How did you discover DCI?

[glory]

At a competition in Philadelphia called the "National Championship of Marching Bands" in the early 70s there was an exhibition before the scores were announced by this strange band that had no woodwinds and only bell-front brass. They were clearly older than high school age and clearly better. But what were they? We didn't know.

We were from E.C. Glass High School in Lynchburg, Va., which isn't close to anything except the Blue Ridge Mountains. We'd heard rumors of "professional marching bands" in places like Chicago and Boston. They had mystical names like "Dundee Scots" and they allegedly marched with one foot directly in front of the other among other superior techniques. Our respect for these pros extended to the certainty that each member would march and play the entire show solo to demonstrate his or her prowess.

This bells-front band on the turf at Veteran's Stadium had to be one of those.

We were awareded sixth in the nation and in time we'd begin hearing names like 27th Lancers. But this was the early-to-mid 70s. There was no Internet. In Lynchburg, most of my years there, there wasn't even a PBS channel available on our TV. The fact that we marched "corps style" distinguished us from other Virginia bands; it did little to help us understand what drum corps was.

Indeed, when I first saw the PBS broadcast some years later, I still wasn't entirely sure what I was watching. What I did know is I wanted to see more. E.C. Glass was a great marching band. This was something else entirely. I wanted to see it live.

The problem in the pre-Internet age was plugging in wasn't simple. In college in New York City, graduate school in Columbia, Mo., or starting my career in Baton Rouge, La., there was no way to know where to look for drum corps beyond PBS. Then I captured the DCI address off the 1989 broadcast. Writing to Schaumberg, Ill., (I think Schaumberg), I found out finals for 1990 would be in Buffalo. Perfect because I had moved to New York City. One day's drive.

The 1990 finals would be a one-off. I'd finally see it, and that would be it. My seats were in row 11 somewhere not that far from the goal line. Not that it mattered to my ears. The sound. That brass sound. The glory. And the colors. So alive and bright. What a spectacle.

The Cadets took first, and I moved to the middle for the encore. Now the sound! Such glory. Seduction. It's not a sexual thing but it might as well be. The attraction is so primal. The sound penetrates my core. Glorius.

I made up my mind during that Cadets encore to go to Dallas for finals in 1991, starting a cascade of corps through the years. Still, it shows how slowly and narrowly information traveled just two decades ago that it would take years before I would learn there were shows in the New York area I could attend. I envy kids today for the opportunity to plug in with such ease.

No matter. I have decades of drum corps behind me and more in front. I can't imagine what it would be like to pass a summer without it. I don't intend to find out.

HH

Edited August 18, 2011 by glory

[gbass598]

Saw the PBS broadcast of 1991. Was hooked from the moment I saw SCV's Miss Saigon show. Went to my first live show in 1992 in Hilliard, OH. I told my mom that I was going to do this someday while sitting in the stands. I remembered that exact moment as I came out of the tunnel of the Citrus Bowl on finals night of my ageout year in '98 I still remember the lineup of that show.

Limited Edition

Kiwanis Kavaliers

Northern Aurora

Glassmen

Bluecoats

Star of Indiana

Cavaliers

[Dmlkmen]

I dont mean to drop names here, but without them, I wouldnt know what this activity is. So, I want to pay homage to them.

Jeff Wrobleski, Tim "Shorty" Bartholomen, Corky Fabrizio, and the drum major of the Bluecoats from 89-91- I know his first name was Chip. They helped my marching band in Virginia, during the late 80's early 90's. The first moment I noticed anything about corps, was during my freshmen year. We had our away band camp somewhere out in West Virginia. My first run in with anything corps was when I noticed Shorty playing against the side of a hill (or was it a mountain?), and getting the reverb of the High Double C's he was playing bouncing off the side. My friends and I were amazed, as we were Baritone players, and just starting to get into jazz and the like-so Shorty was like, "the dude". He had a G soprano with 2 valves, and we were further amazed that a horn could be made without a 3rd valve.

From there, we would have sectionals with either Shorty or Corky durinmg camp, or when we would host our home show in October and they came to judge. They mixed in great instruction with stories about corps- particularly Shorty with Cadets. Those were beyond "good times" in those sectionals. We in the brass line often viewed it as "extrememly focused" instruction.

Jeff brought in a lot of flags and even the Golden Coins from the Star shows, to our camps. We used them in our shows- but it was often we heard Jeff talk about as this "great effect"...For about 2 years from freshmen to junior year, I had no idea Jeff worked with Star. That was until I saw Jeff jumping up and down at the closer of Star 90, when the camera pans in on the DM. I do remember Jeff bringing in a marching instruction book, that was used by Star of Indiana. It showed exact foot height with diagrams, as well as diagrams of proper ste size. It was like Bruce Lee's Kung Fu book- but for marching.

The first video I saw was Garfield 1985.... But I had no idea of whether that was a drum corps or "super" marching band. We were watching it because our show in 1991 included Make our Garden Grow, and Candide. Our band director mixed that show in with 1988 BOA Marion Catholic, so most of us thought it was a natural extension of band. It was Chip who pulled me a few friends aside, and introduced me to my first video of corps through the video of Bluecoats 89 and 90. Chip was our low brass tech-and overall a great dude. We also saw 1988 and 1989, and hyped BD 88 whenever we went to shows- all introduced through Chip.

It was 1990 when I attended my first shows- Allentown and Hershey. Saw Star, and sat in on their Lot. To this day, one of my favorite drum corps moments ever. Hearing Praise Ye in the lot. 1991, I expanded that DCI East- where I saw Crossmen overtake Cadets...which at the time, was like Wow! Cadets with their marching and drill, was a corps my firends and I put on a pedestal. But, as it turned out..that was a #### good Crossmen corps.

From there everything was gravy from being fan, to marcher, to fan, then back again. Going on my 22nd year of following the activity....

Edited August 18, 2011 by Dmlkmen

[SiriusSoprano]

PBS!!!

[firebrand]

I marched in highschool and was first introduced to the Cavaliers because several members of my marching band marched with them. First Drum Corp show was in DeKalb, IL in 2003 and I remember Spin Cycle completely blowing my mind.

Since I was an alto-sax player, I didn't audition for a Drum Corps but went to a good number of shows and enjoyed every minute of it. Looking back I wished I had learned to play a brass instrument but oh well. Through the years I have grown really fond of what the Bluecoats have put on the field especially in the last few years.

During college I had an opportunity to sort of fulfill my dream to march with a corps, by taking an internship with DCI. It was the most amazing summer I ever had getting to be up close with all these amazing corps.

I will always be a lifelong fan of this activity because of my highschool band experience

[Opti-Burr]

My mother convinced me to check out Drum Corps, because she was a school teacher and taught with the Director of a small Corps in my home town. I was soon hooked on the activity after being received with a friendly, warm welcome from the other members of the Corps. I feel that Drum Corps was a turning point in my life, as before that I was a rebellious teenager. Drum Corps not only taught me self disipline, it also showed me how to work as a team.

[scouttimp]

Just before freshman year 1983, I went with some high school guys and one of my future band directors to some town called Whitewater. First corps I saw was Troopers in a Burger King parking lot Friday night playing Turkey in the Straw.

All day prelims/finals the next day.

Whitewater again 1984 (yes, I was really there!).

By then, hooked- knew I'd march (by this, I mean hoped I'd stand behind timpani).

It worked out pretty well for me!

[IntheMood]

My brother and I had no choice....Our Mom made us join to get us off the street...I was 13 my brother was 12....

[sdstar]

2003

Daughter: May I join a drum corps?

Me: No.

2004

Daughter: May I join a drum corps?

Me: No.

2005

Daughter: May I join a drum corps?

Me: (My daughter is a senior in HS at this point and will be away from my clutches soon) What's a drum corps and where would it be?

The rest is history (see sig-not shown is said daughter's stint giving back as open class mello tech in '11).

There's only one other activity I've been exposed to that has such a positive influence on youth, and I'm glad my daughter was persistent. Someday I'll have to ask her where she heard about drum corps.

Edited August 19, 2011 by sdstar

[lindap]

Saw lots of parades at an early age and somehow knew the difference between drum corps and marching bands. My best friend Debbie convinced me to join drum corps 'cause her Mom was dating a drill instructor at the time and 'cause Debbie and I ... um ... were having a little too much fun. Turns out we ended up having fun in drum corps too along with lots and lots of hard work. It took me years to convince my younger brother to join. He and I had an older-sister-one-year-younger-brother thing. He joined De La Salle Oaklands in 1972 (also a founding member of DCI :) Last year when we were reminiscing, he said "We beat your corps!" ... and um ... I said "Yes you did!" DCI discovered lp1955 and amadorj and my brother too ;-)