Tim K Posted December 15, 2011 Share Posted December 15, 2011 For me, it’s a two way tie between SCV “Phantom of the Opera” either 88 or 89 versions (I think both are equal in quality) and the 2008 version of “Spartacus” by Phantom Regiment. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jocko the Wonder Llama Posted December 15, 2011 Share Posted December 15, 2011 Bonanza. . . . . . Oops! Drum Corps show! I would have to say '76 Blue Devils. The first corps to sweep the captions. My second choice would be '80 Santa Clara Vanguard. The show that changed it all. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gsksun4 Posted December 15, 2011 Share Posted December 15, 2011 (edited) I wish I could have seen so many of the Old School shows live. 65 Royal Airs I know it's an old post, but if you venture back here I suggest you hit YouTube up for 1965 American Legion Nationals Prelims in Portland Oregon. Shows those outstanding 65 Royal-Airs OTL at the beginning of a 3 minute clip. The video is a bit off from the audio and the quality is what you'd expect from way back then. I don't think posting a link is allowed here, so you'll have to get there on your own. Just believe everything you've ever heard about this corps from 1965. I was fortunate enough to be in Chicago one May evening in 65 to witness a show featuring the Cavies, Kilties and Royal-Airs and at a loss for words after their performance. I had this walk away feeling thinking to myself, there's nobody gonna top that. Turns out I think they only had two losses all year. I know the 65 VFW Nationals at McCormick Place recording is an outstanding performance. Check out the concert number, "Birth of the Blues". These guys were off the chart. A little add on to the story and I've told this before somewhere. This contest in May was also a band show, so the 3 corps had to kill time while the bands took the field. There in the school gym I sat in the bleachers while the Cavies and the Royal-Airs were warming up, one at a time on the gym floor. It turned into a throw down like two street gangs with the Cavies launching Bully then the Royal Airs answering with Watermelon Man. One would play, then the other would moan and whistle to edge the other on. This went back and forth for about a half hour and there I was in mid-west drum corps heaven. Doesn't get much better then that. Edited December 15, 2011 by gsksun4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ajlisko Posted December 16, 2011 Share Posted December 16, 2011 A little add on to the story and I've told this before somewhere. This contest in May was also a band show, so the 3 corps had to kill time while the bands took the field. There in the school gym I sat in the bleachers while the Cavies and the Royal-Airs were warming up, one at a time on the gym floor. It turned into a throw down like two street gangs with the Cavies launching Bully then the Royal Airs answering with Watermelon Man. One would play, then the other would moan and whistle to edge the other on. This went back and forth for about a half hour and there I was in mid-west drum corps heaven. Doesn't get much better then that. So ... not quite the Most Famous Shows Ever ... but ... in 1966, at the AL Nats Parade in NYC, the Bpt PAL Cadets (16th Prelims) and Argonne Rebels (24th Prelims) got into a "you play" - "I'll play" scenario while waiting for the parade to start ... the corps lined up opposite of each other on the sidewalks of NY, blasting powerful tunes at each other ... it was truly a drum corps moment to remember ... what was comical was the fans in the street who would turn back and forth, waiting for the next tune to be played ... ya hadda luv it!!!! :-) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gsksun4 Posted December 16, 2011 Share Posted December 16, 2011 So ... not quite the Most Famous Shows Ever ... but ... in 1966, at the AL Nats Parade in NYC, the Bpt PAL Cadets (16th Prelims) and Argonne Rebels (24th Prelims) got into a "you play" - "I'll play" scenario while waiting for the parade to start ... the corps lined up opposite of each other on the sidewalks of NY, blasting powerful tunes at each other ... it was truly a drum corps moment to remember ... what was comical was the fans in the street who would turn back and forth, waiting for the next tune to be played ... ya hadda luv it!!!! :-) The many parades in NYC were always a hoot. Playing between those buildings made a 24 man horn line sound like 60. I remember in 66 and 67 at the Macy's Thanksgiving gig while in Sun playing the Joker. Thought the windows were gonna shatter. And the crowds were always great, no matter which parade it was. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Puppet Posted December 29, 2011 Share Posted December 29, 2011 If I were to answer the posted question I would have to begin by asking one of my own: What means "Show"? Is that the venue or a particular performance by an individual Drum Corps? If it is the former then I will say the most famous Drum Corps Show was Evening With The Corps If it is a performance for me it can only be Star of Indiana 1993 - Music of Barber and Bartok Because Everybody in Drum Corps knows it and Everybody either hated it or Loved it and not to take anything away from what I consider to be a far better executed concept by Star in 1991 with the stunning George Z "double cross" we never saw coming, the '93 performance cannot be even tried again. Just as DCI is completely afraid of having anything like another Evening With The Corps ...Just saying. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
elphaba01 Posted December 29, 2011 Share Posted December 29, 2011 OK OK... Thought I get away with it.... LOL.... Happy Thanksgiving to Andy and everyone else ... taking a break from football... My choice would be 66 Troopers - Dream "Most Famous": Pre DCI: St Catherine's Queensmen: Union City NJ 1961. Tied Blessed Sacrament and (Again) beat Garfield Cadets and St Vincents. Placed themselves firmly among the "Corps To Beat" for 1961. Pre DCI: South Milwaukee, "North American Championships": Santa Clara Vanguards stunning upset win over ALL THREE defending National Champions (Troopers, Chicago Cavaliers and Kilties) to start a new era of junior dum corps. So I cheated. So what. I'm a wicked witch, remember:) Happy New Year. Elphaba WWW Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DCIHasBeen Posted December 29, 2011 Share Posted December 29, 2011 If we're talking ever in the history of ever? I think the '66 Chicago Royal Aires show is one that I've heard about over, and over again, from time immemorial. Wish it was available on video. To me, 1974 Santa Clara Vanguard was the show that changed the Universe forever, otherwise I would think the Vanguard Phantom of the Opera years would be their most famous. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flammaster Posted January 6, 2012 Share Posted January 6, 2012 1987 (2 cool) VK Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kevin Doherty Posted January 18, 2012 Share Posted January 18, 2012 The problem with questions like this is that the terms are not defined. The word famous is defined in M-W as 1a. Widely known b.honored for achtevement. It is up to the questioner to define his or her terms, which hasn't been done, so the question has questionable worth. However using definition b, the answer is every corps that has won a national/DCI, DCA Championship. To stretch it further, it could be every corps that has won a caption at every Championship. NOT. OK, let's try a. Arguably, since I have been attending competitions since the early 50s, it would be, in the Juniors, St. Vincent's and Holy Name until Blessed Sacrament became widely known, then the Cavies and SAC in the early 60s, then the Royal Airs from 65. On the Senior side I would say the Cabs to this day. So it looks to me like there is a shifting target. What about people born in 1975 or 85? To them it might be 76 BD or someone else. How do you measure this? I don't think there's a statistically valid way to measure this for the Juniors. However, for the Seniors, I say if the population is Senior marchers and fans, the Cabs are the most widely known. The same problem applies to the most famous (widely known) show. Now the Junior unmeaurability problem applies to the seniors. If the questioner wants a lot of suggestions about who to listen or watch, in order to put a list together, mission accomplished. Kevin Doherty (kdoh) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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