The Most Influential Drum Corps Show In History

[George Dixon]

1982 certainly laid the groundwork - but 1983 won - plus the ideas were fully realized - which is why it is more 'influential' and remembered

[kdaddy]

\" In another drum corps first, the I.C. Reveries produced the premier Nationals sit-in. The circumstances leading to this event are as follows: The Madison Scouts had originally placed 14th in prelims, but an undertime protest was decided in their favor [the 'gaming' the prelim show system I referred to some posts back], moving them to 10th. This meant the original 12th place corps, the Racine Scouts, would be dropped from finals. The V.F.W. decided to allow them to compete as a 13th place finisher. The Reveries were the original 13th place finisher, and felt they too deserved a shot at finals. Their sit-in was a demand to be judged. After they had staged their protest by sitting on the starting line for fifteen minutes, the corps was allowed to present a judged exhibition."

A little off topic, but a timing penalty had pushed a corps from 10th to 14th? Were the scores just really tight, or were timing penalties just huge back then?

Really don't see many penalties anymore.

[dapperpoet]

The reason this Reveries show performance was so influential in 1966 is because from that moment on, the VFW, AL and the Drum Corps community would begin to go their separate ways. The Reveries Management left after that year's " show ", and the Corps Director ( George Bonfiglio who later formed the 27th Lancers from the same community of Revere the next year after the " sit in " ) met with other like minded Corps Directors, and shortly thereafter, they formed DCI... and leaving the Veteran organizations. Once DCI was formed, Corps would be provided MUCH greater lattitude and liberties in show design, styles, etc, and the judging would be developed along new lines as well.... it would be inconceivable for example to witness a Corps with a freestyle like the Bridgemen compete at a VFW or AL with that style of uniform and show. The St. Andrews Bridgemen, yes... but not the Bayonne Bridgemen that would evolve from that Corps a few years later in DCI. So without the I.C. Reveries making a statement in 1966 with their show performance at the VFW Nationals, it is questionable to say the least as to whether or not we'd see the styles of shows we saw the following decade regarding music, show designs, etc. So in my opinion, I'll make the case that the single most influential show perfomance that altered and influenced the activity the most, was not '93 Star, not '77 Bridgemen, nor '83 Cadets, nor the others that had influential shows. It was the show performance of the I.C. Reveries at the Finals of the recognized National Championships in 1966 that had the most influence... by far... on the direction of the Drum Corps movement. That'd be my choice for " most influential show performance " anyway.

Thank you very much for this history lesson- it makes a lot of sense and I give you the vote for most well-argued in the thread.

[oldskl3rings]

In my opinion, the most influential Drum Corps " show " in the history of Junior Drum Corps was the show of the Immaculate Conception Reveries, of Revere, Mass. in the year 1966. Without this show it is highly doubtful that the Bayonne Bridgemen style would have been allowed to take hold, nor would DCI have begun a few years after the I.C.Reveries performance at the VFW National Championship Finals in Jersey City, New Jersey. No other single show performance so altered the Junior Corps activity to any larger degree in my opinion as this show performance ireversibly altered the activity like none before,.. nor none since, imo.

For context, at this time, Corps participated in rigid sets of rules dictated by the VFW ( or AL ). At the 1966 VFW Nationals Championships Prelims in New Jersey the 14th finishing Reveries were afforded penalties, as was the 13th finishing Corps, Racine Scouts ( terrific Corps at the time ). However for reasons unexplained, the Racine Scouts penalties were purged, and they were told they would be in the Finals on Finals Night ( Top 12 ) The Reveries similar penalties however were not purged, and they were not given a satisfactory reason why ( according to them anyway ). This made the Reveries furious. On the night of the Finals, the Reveries showed up outside the gate in uniform with full intentions to march and compete. St. Joe's Batavia, NY, a qualifyer for Finals, saw them, were informed by the Reveries of their intentions and St. Joe's graciously allowed the Reveries Corps to go by them, and the Reveries proceeded to the starting line ahead of the Racine Scouts who were unsure of what was taking place. Once on the starting line, the VFW saw the Reveries there. They were stunned and demanded the I.C. Reveies leave the field. The Corps refused, and instead orchestrated a " sit in ". The entire corps then sat in the lotus position on the ground in starting position and refused to leave until allowed to perform their show and compete. The VFW Sponsors then huddled in a quick meeting while 15-20 minutes went by. Reveries not moving, still in the lotus position. The VFW show sponsors even called the police as a precaution. The Crowd received word in the stands about the penalty dispute, and became sympathetic to their plight, and began to chant " Let them compete... let them compete ". Finally, the VFW announced to the Corps and the audience that the IC Reveries could do their show, but would not be scored. The Reveries performed their show, but were not scored. Keep in mind that this was a protest, "sit in"..., in 1966 at a VFW Convention. "Sit ins " were taking place in areas around the country as a form of civil disobedience and revolt in that time period in the US. The LAST group of folks that would be supportive of protest sit ins in the 60's were the tradition based VFW and AL... and this was now happening at their Drum Corps National Championships, no less.

The reason this Reveries show performance was so influential in 1966 is because from that moment on, the VFW, AL and the Drum Corps community would begin to go their separate ways. The Reveries Management left after that year's " show ", and the Corps Director ( George Bonfiglio who later formed the 27th Lancers from the same community of Revere the next year after the " sit in " ) met with other like minded Corps Directors, and shortly thereafter, they formed DCI... and leaving the Veteran organizations. Once DCI was formed, Corps would be provided MUCH greater lattitude and liberties in show design, styles, etc, and the judging would be developed along new lines as well.... it would be inconceivable for example to witness a Corps with a freestyle like the Bridgemen compete at a VFW or AL with that style of uniform and show. The St. Andrews Bridgemen, yes... but not the Bayonne Bridgemen that would evolve from that Corps a few years later in DCI. So without the I.C. Reveries making a statement in 1966 with their show performance at the VFW Nationals, it is questionable to say the least as to whether or not we'd see the styles of shows we saw the following decade regarding music, show designs, etc. So in my opinion, I'll make the case that the single most influential show perfomance that altered and influenced the activity the most, was not '93 Star, not '77 Bridgemen, nor '83 Cadets, nor the others that had influential shows. It was the show performance of the I.C. Reveries at the Finals of the recognized National Championships in 1966 that had the most influence... by far... on the direction of the Drum Corps movement. That'd be my choice for " most influential show performance " anyway.

Sorry, but I would classify this as a DC incident, not a show.

[emc2]

It's the 1977 Bridgeman. Period.

Feel free to chime in with your own opinion, but know that I'm right, so you probably shouldn't even bother.

Seriously, let it go. You know I'm right, right?

So why are you even bothering with this thread? Let it die of loneliness.

Really now.

But you know that if you don't tell me I'm wrong, you'll only confirm that I'm right, by virtue of you keeping your opinionated piehole shut, correct? So you may as well tell me who you think was more influential than the '77 Bridgemen, unless, of course, you already know that I've said everything that needs to be said in this regard by even mentioning the sheer awesomeness that came out of of that sewer otherwise known as Bayonne, that year, ya dig?

But you know that I'm right, so just walk away now.

Lets say all the founding DCI drum corps.

[GMichael1230]

I agree, and you see several mentions of that point in this thread. I just think everyone remembers '83 because the foundation that was laid in '82 became a complete, fully realized structure in '83. Minor point, but I also loved Garfield's rifle line in '82 and wish they'd had one in '83.

1982 was great and while it was different from what was presented before, it didnt influence anybody. Its the 1983 show that set the activity on its ear and changed the way shows were designed from 1984 on.....To see the shows from 1983, all corps were still content with their design process...1982 Garfield didnt influence anything. Ground breaking, revolutionary, etc......great, but it wasnt until that style won that the rest of the activity followed.....

Geoffrey

[SchnauZing]

Back on the first page of this topic... it says about Zingali not being able to tie Bobby Hoffmans shoes... why would he? I don't think Hoffman could fit into his shoes... Bobby was good. I knew him, competed with him in corps and band season but the Z man was one of the three designers that turned drill art into what we still see today... those being Brazale at Phantom, Brubaker at Cavaliers and Zingali at Cadets through Star.

[oldskl3rings]

Back on the first page of this topic... it says about Zingali not being able to tie Bobby Hoffmans shoes... why would he? I don't think Hoffman could fit into his shoes... Bobby was good. I knew him, competed with him in corps and band season but the Z man was one of the three designers that turned drill art into what we still see today... those being Brazale at Phantom, Brubaker at Cavaliers and Zingali at Cadets through Star.

I'd add Pete Emmons to that list.

[byline]

1982 was great and while it was different from what was presented before, it didnt influence anybody. Its the 1983 show that set the activity on its ear and changed the way shows were designed from 1984 on.....To see the shows from 1983, all corps were still content with their design process...1982 Garfield didnt influence anything. Ground breaking, revolutionary, etc......great, but it wasnt until that style won that the rest of the activity followed.....

Geoffrey

You're right about the fact that winning a DCI championship made '83 the show that everyone else wanted to emulate, hence its influence on countless other corps. But in '82, you could see people almost craning their necks, trying to look ahead into that crystal ball to see if this newfangled thing that Garfield put on the field was really going to fly, or was that year's "flash in the pan" show. But I think a lot of people who saw it instinctively knew this was the future of drum corps.

It's interesting, because Santa Clara's '80 asymmetrical drill program, while not winning (and, in fact, yielding a relatively low placement for Santa Clara) was very influential, just not right away. But Santa Clara '80 paved the way for Garfield '83. As Pete Emmons said on the "Brass Roots" video (I'm paraphrasing), "OK, George. It's all yours now." Then Zingali proceeded to build on the amazing visual ideas he'd developed with 27th Lancers, and away he went. The rest is history.

[SchnauZing]

might as well throw in Jim Jones for the sunburst! hahahaha