Pioneer's DCI Membership Has Been Revoked

[BigW]

3 hours ago, Jeff Ream said:

one of the last years in Scranton, smaller corps...like tiny...were being openly mocked in the stands.

Yes, they were. Even at one of the early season shows in the area. I think in regards to one of them... it was their only appearance before they collapsed.

[Fran Haring]

12 hours ago, MikeD said:

Actually, more like "never was". A good portion of the Garfield drumline went to the Cabs after the 71 season, when Garfield fired our great drum instructor George Tuthill, who was also teaching the Cabs. None were close to aging out of junior corps.

Exactly.

I was 18 when I joined Sunrisers for 1977.... and there were a whole bunch of people there within a year or two of my age, up or down. Some of the teenagers had been with Sun for several seasons.

We certainly had our share of 20, 30, 40-somethings.  But it was most definitely "all age" then... and like you said, pretty much always has been.  
 

Edited January 30, 2019 by Fran Haring

[Fran Haring]

Back on topic... what Jeff said.

If one change is made... Pioneer possibly can survive. If that change is not made, they won't.

[KeithHall]

"...determined to make Pioneer a great corps...." (RB)

 

So what effort was made in the last 30 years to do that? This corps has been in DCI since , really the beginning (1972), and yet the corps used the same them year after year. I do recall seeing The Thing and they played Seals and Croft "Hummingbird." Nothing Irish about that BUT I still remember after all these years! The judges and the fans have reacted to it for decades and there was RB still saying do the Irish thing again. While corps across the country were changing there ways and being successful, there was Pioneer, dead last in World Class (hey that rhymes).

[Old Corps Guy]

1 hour ago, KeithHall said:

So what effort was made in the last 30 years to do that? This corps has been in DCI since , really the beginning (1972), and yet the corps used the same them year after year. I do recall seeing The Thing and they played Seals and Croft "Hummingbird." Nothing Irish about that BUT I still remember after all these years! The judges and the fans have reacted to it for decades and there was RB still saying do the Irish thing again. While corps across the country were changing there ways and being successful, there was Pioneer, dead last in World Class (hey that rhymes).

To be clear, Pioneer has not always been an "Irish Theme Corps"  When I marched in 79, it was all about a "Show Corps" and  "Broadway." We were wearing the riverboat jackets and hats.  Irish became the commitment when RB made a commitment later to "save the corps" from the little bit of financials they had.

Edited January 30, 2019 by Old Corps Guy

[corps8294]

3 hours ago, Old Corps Guy said:

To be clear, Pioneer has not always been an "Irish Theme Corps"  When I marched in 79, it was all about a "Show Corps" and  "Broadway." We were wearing the riverboat jackets and hats.  Irish became the commitment when RB made a commitment later to "save the corps" from the little bit of financials they had.

I'd say they played a a variety of music up through '88 or '89. It was in '90 when they became Irish everything. 

[BigW]

19 hours ago, JimF-LowBari said:

Yep in that case it was following staff. In my case it was Corps needed warm bodies to get back on the field in 1974 (I was 16). And lot of RCA (lesser Sr circuit) corps then had youth to be able to compete. 

And a lot of that youth was to be found in Central PA from the newly emerging competition band scene. There were few if any small competitive junior corps in that region at that time. The Black Diamond Regiment et al were more east of Harrisburg. There was a very small all-girls corps in Lewistown that was on its way out as well.

[BigW]

4 hours ago, Old Corps Guy said:

To be clear, Pioneer has not always been an "Irish Theme Corps"  When I marched in 79, it was all about a "Show Corps" and  "Broadway." We were wearing the riverboat jackets and hats.  Irish became the commitment when RB made a commitment later to "save the corps" from the little bit of financials they had.

Pio also had some tangible successes in the lower classes, and really should have stayed there, which IMHO was a problem with management that couldn't get their arms around that. Why beat one's head into the wall? Prestige of having a world class corps, even though it's not really competitive? That's the only answer I can come up with. Like taking a beat up 1958 Edsel to a Rolls-Royce owner's club meet and expect to get a real award, not a joke one.

 

Well, I guess I've used social media to be a meaniehead, sorry, boss. I call it as I see it.

[JimF-LowBari]

12 minutes ago, BigW said:

And a lot of that youth was to be found in Central PA from the newly emerging competition band scene. There were few if any small competitive junior corps in that region at that time. The Black Diamond Regiment et al were more east of Harrisburg. There was a very small all-girls corps in Lewistown that was on its way out as well.

Oh yeah... Carlisle, East Penn, CV and one or two others I can’t remember supplied members and staff. 

Didn’t know about the girls corps but have thought about “nearby” local Jr corps. North was Black Diamond/Belvederes, east was Crossmen just starting, South ??? as Jr York White Roses gone. And West.... Cambria Cadets from freaking Ebensburg one county from IUP land

Edited January 30, 2019 by JimF-LowBari

[BigW]

1 hour ago, JimF-LowBari said:

Oh yeah... Carlisle, East Penn, CV and one or two others I can’t remember supplied members and staff. 

Didn’t know about the girls corps but have thought about “nearby” local Jr corps. North was Black Diamond/Belvederes, east was Crossmen just starting, South ??? as Jr York White Roses gone. And West.... Cambria Cadets from freaking Ebensburg one county from IUP land

The Sweethearts were a small AL All-Girls unit from Lewistown. parades only kind of thing. 

ToB and Cavalcade were really, really active, which I think provided the large mass of the kids.