Jim Anello Posted August 13, 2012 Share Posted August 13, 2012 (edited) To this day, I count seeing 1977 Garfield at Whitewater for DCI Midwest as one of my favorite memories. My brother and I took our youngest brother - he was 13, I believe - to see the corps do a run through on an aspahlt parking lot facing a dorm. We boosted him on the roof over one of the doors. The full force of the sound just pinned him to the wall. I thought we were going to have to peel him off the wall when the last chord of "I Don't Know How to Love Him" was completed. He was hooked, and he joined the Kilties the following year. Also, the little smidge of Star Wars you played for warmups would really juice up the crowd. Edited August 13, 2012 by Jim Anello Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ironlips Posted August 13, 2012 Share Posted August 13, 2012 (edited) Funny, I remember that run through very clearly and was concerned that the corps might have "left it on the rehearsal field". That night, as I stood on the track, that was my perception and, after the performance, I began to prepare them for a little drop in score. Before I could finish my spiel, Chris Trimblett (the Pieces of Dreams soloist) and a couple of others interrupted me. "We love you, man, but you're starting to lose it", they said, in effect. "We felt right in the pocket out there." We finished 12th in that show,... and took high GE Brass, over everybody! (Note: only the Blue Devils and SCV would escape that fate at some point that season.) It was my students (not me) who had risen to another level. From there out, I was in awe of them, and am still digesting the lesson they taught me that night. Edited August 13, 2012 by ironlips 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Northern Thunder Posted August 13, 2012 Share Posted August 13, 2012 We finished 12th in that show,... and took high GE Brass, over everybody! (Note: only the Blue Devils were absent from that line-up in Whitewater.) I could never figure out how Garfield slipped all the way to 8th in GE brass at DCI finals. (At least they pulled a 4th at prelims.) Every time I saw them in '77 it was a thrill. Oh, and there were a couple other finalists besides Blue Devils missing at Whitewater....Santa Clara, Blue Stars, Optimists, Freelancers and Crossmen. (Of those, only SCV beat Garfield in GE horns at DCI finals, though.) A piece of trivia about '77 Garfield....They were the last corps to compete at DCI, American Legion and VFW finals all in the same season. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JimF-LowBari Posted August 13, 2012 Share Posted August 13, 2012 Was going to ask about the guard playing at the end but see it answered. (I'm not on FN, so can't watch. ) Remember seeing the corps as an exhibition somewhere at a Sr show but blanking out on year and location. Really blanking out WHY we were watching them instead of getting ready for retreat. Either we were pre-show exhibition or DM retreat only due to threatening weather. Seemed awful crowded top of the stadium walkwalk. Thought I heard someone talking about "they will be close" about remaking top 12 and this would have been 1977 according to corpreps. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ajlisko Posted August 13, 2012 Share Posted August 13, 2012 Was going to ask about the guard playing at the end but see it answered. (I'm not on FN, so can't watch. ) Remember seeing the corps as an exhibition somewhere at a Sr show but blanking out on year and location. Really blanking out WHY we were watching them instead of getting ready for retreat. Either we were pre-show exhibition or DM retreat only due to threatening weather. Seemed awful crowded top of the stadium walkwalk. Thought I heard someone talking about "they will be close" about remaking top 12 and this would have been 1977 according to corpreps. I'm pretty sure Garfield put an exhibition on at the 77 Barnum in Bpt ... the top walkway is usually loaded with spectators and corps people ... not sure if WS was there though ... :-) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ironlips Posted August 13, 2012 Share Posted August 13, 2012 I could never figure out how Garfield slipped all the way to 8th in GE brass at DCI finals. (At least they pulled a 4th at prelims.) Every time I saw them in '77 it was a thrill. Oh, and there were a couple other finalists besides Blue Devils missing at Whitewater....Santa Clara, Blue Stars, Optimists, Freelancers and Crossmen. (Of those, only SCV beat Garfield in GE horns at DCI finals, though.) A piece of trivia about '77 Garfield....They were the last corps to compete at DCI, American Legion and VFW finals all in the same season. Thanks for the correction, Brian. At that time, Phantom Regiment's hornline was the finest I had ever heard, and to be rated above them at Whitewater was a real reality check for both me and Jim Wren. In hindsight, we can appreciate the subjective nature of judging a bit more, I think, but it's highly unlikely you'll ever again see a 12th place corps take high brass. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Northern Thunder Posted August 13, 2012 Share Posted August 13, 2012 it's highly unlikely you'll ever again see a 12th place corps take high brass. I always enjoyed finding those "lower-rated" corps that had a high achievement in brass: 1972 Madison--14th place--1st in musical analysis 1973 Argonne Rebels--11th place--2nd in total brass 1974 Argonne Rebels--33rd place--6th in musical analysis 1975 Phantom Regiment prelims--10th place--2nd in musical analysis etc. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jim Anello Posted August 13, 2012 Share Posted August 13, 2012 (edited) Funny, I remember that run through very clearly and was concerned that the corps might have "left it on the rehearsal field". That night, as I stood on the track, that was my perception and, after the performance, I began to prepare them for a little drop in score. Before I could finish my spiel, Chris Trimblett (the Pieces of Dreams soloist) and a couple of others interrupted me. "We love you, man, but you're starting to lose it", they said, in effect. "We felt right in the pocket out there." We finished 12th in that show,... and took high GE Brass, over everybody! (Note: only the Blue Devils and SCV would escape that fate at some point that season.) It was my students (not me) who had risen to another level. From there out, I was in awe of them, and am still digesting the lesson they taught me that night. It is hard to forget that run through because the corps was just so loose. I smile now as I think about the small group of horn players rushing to the field at the last minute with their imitation of Madison playing the opening statement from Slaughter. Hilarious, and it seemed to set the tone of, "Let it fly." Edited August 13, 2012 by Jim Anello Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JimF-LowBari Posted August 13, 2012 Share Posted August 13, 2012 I'm pretty sure Garfield put an exhibition on at the 77 Barnum in Bpt ... the top walkway is usually loaded with spectators and corps people ... not sure if WS was there though ... :-) Thanks but wasn't Barnum as I was never there. Biggest 'name' show outside of PA I think I ever made was Fresh Air Fanfare in 79. Probably a Philly area or Nort' Joisey show where I saw Cadets. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fran Haring Posted November 13, 2013 Share Posted November 13, 2013 When did Dennis Dewey march? Just got around to reading this thread. Dennis was the brass caption head with DCA's Sunrisers three of the years I was there... 1980 through 1982. He was an absolutely great brass teacher. Going into the 1980 season... before he came on board... we had lost our way a bit, not sounding like a Sunriser horn line at all... sloppy fundamentals, not as much focus, etc. He took over in the spring of 1980 and retooled our line... got us playing as a team again by the end of the 1980 season... and that was one big reason we shot back into DCA title contention in 1981, finishing a close second overall, then winning our third DCA title in 1982. We didn't win the High Horns trophy at championships in 1981 or '82... but we certainly were among the top contenders, and we once again had that disciplined, confident "Sunriser sound." Dennis gets a ton of credit for that. One of the best. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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