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The Joy of Parades


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The joys of parades? Two phrases - "eyes left" and "eyes right". :cool:

Snare drummers in particular, have keen lookout skills in this department (or we just need the visual stimulation to keep us awake while playing the same street cadence for 5 miles running).

Back of the corps was more direct... on the left... in the red... blonde....

Used to do an exhibition at Carlisle HS Stadium(also held our home show there) and were the last event before the fireworks show. Every year we'd be muttering "don't turn off the lights" as we marched off the field. Then *poof* and 100 or so people were marching blind for a bit wondering where the curb was..

Edited by JimF-LowBari
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We were in a parade once when a circus was in town. If you think horses are bad, try marching behind an elephant...

You win.

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"The Cavaliers are still the only corps to win the award for best choir in the Aurora parade."

More Cowbell.

Of course, I'm just assuming that, and you know what Felix Unger said about the word "assume."

But more cowbell is always implied.

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The joys of parades? Two phrases - "eyes left" and "eyes right". :cool:

Snare drummers in particular, have keen lookout skills in this department (or we just need the visual stimulation to keep us awake while playing the same street cadence for 5 miles running).

Ha ha. This just gave me a flashback! Great memories, I think every drumline must do this.

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I was doing a parade with my college band once, and it had been drizzling all day. As we went to step off, it was a total complete pounding downpour. The director turned to us as everyone watching the parade ran for the hills, and just say play louder. We blasted the bells off the horns as loud as we could for the whole route, and actually had some good fun doing it, albeit more than a little soaked!!

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When we did the Rose Parade in '04 long-time KTLA Channel 5 announcer Stephanie Edwards ignored the script and educated millions of viewers that SCV "...is associated with Santa Clara University..." even as our banner passed by on closeup. :blink: The next year KTLA kicked her out of the booth where she had worked alongside Bob Eubanks for a gazillion years and instead had her do curbside / "man on the street" duty, and it was clear she was spaced out on meds whenever the camera cut to her.

When we did the unexpected horn pop to the spectators in the camera area their eyes got as big as dinner plates, which helped offset the annoying kids sitting on the curb that were shooting Silly String onto our shoes. My only regret is that we didn't try out the parade arrangement of RCM that a couple of mid 80's alumni members had put together.

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I was doing a parade with my college band once, and it had been drizzling all day. As we went to step off, it was a total complete pounding downpour. The director turned to us as everyone watching the parade ran for the hills, and just say play louder. We blasted the bells off the horns as loud as we could for the whole route, and actually had some good fun doing it, albeit more than a little soaked!!

1979 Dauphin Monsoon Parade - few hours before a competition so we wore street clothes. Can't tell from the old shots but it is pouring and Canal St had 1-2 inches of water running thru it. I'm second form the front in the back Bari line and bad phasing due to pants being stuck to my legs (I ain't the only one).

dauphin1-1.jpg

dauphin2-1.jpg

Worse was Pottsville, PA Mid Winter Carnival. Parade was held at the start of the week long Carnival or at the end if the weather was too bad. Last year there it was 10-15 degrees during the parade and people were watching it from inside the houses looking out the front windows. :blink: Had valves freezing while we were playing so sang the corps song half the time.

Edited by JimF-LowBari
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