Cathie Wiener Posted February 24, 2011 Share Posted February 24, 2011 (edited) "CUT!! RESET!!Don't know about drum corps...but worse than that happening in a corps show is that I've seen it happen in a professional musical performance... I watched a conductor, John Rutter, cut off an orchestra in Carnegie Hall!!!! and start over... so yeah, crazy. 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. I was IN that performance and I don't remember that at all! Weird. However, I don't know that that is automatically an "I win". I have another submission: Blue Knights in Semi's in 1996 in Orlando played our opener horribly and then our director tapped the back of the drum major's podium and had him take us off the field!!! I was in the pit, I saw it close up and the director looked so mad. Are you serious?!?!??! We sucked so bad we're getting kicked off the field? We can't even finish the show? We were in 12th place fighting for our spot in Finals, too! I couldn't believe it. Well, it turns out the weather got dangerous, FAST. It was incredibly windy when we went on, so much so that the gong fell over and almost the entire corps was on the 50 and the guard members in between the horn members couldn't stand straight with the silks before the show even started. Plus our tympanist who started the whole show off missed his entrance due to the distractions so, yup... disaster. Some time during the opener some twisters formed right behind the stadium, so the judges apparently gave our director the option to pull us off the field if he wanted. Which of course he did, but as we marched off we, the members, couldn't see the dangerous conditions and we had no idea what was going on. Talk about a horrible feeling and just a gut-wrenching silence. Of course, he told us what was going on when we gathered under the end zone stadium bleachers and we rode out the storm under there for about two hours, went back out and performed and got 12th. Yay. But, yeah, kicked off the field in Semi's while fighting for 12th. About as bad as it gets. Edited February 24, 2011 by Cathie Wiener 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
splat-a-drag-a-phonium Posted February 24, 2011 Share Posted February 24, 2011 (edited) Crown's very first show in Cary NC 1990 (i think this is also documented on Crown's website somewhere). the DM had called "Dressed Center" then went into starting the show. luckly the opening few bars were the simulated piano (before electronics) opening to "Till There Was You" played on the bells. Edited February 24, 2011 by splat-a-drag-a-phonium Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BlooContraGuy Posted February 24, 2011 Share Posted February 24, 2011 (edited) Bluecoats Family Day 2010. Incredible warm up, but when we got on the field we set up and laid down in the grass, our show designer told the crowd about the show. It felt like 10 minutes just lying there in the heat before we started. The grass was longer than anything we practiced on throughout all of move ins. In that summer we went from the worst Bluecoats performance I've ever been apart of, to the best by far. Fun ride Honorable mentions: 2008: Fairfield, OH. Thick grass, bad foot timing disasters, and high tempers. BAD DAY. 2008: Orlando, FL. Changing literally half the show the day before and day of this performance, and NOT getting a run through due to stormy weather. Our first run of the new version of the show was at the Citrus Bowl that evening. Ballad and closer were a disaster. simply a disaster. Good times! Edited February 24, 2011 by BlooContraGuy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JimF-LowBari Posted February 24, 2011 Share Posted February 24, 2011 (edited) Week before DCA Weekend 1979 at Corning, NY and someone decides to replace DMs for the concert number. OK, it was a fast paced jazz thing called "Granada Smoothie" (Madison also did it that year) and we had a new DM who some people had problems following (supposedly). Can't remember who directed that night but all season it was horns up - play - one count - horns down. For the show it was horns up - play.... and the new DM jumps off the box without horns down. Half the horn line snapped down at the usual spot and the rest of us thinking "now what do I do". Regular DM jumps up with this "just saved my job" look on his face and brings the rest of us down. Show also noted for all three buses going down the wrong way on the main drag in Corning... TWICE... First time was 6am on the way to MickeyD breakfast and make a turn. I'm behind the lead driver and hear "OH ####, WRONG SIDE!" and he floors it. After we eat the drivers are looking at the construction at the intersection and saying "I would have done it too". That night, same McDs, same intersection and I hear "SON OF A #####... DID IT AGAIN!!" and we're flying down the wrong way again. Edited February 24, 2011 by JimF-LowBari 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
camel lips Posted February 24, 2011 Share Posted February 24, 2011 I think it was 2006 or 07 DCA Prelims, Rochester, NY. I played on the frontline with Chops, Inc. The weather was so bad they kept delaying all the class A shows. We played in a torrential downpour. I beat the crap out of my chinaboy cymbal, which held water like a bowl, and it barely made a sound. We still won best percussion in class A somehow...but that wasn't the worst of it. We of course wanted to do well, but when we watched the other class A corps go on after us, we kept watching people slip and fall and feeling like we didn't have it nearly as bad. A bass drummer from Alliance totally wiped out and didn't get up for several counts. We felt so awful watching this horrible stuff go on. Of course the sun came out and it stopped raining for the Open class prelims... 2006. I was one of the first open class corps to go on the field that night and it was rough for us too. I remember no hash marks and thinking how the freak are we expected to hit our spots?? Especially since the drill was written in such a wacky way. What a horrible night. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BbTrpt1 Posted February 24, 2011 Share Posted February 24, 2011 (edited) Blue Knights in Semi's in 1996 in Orlando played our opener horribly and then our director tapped the back of the drum major's podium and had him take us off the field!!! I was in the pit, I saw it close up and the director looked so mad. Are you serious?!?!??! We sucked so bad we're getting kicked off the field? We can't even finish the show? We were in 12th place fighting for our spot in Finals, too! I couldn't believe it. Well, it turns out the weather got dangerous, FAST. It was incredibly windy when we went on, so much so that the gong fell over and almost the entire corps was on the 50 and the guard members in between the horn members couldn't stand straight with the silks before the show even started. Plus our tympanist who started the whole show off missed his entrance due to the distractions so, yup... disaster. Some time during the opener some twisters formed right behind the stadium, so the judges apparently gave our director the option to pull us off the field if he wanted. Which of course he did, but as we marched off we, the members, couldn't see the dangerous conditions and we had no idea what was going on. Talk about a horrible feeling and just a gut-wrenching silence. Of course, he told us what was going on when we gathered under the end zone stadium bleachers and we rode out the storm under there for about two hours, went back out and performed and got 12th. Yay. But, yeah, kicked off the field in Semi's while fighting for 12th. About as bad as it gets. It was just as rough / brutal in the stands watching it as well. The sky became dark, the wind was swirling, and pretty much the entire music ensemble didn't play two notes together. I was sitting next to Jason B. and we just kind of looked at each other with one of those "what the heck is going on" looks. About halfway through the opener, I just put my head down into my hands and thought there was no chance we would make finals with this run. It was such a surreal moment, I can still remember it very clearly. Rocky Point was VERY rocky that day, lol. The 2nd run a few hours later was MUCH better! Edited February 24, 2011 by BbTrpt1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bearz Posted February 25, 2011 Share Posted February 25, 2011 Without a doubt, Blue Stars 1976 first show of the season. That was the year (and my first in drum corps) where it was decided to recruit from the East side of the state. The idea being that we could hold winter camps in both sides of the state with a symmetrical drill and just bring the 2 sides of the corps together in the summer. First problem was that the "Sheboygan side" (my side) was all rookies, while the "LaCrosse side" was heavy on vets. Now imagine 2 different sets of instructors teaching all winter with 2 different levels of talent and then just trying to put it on the field when the time came. Somehow our drills were about 20 feet different from one side to the other and absolutely nothing matched. One side circles, one side ovals....you get the idea. Looking back, IMHO it was an amazing accomplishment by the staff and members that we actually made finals in 76. Personally, my biggest flub was in Sevierville TN. Funny how you remember these things. They added a halt to the drill in a company front. I was on the very end. Everyone else stopped except for me and the guy next to me. Yea, I heard about that one for a looooong time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ranintothedoor Posted February 25, 2011 Share Posted February 25, 2011 (edited) Alright, I've got to do it... In 2005, we performed at Westchester (pretty sure) where the stadium was open on one side to nothing but trees. When it got dark, that side of the stadium was pitch black. During Liquid a couple sets before the "fish", I slid left across the field right in front of The Door. Well, the side of The Door is freakin' black... so I'm flying across the field, looking through my contra, trying to find/pick out the door from the equally black forest beyond, when... WHAM! I bounced off and stood still for a split second, flipping out. Then, I was able to sprint backward with my horn up the whole time to catch up to the form before I hurt someone. But man, that was rough. The other contra guys ragged me the rest of the season. :) Good times. Edited February 25, 2011 by ranintothedoor 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DrinkinOuttaCups Posted February 25, 2011 Share Posted February 25, 2011 In 2008, I had two disaster shows thanks to a pinched nerve in my arm. My right arm would keep dropping the longer I held my horn up, and eventually it would be tucked into my chest and I couldn't move it at all until I put my horn down and relaxed. The first one happened in Columbus, OH. I couldn't concentrate on the show because my arm and chest felt so weird and I couldn't do anything to fix it. However, the worst disaster show I had was the second time, in Hornell, NY. Not only did I get my pinched nerve problem exactly like last time, but my nose started bleeding for no reason in the middle of the show. Thankfully, as bad as I looked, I still managed to finish the show without getting any blood on my uniform. Oddly enough, after this second show, I wasn't even upset - that show was so ridiculous for me that I couldn't help but laugh. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hrothgar15 Posted February 25, 2011 Share Posted February 25, 2011 Alright, I've got to do it... In 2005, we performed at Westchester (pretty sure) where the stadium was open on one side to nothing but trees. When it got dark, that side of the stadium was pitch black. During Liquid a couple sets before the "fish", I slid left across the field right in front of The Door. Well, the side of The Door is freakin' black... so I'm flying across the field, looking through my contra, trying to find/pick out the door from the equally black forest beyond, when... WHAM! I bounced off and stood still for a split second, flipping out. Then, I was able to sprint backward with my horn up the whole time to catch up to the form before I hurt someone. But man, that was rough. The other contra guys ragged me the rest of the season. :) Good times. That's quite a username you've got there. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.