mckdan Posted February 19, 2011 Share Posted February 19, 2011 I know that almost every corps member has stories of a disasterous corp performance in which they were involved. My worst disaster was the first show I ever competed in with Troopers in 1977. The corps started from the corner of the field and had the center of the v-shaped formation move directly toward the front sideline at the 50 yard line. The American flag squad was at the center of the formation and they promptly marched to the intersection of the 40 yard line and the front sideline. The corps managed to slowly adjust back toward the 50 throughout the show and finished with the sunburst right on spot. I, to this day, do not know how we managed to readjust the entire corps back to the proper location bit by bit. Another time, in 1979, the horn instructors changed the opening 20-25 seconds of the opener from a hard-hitting, double forte to a gradual crescendo from a quiet opening. The only problem was that the instructors seemed to have forgotten to let the drum line and color guard about the change. I can only imagine the thoughts in the drumline's minds as they heard totally different music from the hornline than they were expecting. (Actually the judges were quite complimentary to the "dramatic" differences between the quiet crescendo, the passionate drumline and the color guards punctuating movements). I guess that this day and age there are much fewer major disasters with the major corps, but, I would like to hear some of your stories from the day. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
soccerguy315 Posted February 19, 2011 Share Posted February 19, 2011 In 2006 our electronics didn't work in Denver and it created a huge cluster**** for a little while until we brought it back together. as far as personal mistakes, I stepped out of a hold early at Quarterfinals in 2007. Some people have the ability to remember almost every show and rehearsal site they were at... I do not have this ability. Those are the ones that stick out in my mind. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mckdan Posted February 19, 2011 Author Share Posted February 19, 2011 In 2006 our electronics didn't work in Denver and it created a huge cluster**** for a little while until we brought it back together. as far as personal mistakes, I stepped out of a hold early at Quarterfinals in 2007. Some people have the ability to remember almost every show and rehearsal site they were at... I do not have this ability. Those are the ones that stick out in my mind. I was fortunate that I really didn't have any "personal" disasters during my marching days, but, I do remember a drummer marching out of his pants during a performance (this was one reason that jock-straps were temporarily bannned). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
84BDsop Posted February 19, 2011 Share Posted February 19, 2011 Paging 1984 Garfield Cadets....Garfield Cadets to the white courtesy phone please! 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bruckner8 Posted February 19, 2011 Share Posted February 19, 2011 Paging 1984 Garfield Cadets....Garfield Cadets to the white courtesy phone please! Nope, not gunna take the bait! But the worst show that summer, field-wise, was Livermore, CA. The field was so bad (dry, ruts, dusty), the phrase of the summer was borne (for the contras): "The field sucks, so I guess we're going to have to play louder!" For the rest of the summer, any time we had something to complain about, it was always followed with "...I guess we'll have to play louder." Kind of like adding "in bed" to the end of a fortune cookie, lol. Our worst show was in Denver, only because I recall seeing it happen on the jumbo-tron whilst marching, lol. The rotating, moving, telescoping circles in the closer came apart at some point the other side, and it looked like a baby's head coming through the birth canal. We still won that show, somehow. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
euphplayer07 Posted February 19, 2011 Share Posted February 19, 2011 Blue Devils 2007 Family Day Exhibition. Anyone that was there will agree. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Barifonium Posted February 19, 2011 Share Posted February 19, 2011 My very first show in '09 Impulse did a sunburst as well in '10 but somehow at our second show 2 contra players somehow accidentally switched places in the set leading up to it. As we come out of the sunburst they switch back.. talk about communication between ensemble members! In marching band we had to march in a block backfield and then face the sideline as we got behind this giant prop we erected in the back as a drum-break was going on. We were to listen forward for a call-and-answer by a tom-soloist and the battery/Serdo drums and then step off at the appropriate time. The only problem was, the soloist got nervous and played the wrong part! (She had a similar call-and-answer solo at the beginning of the drum break) That threw everyone off and there was panic in the back. It was a bunch of scared freshman in the front and neither side wanted to go. (half came out on each side of the prop in an expanding block, each file stepping off every 2 counts) The assistant band director and seniors were all yelling JUST GO!!!!! The battery on the other hand shrugged it off and started where they were supposed to. What ended up happening was tempo slowing down by about 30 bpm (and I thought that was my imagination!) and each side of the field kept trying to make up the sets and we kinda did...amazingly... and we ended together, and we performed to the very end Also at my very last high school show, a kid lost his slide when he had to pick up his trombone after we had set them down and had to march the rest of the closer without his slide that was rather sad Links will not be posted to protect the innocent ..as tempting as it is Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
njthundrrd Posted February 19, 2011 Share Posted February 19, 2011 Paging 1984 Garfield Cadets....Garfield Cadets to the white courtesy phone please! Sam, I was on the other side of the field. Never saw it happen and until somebody can show me a video.... lol Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wcmello09 Posted February 19, 2011 Share Posted February 19, 2011 (edited) i remember after our show in atlanta in 2009 that something was bad. there was just a vibe after we got off the field throughout the corps that wasnt good, scores apparently reflected it too. but like many other people out there, i dont remember much between the first count off and walking off the field. theres probably some science thing out there that can tell people why. i've always assumed i just go into some sort of autopilot mode and do what i've rehearsed. in high school, we had a competition at a high school where the field was in the process of being worked on and after a week of rainy weather, the field was mud. it was like marching on ice and quicksand all in one. just glad we werent a serious marching band edit: not really a disaster, but during the first half of 2010, we were constantly performing after the corps i marched with in 2009 and hearing them perform in the few minutes you were supposed to be focusing in on your show was really awkward the first few times. also we warmed up next to them in michigan city and hearing your former corps song while warming up with your new corps is a weird feeling as well Edited February 19, 2011 by wcmello09 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cainan Posted February 19, 2011 Share Posted February 19, 2011 This one is too easy... 1992, Sacramento Freelancers.... HOME SHOW. We stepped off. It was a mes from the first downbeat and only got worse. After 30 seconds of the opener, I could not believe my eyes or my ear, because if I did not know any better, I saw the DM signal a cut, and shout "CUT!! RESET!!". How embarassing! I win. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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