Regiment. All of them were good, but Phantom was incredible that year; they totally blew the crowd away. I immediately fell in love with them.

Before seeing Phantom, I thought the Sabers were as good as Drum Corps could get. We had been in numerous DCM shows with Corps at our competition level, we won many and we were close 2nd to many. It was a great season for the Sabers and for me. I was the “classic” wide eyed rookie with one exception...I had no previous exposure to the activity. I did not know how good any of the corps could/would be. I knew no history and had no idea who Phantom, Devils, Santa Clara or Madison were.

My first exposure to the “big time” Drum Corp came at DCI Midwest prelims Whitewater, WI on 5 Aug 77. This was a defining moment for me partially because of the setting (home of the first DCI championships). It was a very chilly prelims morning with a light ground fog hanging over Warhawk Stadium when the Garfield Cadets stepped off and rocked my world. I swear the cold made the stadium sound crisper more solid. Little did I know that Garfield was only the beginning. That morning, I saw (for the first time) Colts, Garfield Cadets, Cavies, Kilties, Guardsmen, Madison, 27th, Bridgemen and Phantom. Wow what a ride, I came away from prelims completely awestruck. 1977 was an incredible drum corps season.

4 marching seasons, 12 instructing seasons, and 31 years later...I’m still a drum crops junky!

Edited September 13, 2008 by devsabre

[1990_RookOut]

1983 - Springfield, MO

1 Blue Devils 84.100

2 Madison Scouts 77.350

3 Cavaliers 70.600

4 Valley Fever 60.100

5 Night Hawks 35.550

6 Argonne Rebels 26.300

I was 14, and new to marching, period. All the pre-show hype was about Madison, but BD won out.

I still remember the Cavaliers DM. Bid dude, at least to me. It's amazing the changes the corps went through from the time of this show to when I would march with them seven years later.

Night Hawks had a fun show. Apologies to Valley Fever and Argonne alums, but I don't remember much. I was 14, after all.

[KingDubya]

I never saw a drum corps show live, but the closest was when I watched '07 quarterfinals in the theatre. My original plan was actually to try and march Phantom (I always loved watching their shows, and I still do), but I've ended up marching Boston and I'm sticking with them 'till the end.

[ajedrummer]

My first show was during the 1977 season in Wisconsin (not sure of the city). After we performed we sat in the cheap seats at the back of the stands. I remember seeing the Pioneer, Wausau Story, Marquis and Phantom Regiment.

Ah Yes - I was thinking this year how I missed that - seeing the corps that had already performed sitting in the back stands (sometimes together), watching the shows. Didn't Spirit sit together in the shape of a Delta?

Probably never again - now that they have done away with retreats.

[IllianaLancerContra]

Ah Yes - I was thinking this year how I missed that - seeing the corps that had already performed sitting in the back stands (sometimes together), watching the shows. Didn't Spirit sit together in the shape of a Delta?

Probably never again - now that they have done away with retreats.

Remember Anaheim filing into the stands and sitting down in unison?

Edited September 14, 2008 by IllianaLancerContra

[Mike_L]

I attended my first drum corps show in the summer of 2006. I was 15 and about to be a sophomore in highschool. From what I remember, the corps were:

Santa Clara Vanguard

Blue Knights

Seattle Cascades

Oregon Crusaders

Spokane Thunder

I don't remember much of the show, really. I don't remember if it really affected me at all. The reason I went was because my drumline section leader was playing tenors with the Oregon Crusaders and I wanted to see him play.

Last year, my junior year, was when I was really inspired to go out for corps. I saw a video of Phantom Regiment's 2003 show, Harmonic Journey and I instantly fell in love. This summer I the opportunity to go to my 2nd drum corps show and the corps were:

Phantom Regiment

Blue Devils

Velvet Knights

Oregon Crusaders

Spokane Thunder

It was a show that I won't ever forget.

This November, I will be auditioning for the 2009 Seattle Cascades and Oregon Crusaders. It's my first time auditioning for corps, so I'm a tiny bit nervous. =]

[barigirl78]

I never saw a drum corps show before I competed in one.

That was as a member of the "507 Hornets" in 1972. The show was in Binghamton, NY. I joined the corps without ever seeing a drum corps competition. I had only seen them in parades.

[iamnivtop]

I grew up watching my uncle march with the Paterson Cadets (remember when almost every city had a 'Cadets'?). So I started marching at age eight. paterson Lamplighters; Paterson Crusaders; Wayne Monarchs; Belleville Black Knights; and NY Skyliners.

When other kids were singing whatever songs were popular at the time, I'd be running Corps tunes and shows through my head! I would know the corps arrangements for a lot of songs but had no clue as to what the originals actually sounded like! A true DC geek in my day.

But to me there was nothing as heart thumping as going to the Dream each year in Jersey City.

Edited September 15, 2008 by iamnivtop