Jump to content

Garfield Cadets 1985


Recommended Posts

I've just read many things on how the beginning was messed up. To those who don't know, apparently, before "Candide" started, something was really off somewhere (the only sounds came from the pit). On the live broadcast video, I just don't see or hear anything wrong. I know Hopkins thought it cost them the show while Cesario said it didn't. On the recording, there is clearly a "hut hut hut hut!" and then "Candide" started (and sounded fine). I always thought that was the DM, but I just read that it was a soprano player (the fellow who ran out of the tunnel to open the show).

Interesting. Any thoughts?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I've just read many things on how the beginning was messed up. To those who don't know, apparently, before "Candide" started, something was really off somewhere (the only sounds came from the pit). On the live broadcast video, I just don't see or hear anything wrong. I know Hopkins thought it cost them the show while Cesario said it didn't. On the recording, there is clearly a "hut hut hut hut!" and then "Candide" started (and sounded fine). I always thought that was the DM, but I just read that it was a soprano player (the fellow who ran out of the tunnel to open the show).

Interesting. Any thoughts?

I've heard about the error for years, but I just can't hear it....either it wasn't as bad as everyone says, or it was the greatest recovery of all time.

It certainly sounds perfectly fine.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

The Cadets have an alumni/fan site. From the comments, I gather that the field drum judge knew something happened--SUPPOSEDLY, he said that they were first in drums until that moment. Really? Again, interesting.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Wow, that was a long time ago.

I was in the stands, I think somewhere between the 45s. We heard some kind of a false start - it sounded as though the drum line, or a couple of players, had come in early. And you know how locked in the audience at finals is, hanging on every note - you could feel a kind of a shiver in the crowd, as though people knew that something had gone wrong. I recall thinking to myself "oh s**t, they've had it now." But somehow the horn line came in and the show went on like nothing had happened. Three-peat, on their way to 4 out of 5 - yikes!

Peace,

Fred O.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

The sop player coming from the tunnel was a regular part of the drill. He hit his spot just fine. No problems there.

Nobody was talking about Tom Smith. But since you brought him up, he waited and waited and waited in Finals to make his appearance. "Where is he?" we said. Made the opening even more cool:)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 3 weeks later...

From what I was told (I was there 4 years later) is that the drum major "double-pumped"...as in, one , one, two, one two three four. There was a definite tear for a second, but the recovery was phenominal. As Aungst told me, the drum judge said, "What happened? You guys had the drum title locked up?!?"

That's what I remember...but, as the grapes get saggier, the brain gets foggier! LOL

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Yep. The drum major, Rich Armstrong "double-pumped". He silently went "One, two, (pause, longer than a beat, and looked at the pit for something that was supposed to happen), One-two-three-four." On the field there was panic. I remember thinking "What!?" and just kind of blindly stepping off listening like crazy to see if I was right or in step. There was a collective feeling on the field of "Oh no!! We just blew it!" which was quickly replaced with a feeling of "Oh well. Let's just play and make it the best we can. It was still a great year." Somehow it didn't seem obvious to the audience. I remember thinking that they'll have to use the prelims performance for the recording. After we played, we were on last because they were champions the year before and we'd won prelims, we wound around Hoppy like we always did and he just looked at us and said "Not this year, folks." and walked away. If you watch the video, you can see A) a ton of us out of step on the #1 side of the field in back and the form not clicking and B) Hoppy himself leaving and walking on the track half way through the tune. He says that's one of the moments in drum corps he regrets the most: leaving the finals performance half-way through the final run. As the final scores were announced, none, and I mean NONE of us thought we'd won. The score announcements were a shock. When they announced SCV in 2nd the world swam and I almost fainted. True story.

The big lesson was that it happened in the final run-through at rehearsal. The staff chalked it up as a fluke and didn't address it. Never again. If it suddenly doesn't work, break it down and find the problem, no matter how late in the game.

It was a crazy moment. Made all the more remarkable in what for me was a fantastic year. 85 Garfield was absolutely seamless. All the drama of bus breakdowns and food issues that happened in 84 didn't exist. It was the most collected, professional year I ever had in drum corps. It was a joy to be in that year with that corps.

  • Like 5
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.
×
×
  • Create New...