Ghost Posted April 11, 2013 Share Posted April 11, 2013 After four years in the USAF (66-70), the 71 Danny Thomas Invitational was my first contest (I believe) since 66. It was a great thrill to watch SCV for the first time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ajlisko Posted April 11, 2013 Share Posted April 11, 2013 I wasn't privy to the thinking of the I.C. Reveries, who placed 13th, but have read that they were incensed. They felt that if Madison was in the show, Racine shouldn't be. If Racine was in the show, then Madison shouldn't be. But since both 12th and 14th places made finals, 13th place should also make finals. ... all the contending corps for finals (including the Bpt PAL) were also under the impression that there would be 15 Finalists as in 1965 ... the word came out VERY late ... we were praticing on field off of RT 17 when we got the word of what happened and that we were out ... we eventually wound up in 16th ... our Director packed up the bus in a huff and we headed home ... onece we got back to Bpt, we hopped in our cars and drove back to Jersey City ... thankfully, the Reveries were already sitting on the starting line so we didn't miss anything ... the "story" behind why we were out is stunning but, none of the scoresheets are around anymore to verify what I saw on the bus ride home that day ... what could have been our finest day wound up a fiasco ... oh well ... evryone has a certain set of memories - huh? :-) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
reallyoldfrt Posted April 11, 2013 Share Posted April 11, 2013 I'll Have to cast my vote for the 1965 CYO Invitational. I had been in drum corps for almost twenty years at that point. And I had seen and heard all of the great corps of the day. I had seen the Royal Airs the year before, and they had been very good. I had the recording from the Civic Opera House in Chicago from that winter. I thought I knew what to expect. What I beheld when they stepped off the line that night in Chestnut Hill shook me to the depths of my soul. Others that night had been terrific. The Royal Airs were supernatural. My first thought was, "This just isn't fair!" Then, "How is this possible?" To this day that night remains foremost in my memories of drum corps. The 1965 Royal Airs remain the best corps I ever saw. Period! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gsksun4 Posted April 11, 2013 Share Posted April 11, 2013 ... all the contending corps for finals (including the Bpt PAL) were also under the impression that there would be 15 Finalists as in 1965 ... the word came out VERY late ... we were praticing on field off of RT 17 when we got the word of what happened and that we were out ... we eventually wound up in 16th ... our Director packed up the bus in a huff and we headed home ... onece we got back to Bpt, we hopped in our cars and drove back to Jersey City ... thankfully, the Reveries were already sitting on the starting line so we didn't miss anything ... the "story" behind why we were out is stunning but, none of the scoresheets are around anymore to verify what I saw on the bus ride home that day ... what could have been our finest day wound up a fiasco ... oh well ... evryone has a certain set of memories - huh? Andy, I've yet to read anything on the Planet that would not make you a man of your word. Your eloquent passages are impeccably truthful and insightful. Now please spill yer guts for us, I’m sure the statute of limitations has expired. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alankarls Posted April 11, 2013 Share Posted April 11, 2013 (edited) we hopped in our cars and drove back to Jersey City ... thankfully, the Reveries were already sitting on the starting line so we didn't miss anything ... :-) You just made my point about how the entire fiasco screwed the Racine Scouts. You just said you didn't miss anything, yet you missed the Racine Scouts' performance.And we knew that there would only be 12 in 1966. 1965 was a fluke with 15 finalists, VFW tried it and didn't like it. Edited April 11, 2013 by alankarls Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ajlisko Posted April 11, 2013 Share Posted April 11, 2013 You just made my point about how the entire fiasco screwed the Racine Scouts. You just said you didn't miss anything, yet you missed the Racine Scouts' performance.And we knew that there would only be 12 in 1966. 1965 was a fluke with 15 finalists, VFW tried it and didn't like it. Mea Culpa ... you are correct ... we didn't know Racine was in the Finals until their score was announced during retreat ... it was a bizzare day/night of drum corps for sure ... :-) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gsksun4 Posted April 11, 2013 Share Posted April 11, 2013 Since there's talk about the 65 RA corps here, I just found this very recent addition to the Tube. Enjoy: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UBk91AE57mE Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ajlisko Posted April 11, 2013 Share Posted April 11, 2013 Since there's talk about the 65 RA corps here, I just found this very recent addition to the Tube. Enjoy: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UBk91AE57mE Great clips ... and if the beginning shows are from 1965, it verifies that RA had no contra's ... at least when these vids were shot ... :-) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alankarls Posted April 11, 2013 Share Posted April 11, 2013 (edited) I'll Have to cast my vote for the 1965 CYO Invitational. I had been in drum corps for almost twenty years at that point. And I had seen and heard all of the great corps of the day. I had seen the Royal Airs the year before, and they had been very good. I had the recording from the Civic Opera House in Chicago from that winter. I thought I knew what to expect. What I beheld when they stepped off the line that night in Chestnut Hill shook me to the depths of my soul. Others that night had been terrific. The Royal Airs were supernatural. My first thought was, "This just isn't fair!" Then, "How is this possible?" To this day that night remains foremost in my memories of drum corps. The 1965 Royal Airs remain the best corps I ever saw. Period! The funny thing was that before the July 10 CYO show, the Royal Airs had been kicked around in the midwest. They got beat by 2.5 by the Troopers, and they lost at least twice to the Cavaliers and Vanguard by 3 and 4 points both times. That's why I was so startled when I heard them in Boston. I had seen them in Kenosha when they got wallopped and took third behind Vanguard and Cavaliers. They did not impress. But in Boston, they were like a completely different corps. And once they won CYO, I don't believe they lost another show all year. Final comment on it: listen to the record. When the Royal Airs finish Watermelon Man with the soft, quiet ending, you can hear 8 counts of bass drum and foot fall before the crowd realized that the song was over and the screaming started. The east coast had never seen a corps finish a number quietly and were simply stunned. Edited April 11, 2013 by alankarls Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ghost Posted April 11, 2013 Share Posted April 11, 2013 (edited) The Chicago Royal Airs dazzled the predominently eastern audience, and they loved them. None of the others... all quite good.... had a chance. The Chicago Royal Airs really were that dominent, and the Corps that was immediately in back of them... that had had great practices all week, were so deflated on the starting line watching the performance of the Royal Airs and the reaction of the crowd to it, that they came out completely flat that night. Can't recall if we (BAC)were on after the Royal Airs, but with the crowd so loud at our introduction, if I had waited another ten seconds or so before giving the "ready front", the bari line to the far right may have heard the command and there would not have been a slight crossfire initially. It would not have changed the outcome that night, or any night after the CYO when up against Big Blue. If one was to look at a close-up of the cover of the fleetwood recording, I remember the eyes all looking towards the side. http://www.fleetwoodsounds.com/catalog/product_info.php?products_id=130 Edited April 11, 2013 by Ghost Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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