ajlemm Posted July 21, 2014 Share Posted July 21, 2014 There have been posts over the last several years about the experience of going to your first show ever. Great posts. I had another one that I have been thinking about recently because of this year’s great summer of competition. What is the BEST regular season show you have ever gone to (excluding championships)? And this could be general or specific. For example, you may think the San Antonio regional is the best show every year, or you may have a specific point in time show in mind, like Show of Shows 2009. Whether it’s because of the lineup, the environment or some kind of je ne sais quois thing that made it great, post here your favorite regular season show! Mine is 2008 Allentown (both nights). I live in Minnesota but my (ex)wife had a conference she needed to attend in New York. We decided to make a trip of it, along with our 5-year old son. Went sightseeing in Boston and New York and then dropped her off. Before driving back to Minnesota (an 18-hour trek), I decided my 5-year old and I would go to the Allentown shows, since I always heard such great things about it. Holy mackerel. It was the best two days of my drum corps obsession! The atmosphere was electric, the weather was perfect, and I remember so well Phantom Regiment unveiling their new “kill the drum major” ending, along with stellar performances from so many corps’! I remember Crown’s hornline blasting people’s faces off, and the Bridgemen alumni corps. I remember the Cavaliers Samauri show beating the Blue Devils Constantly Risking Absurdity show. I remember BAC playing Conquest in their space themed show even though it wasn’t listed in their repetoire, and my son’s favorite part was the Glassmen releasing balloons in their Kar-ne-vel show and Blue Stars riding bikes in their LeTour show. Regiment won one night and Cavaliers took the other night. Even my 5-year old was patient enough to sit through two nights of awesomeness! I really want to go to Allentown again, but alas, unless someone knows how to affordably get there and back, it may not be in the cards this year. I may have to make another summer trip next year to make it to Allentown. Other than finals and our local shows around the Midwest region, it’s the one (I mean two) show(s) I would really be willing to make the trek to see again! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MotoSurfBass Posted July 21, 2014 Share Posted July 21, 2014 Allentown 08 is my choice too... The air was electric when BD was announced in 2nd place on Friday night. I had never heard a stadium with no opposite bleachers sound so loud... And then Phantom killed a drum major on Saturday and I thought the entire place was going to come crumbling down. I got a picture with the Phantom DM's and the spear at their souvie after the show, and I remember telling my dad as we walked back to the Fairgrounds that Phantom was going to win it all. Allentown 2011 in the rain would probably be a close second... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IllianaLancerContra Posted July 21, 2014 Share Posted July 21, 2014 82 DCI Whitewater was pretty good. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BozzlyB Posted July 21, 2014 Share Posted July 21, 2014 Soooo, like, as opposed to pre-season? or the playoffs? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flammaster Posted July 21, 2014 Share Posted July 21, 2014 Precision West 1976! Blue Devils beat SCV on their home field and go on to become the DCI champs. I'll never forget that show! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ajlemm Posted July 21, 2014 Author Share Posted July 21, 2014 Soooo, like, as opposed to pre-season? or the playoffs? Funny stuff. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Super Don-O Posted July 22, 2014 Share Posted July 22, 2014 Allentown shows in the 80's/90's when there used to be a full prelim slate in the morning (15ish corps), an afternoon break, then the top 10 again in the evening. We'd camp in the park across the street and wake up to the sound of warmups. Breakfast in the diner then prelims. Funnel cakes and fresh lemonade for a snack. Yacco dogs for lunch. You'd get to see much of the top 12 perform twice in one day. If I could pick a "Groundhog Day" to live over and over that would be on the short list. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Contraaaaa Posted July 22, 2014 Share Posted July 22, 2014 Rome 2011. I spent all day at the Bluecoats' rehearsal at New Hartford HS where the bleachers are right on top of the front sideline. They were so close that even their air-and-valve runs sounded unbelievably loud!! Getting the experience of seeing how a top corps rehearses was priceless (almost as priceless as seeing a tuba do the worm in the transition between the ballad and the last movement). As for the show that night, it was such a treat to see The Academy, Troopers, and Bloo all perform - their shows were (and still are!) my favorite shows ever by each of them. And the venue itself had such a warm atmosphere to it. Something about performing in the middle of the week in a cozy NY town while the sun sets with only a week left before Quarterfinals. It felt less like each corps was competing and more like each corps was simply embracing the opportunity to perform. That's what drum corps is all about really, isn't it? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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