byline Posted June 6, 2010 Share Posted June 6, 2010 We were generously acknowledged by the audience. I would say that might be the understatement of the year. Yup. The thing that struck me, besides getting all misty-eyed as I watched their remarkable performance to close out the DCI telecast that year, is that the crowd reaction they received all during their show greatly surpassed that of any of the competing corps. That said a lot not only about 27th Lancers, but also the direction in which DCI was heading. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kstein Posted June 6, 2010 Share Posted June 6, 2010 Apples to oranges, methinks. I saw the Lancer reunion corps perform at Finals, as well as many rehearsals leading up to the performance, and what they pulled off was special indeed. The audience response was amazing and well deserved. I was lucky enough to be a friend of both Patsy and George Bonfiglio, and as an old timer I have enormous respect for their personal contributions to the drum corps activity, young people, and DCI. That being said, Star has an interesting and challenging history all its own and is returning to perform at Nationals as a former DCI Champion. They'll be playing some very difficult and intricate charts from their 10 year corps history and I suspect they'll execute them with a great deal of precision, polish, and passion. As far as any corps being able to "...touch what the Lancers did...", I'm not sure anyone has suggested any alumni effort would, could, or should attempt this. But why would anyone associated with that terrific effort think it's necessary to demean or belittle the attempts of others? Let these other groups relive their history, put together their own special effort, and let the fans decide how worthy their performance is and - if they care to - try to "compare" these efforts against others. Cheers! Karen Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Original El Guapo Posted June 6, 2010 Share Posted June 6, 2010 The 27th Lancers video recodings brings goosebumps every time I watch it. Star is not out to top that performance. Star is out to top themselves. Nothing brings a smile to my face when I hear Danny Boy and Crown Imperial. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scerpella Posted June 6, 2010 Share Posted June 6, 2010 (edited) In true Lancer fashion, no alumni corps will touch what we were able to do. We were the first corps invited by DCI - and we took 18 months to prepare for a 10 minute performance. As Drum Corps World reported "Blue Devils with the title, 27th wins the show." We were generously acknowledged by the audience. Since then, there has been a huge movement towards alumni corps starting up - and it was been great for the entire activity - bring long time friends back together.To compare Star to 27th....I respect Star's ambition - but the comparisons need to stop right there. In Oct 1967, 27th rose from the ashes of another corps, former members and new members worked together, and fought for the right to compete against many odds. The corps true theme song is "The Impossible Dream" and those member back in 1968 planted the seeds. We competed in an era when every corps was fighting for membership, for respect, and for fund raising. High school bands were abhored, college bands were right behind them. When it came time to determine their own destiny, a group of 13 corps formed DCI in the fall of 1971. George Bonfiglio was DCI's first President. The rest is history. Our alumni corps in 1994 had former members from every year of the corps existence, and anyone with prior marching experience was invited to march. I was so thankful to march with those older members - I got to march with my "Lancer rifle" wife who is younger than me. Another treat was that I was able to play tunes from my favorite Lancer corps (Wee MacGregor) and I am sure others were thrilled to play Crown Imperial. As a marching member in 1994, (quads) and instructor (bass drum line) - it was perhaps the highlight of my marching career with 27th. I enjoy seeing all of the other alumni corps - Boston Crusaders Alumni, St Joe's of Batavia, Hawthorne, Blessed Sac, Madison, Anahiem, St. Kevin's Emerald Knights, The Defenders, the Pembroke Imperials, etc., but none has come close to doing what we did. Werent Kilties the first alumni corps to perform at DCI? As far as who the best is, your passion for 2-7 notwithstanding I'm certain everyone can make a case for their favorite Alumni corps performance. As I am certain given the Star tradition that their performance will be great. Except for El Guapo of course! Edited June 6, 2010 by Scerpella Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GMichael1230 Posted June 6, 2010 Share Posted June 6, 2010 Star doesn't compare to 27TH. Lancers were a storied corps. Star was a corps started with a ton of money who competed for what, 10 years? Please. This statement is wrong on so many levels.......money or not, those kids still worked their tails off........I could go on, but Ill just shake my head. G Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GMichael1230 Posted June 6, 2010 Share Posted June 6, 2010 In true Lancer fashion, no alumni corps will touch what we were able to do. We were the first corps invited by DCI - and we took 18 months to prepare for a 10 minute performance. As Drum Corps World reported "Blue Devils with the title, 27th wins the show." We were generously acknowledged by the audience. Since then, there has been a huge movement towards alumni corps starting up - and it was been great for the entire activity - bring long time friends back together.To compare Star to 27th....I respect Star's ambition - but the comparisons need to stop right there. In Oct 1967, 27th rose from the ashes of another corps, former members and new members worked together, and fought for the right to compete against many odds. The corps true theme song is "The Impossible Dream" and those member back in 1968 planted the seeds. We competed in an era when every corps was fighting for membership, for respect, and for fund raising. High school bands were abhored, college bands were right behind them. When it came time to determine their own destiny, a group of 13 corps formed DCI in the fall of 1971. George Bonfiglio was DCI's first President. The rest is history. Our alumni corps in 1994 had former members from every year of the corps existence, and anyone with prior marching experience was invited to march. I was so thankful to march with those older members - I got to march with my "Lancer rifle" wife who is younger than me. Another treat was that I was able to play tunes from my favorite Lancer corps (Wee MacGregor) and I am sure others were thrilled to play Crown Imperial. As a marching member in 1994, (quads) and instructor (bass drum line) - it was perhaps the highlight of my marching career with 27th. I enjoy seeing all of the other alumni corps - Boston Crusaders Alumni, St Joe's of Batavia, Hawthorne, Blessed Sac, Madison, Anahiem, St. Kevin's Emerald Knights, The Defenders, the Pembroke Imperials, etc., but none has come close to doing what we did. Thinking about that night still gives me goosebumps.....A once in a lifetime, haleys comet, type of event.........I cant even begin to describe my feelings, but I will say, there wasnt a dry eye in the house, and many coughdrops and tea with honey were consumed the next day..... G Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LancerLegend Posted June 6, 2010 Share Posted June 6, 2010 Werent Kilties the first alumni corps to perform at DCI? Was I sleeping? I cannot truly remember Kilties being the first. My apoligies if they were - I meant no disrespect to their great efforts. I do know how difficult it is to get a corps going, secure members, instruments, flags, rifles, sabers, uniforms, rehearsal sites, select and teach music, and the length of show. Corps might also have to raise $$$ for incidentals like transportation and rental of facilities. One thing that did worry me, was how members of the alumni corps, who never marched with 27th, would react when we played Danny Boy? The veterans knew the rifle line, when the corps split open, would raise the roof. We really didn't think about the affects of Crown, Folk Song Suite, Wee MacGregor, or the drum solo New Country would have - we figured they would be "teasers" until DB. True story - I had a tape deck attached to my quads during the finals performance. I had been recording audio clips different events during the last week. I thought I had about 10 minutes remaining.....my tape ended in the middle of Danny Boy !!!! I do hope Star blows the house down, and the audience responds accordingly. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kstein Posted June 6, 2010 Share Posted June 6, 2010 One of my best memories of the show in Foxboro was seeing a dear friend of mine in the stands who was a long time and Very Enthusiastic Lancer fan. He was the kind of tireless volunteer who had worked for years on behalf of many little corps doing anything and everything that was asked of him, and was such a wonderful and devoted friend of all drum corps. As I had seen several of the rehearsals, I tried to prep him for what he was about to see. He kind of blew me off and said something along the lines of "yeah, we'll see what a bunch of fat old farts sound like", or something equally dismissive. I saw him immediately after the show and he was bawling like a baby. Seriously. Deliriously happy. He died suddenly several months later, and I've always been so very, very glad he got to see that show. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigDale Posted June 7, 2010 Share Posted June 7, 2010 (edited) Werent Kilties the first alumni corps to perform at DCI? '92. And they gave us how many weeks to prepare? And you had to be a Kilt to march in that alumni corps. Edited June 7, 2010 by BigDale Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wishbonecav Posted June 7, 2010 Share Posted June 7, 2010 Thinking about that night still gives me goosebumps.....A once in a lifetime, haleys comet, type of event.........I cant even begin to describe my feelings, but I will say, there wasnt a dry eye in the house, and many coughdrops and tea with honey were consumed the next day.....G Absolutely true recollection. It was bedlam. Th Royalaires' alumni performance in Arlington Heights was pretty darn special, too. Go get 'em Star. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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