zorf Posted February 3, 2012 Share Posted February 3, 2012 Allright stop right there. Are you kidding me? I'm from Petoskey, Michigan. I was in the Midshipmen, and until this minute I was pretty sure no one had ever heard of them. It was a small town corps that competed locally mostly, started in the early '70's, and was gone by the late '70's. Wow.... what a thing this drum corps is. I don't think it was 1972 since Midshipmen began 1973 iirc. I was there as a young Soprano. We were pretty rough in those early days. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blackstar Posted February 3, 2012 Share Posted February 3, 2012 Ran across a PBS showing of DCI East in 1979. Really surprised me. I remember putting the cassette tape up to the TV to record it. That tape lasted 4 years. Then I found some old DCW's and another drum corps papers that focus mostly on east coast corps. So for me the shows that first turned me on to drum corps, 79 North Star, bridgemen, 27th Lancers Blue Devils and Spirit of Atlanta. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HockeyDad Posted February 3, 2012 Share Posted February 3, 2012 I don't think it was 1972 since Midshipmen began 1973 iirc. I was there as a young Soprano. We were pretty rough in those early days. '73 thru '78. Kinda fizzled with the departure of John Dietz. But today the marching band in Petoskey fields something like 250 kids - crazy big. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigDale Posted February 3, 2012 Share Posted February 3, 2012 Kilties, 27th Lancers, Regiment I always loved the plaid, the kilts and in the latter's case, the helmet and music. I was blessed to stand in all three of their hornlines, even if only for a camp or two. Blessed! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ajedrummer Posted February 3, 2012 Share Posted February 3, 2012 Allright stop right there. Are you kidding me? I'm from Petoskey, Michigan. I was in the Midshipmen, and until this minute I was pretty sure no one had ever heard of them. It was a small town corps that competed locally mostly, started in the early '70's, and was gone by the late '70's. Wow.... what a thing this drum corps is. I remember competing against the Midshipmen! Our 'corps clown' discovered that if you held your tongue when saying 'Midshipmen', it came out a bit differently! Don't ask me how I recall, this, but I guess it is silliness of youth! Heck, I cant remember what I had for dinner last night, but I can remember that!! As for me, I too marched in a show before I saw one because we competed in our first show in 1972 in the St. Mathias (Cadets) church parking lot in Milwaukee. Being a new corps, we went on first. THEN I saw my first show! Again, for some reason, I remember the Windjammers, Crusader Gladiators, St. Mathias Cadets were there and maybe the Sundowners plus a few more I don't recall. I do remember being thrilled that we did not come in last in our first show - we beat the Crusader Gladiators. The corps that made the biggest impression on me; we went to the first DCI in Whitewater that year and while every single one blew me away, Anaheim Kingsmen became my favorite and stayed that way! We almost beat them at DCI Midwest in 1976 (they were 10th, we were 11th - the last year they only took 10 in finals)...that would have been bittersweet as they were my idols! jim P.S. You are all saying 'Midshipmen' while holding your tongue, aren't you??!! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bmjfelts1988 Posted February 3, 2012 Share Posted February 3, 2012 (edited) In the thread about the Star of Indiana 1986 show. Sean Conley mentioned one never forgets their first show. I still remember clearly the first drum corps show I saw and how the winning corps excited me. (And just over two years later, I ended up joining them.) What corps and shows first turned you on to drum corps, and why? What did you feel when you saw that show? How did it change you? How many of us share the experience of being turned on to the activity through witnessing a particular corps and show? Was it live or via a recording? Madison Scouts 1983 and Blue Devils 1983. I was handed an audio tape with those two corps on it by a friend of mine and from that day forward I was hooked. To this day, those two corps are my absolute favorites (as my signature shows). I love all drum corps but there are no other corps that I enjoy more than those two. They are both my true faves. Edited February 3, 2012 by bmjfelts1988 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kevin Doherty Posted February 4, 2012 Share Posted February 4, 2012 Right arm. Love what you love and do no harm Kevin Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pagentryfan Posted February 6, 2012 Share Posted February 6, 2012 My parents met through local drum corps in the 70's in New England, so I recall always KNOWING about drum corps, but my parents never pushed me to do it. Wasn't until high school when I got involved in color guard that a snare drummer friend of mine showed me Cadets 96 from the PBS broadcast. Being a HUGE guard nerd at the time, I geeked out over the amazing guard and WANTED to be them! So I say, to this day 16 years later that Cadets 96 turned me on to drum corps! Funny, I ended up marching Cavaliers--but never forget that the maroon and gold team got my spark ignited. The green team (SPLOOIE) just pushed it further. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
musclebud Posted February 18, 2012 Share Posted February 18, 2012 There seems to be a fairly common thread here in that so many of us were first drawn to the activity by seeing the live broadcast on PBS. I understand the time and cost of putting together such a complex live show in today's marketing based media. But couldn't we do without one repeat airing of some "Real Housewives", "Hoarders", or "16 and Pregnant" to allow for a good, clean, educational Drum Corps Show? For me it was seeing it on TV first that got me excited to see it live the following year. I know it's just wishful thinking on my part. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tim K Posted February 18, 2012 Share Posted February 18, 2012 I too loved the PBS broadcasts, and given PBS’s limitations, it did a great job. DCI may not be on PBS anymore and ESPN no longer broadcasts it, (see a host of other threads for the reasons, or perhaps theory may be the better word, as to why), but there is a great alternative. DCI broadcasts live in HD “Big, Loud, and Live” in movie theaters across the country. Fans can see live the top 15 in the quarter finals. If you arrive early you can see bits and pieces of some of the earlier shows too. The large movie screen along with the surround sound really is the next thing to being there. It’s a combination of ESPN amped up and PBS on steroids! Perhaps what is most heartening is that there are just as many high school kids being exposed to this great activity along with us old school fossils (we may only be in our 40’s and 50’s but to them we may as well be 100!). You can also get concessions between corps in shorter lines, so you never have to miss a minute. There seems to be a fairly common thread here in that so many of us were first drawn to the activity by seeing the live broadcast on PBS. I understand the time and cost of putting together such a complex live show in today's marketing based media. But couldn't we do without one repeat airing of some "Real Housewives", "Hoarders", or "16 and Pregnant" to allow for a good, clean, educational Drum Corps Show? For me it was seeing it on TV first that got me excited to see it live the following year. I know it's just wishful thinking on my part. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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