The 1987 Thread

[Continental]

30 minutes ago, jwillis35 said:

It's so nice today that, despite the problems we encounter with Flo (and before that with Fan Network and DCI Live), that we not only get to watch LIVE shows from our computers (or even a TV) but we often get the choice of watching hi-cam. The PBS footage from the old days used to drive me nuts. Even then I wanted to complain to DCI that if you're trying to market the activity you need to show the full picture of what was taking place. Some of the close-up shots at the worst moments irritated DCI fans. I used to get so mad about the side shots from the 10 to 20 yard line that, in many cases, were not so flattering to the corps nor did they show the visuals the way they were meant to be seen. 

Of course, they wanted you to buy the DCI videos, but it was the wrong way to market the activity and was less than impressive when trying to showcase the best marching units in the world. 

Look at the camera work at the end of '83 Garfield.  Rumor has it there was a Z-pull in that show. 

 

[jwillis35]

Overall 1987 is another one of those great summers that culminated in a very enjoyable Finals. I only saw 1 early show in Ohio and then after attending a summer orchestra camp I attended a show in Port Huron, MI and then DCI Finals in Madison. I saw Phantom Regiment in Austintown, OH in mid June and was blown away with their white ballet show featuring the music of Tchaikovsky. I also had a hunch that Bluecoats might actually have a shot at Finals after seeing them at that same show. 

When I saw Phantom again, in August this time after returning from the music festival, I remember thinking that they had to be up there in placement. Some of my friends who had seen Garfield and SCV raved about both shows. I had not seen either, so Phantom was the best I had seen.

Semi-Finals was fun. Bluecoats getting the score to put them in Finals was a huge thing for me. The first Ohio corps to make DCI Finals, and I had a feeling Glassmen were not too far behind. Bluecoats actually won Open Prelims, which is what we call Quarter-Finals today. In those days the Thursday competition was for the 13th or lower placing groups from the year before. Their score put them in 11th and about 4 points in front of Sky Ryders.

SCORE FROM OPEN PRELIMS

Madison, WI                                    DCI
   Open Prelims                                      
                                                     
    1 Bluecoats                                  86.2
    2 Florida Wave                               82.7
    3 Dutch Boy                                  82.2
    4 Crossmen                                   81.5
    5 Boston Crusaders                           81.4
    6 Marauders                                  77.8
    7 Colts                                      77.6
    8 Connexion Quebec                           76.5
    9 Freelancers                                76.1
   10 Blue Knights                               76.0
   11 Spartans, WA                               72.6
   12 Ventures                                   71.2
   13 Knights                                    67.0
   14 Northern Aurora                            66.7
   15 Argonauts                                  66.3
   16 Railmen                                    63.1
   17 Sancians                                   63.0
   18 Glassmen                                   62.4
    ^ Canadian Knights                           62.4
   20 Diplomats                                  61.9
    ^ Mandarins                                  61.9
   22 Emerald Knights                            59.7
   23 Bridgemen                                  59.5
   24 Blue Stars                                 55.3

----------------------------------

I enjoyed most of the corps, but also felt a few missed the boat, even if just by a little. Madison was really good, but I liked them better in 85. I did not see 86 Scouts.

The Sky Ryders were a highlight for me. Their version of West Side Story is still my 2nd favorite after Garfield 1984. It was a classic show that truly entertained the audience.

Spirit of Atlanta, VK, and Star of Indiana were all fantastic. And I loved Suncoast Sound. No dogs with any of these shows, although I did not like every aspect of Star's circus show.

BD was very good but it felt old with them retrying some of the things they did the year before. 

The Cavaliers were impressive visually and musically. I did not feel they belonged in the top 3, but Phantom's performance on Finals night made that possible.

Phantom Regiment was incredible at Semi-Finals. They finished 3rd that night and were only .9 off of SCV who was .5 behind Garfield Cadets.

Santa Clara was amazing, but they definitely had visual issues in semis. That and perhaps a few other very minor details allowed Garfield the opening they needed to grab the win in semis. 

Garfield was stunning. I remembered loving their 84 and 85 shows, but this was the next step in visual development. It was an emotional show, and the company front hit that then disappears and reappears is still fun to watch to this day.

Side Note: The video cam for the PBS footage, of course, had to show the sideline view of the company front so you can see they didn't quite hit a straight line. Well, when you're marching out of tempo yet playing in tempo and coming into the front from all angles it is not an easy move. From the front it looks perfect...BUT NO, DCI in their effort to market the activity had to show the warts. Years after, I used to show this video (and others) to students when discussing visual design in "Marching Band Techniques" and some would respond to the not-so-straight front and claim their HS bands hit fronts much cleaner. I had to explain to them why this move was so difficult to pull off. Of course, we see this kind of thing in DCI all the time when corps are backing and fronting into very difficult positions or forms, and there are many times DCI decided to show the worst angle. Clueless.

 

Finals were great. Phantom had a rough run with some phasing in the brass in the opener and sadly a very bad day in the guard. It dropped them into 5th. They deserved 3rd with that show, but they were not going to get it with that performance. BD was solid and Cavaliers were on fire. 

The championship was a two-corps race. SCV was amazing on finals night and I would have had no problem with them winning. Garfield was just as good and they managed to grab the title. The controversy that ensued was not so much over who should have won, but over percussion scores. I will leave it to those guys to settle that argument. I think most people thought the title could go to either corps. Heck, a tie in 1987 might have been deserved. 

[Continental]

3 hours ago, N.E. Brigand said:

Heh. Twenty seconds entirely focused on one person playing the chimes.

If every member got that much individual screen time, the video would last more than 40 minutes.

I went back and watched it and yeah, it was quite a long shot.  

However, they had some other nice camera work during the show that helped us to appreciate how beautiful the drill was.

Also, it was nice that the camera never once focused on that unfortunate guard member who lost her skirt at the beginning of the show. 

Edited May 19, 2020 by Continental

[84BDsop]

24 minutes ago, Continental said:

I went back and watched it and yeah, it was quite a long shot.  

However, they had some other nice camera work during the show that helped us to appreciate how beautiful the drill was.

Also, it was nice that the camera never once focused on that unfortunate guard member who lost her skirt at the beginning of the show. 

Actually...she IS clearly visible shortly after losing her skirt...for at least a few seconds.

[N.E. Brigand]

4 hours ago, supersop said:

I guess I'm not allowed to do a full post on this thread.  ERROR 500 internal server issues

More like there's some word in your post that freaks DCP's system out. (I don't mean a swear word. There are others that it just won't tolerate.) Or a link it doesn't like.

[Continental]

On 5/18/2020 at 8:50 AM, jwillis35 said:

I was always so impressed with how Garfield could play back in the 80s when you knew their brass instruments were crap. 

Great point. 

Not just their instruments.  If you got close to their uniforms you could clearly see how old they were.  

Quite a difference from today where new uniforms/pyjamas seem to be the norm every year. 

[supersop]

20 hours ago, supersop said:

I guess I'm not allowed to do a full post on this thread.  ERROR 500 internal server issues

 

I often tell myself that 88 was my favorite year in DCI, with the most solid top 12 I've ever seen.  BUT .... 87's top 3 always tugs at my heart strings.  

Garfield's show was so special.  The coordination from top to bottom is masterful.  This show had zero musical breaks, a visual package that couldn't be touched (and only 2 block forms in the entire show) and packed full of total GE.  Brass could have been better.  Guard book could have been better.  Percussion (obviously) top notch and Visual was from another planet (I miss your genius George Z.).

SCV's placement broke my heart, AGAIN.  They exuded such class.  It was more of an old school show.  VERY powerful.  CLEAN ... great brass ... stellar drum line.  Very good guard.  I love the music selections.  I loved their marching technique and the overall look of the corps that year is how I wish SCV would always look.  Either corps winning .. I would have been happy.  Seeing either corps not win was just painful.... but especially so for SCV.

Cavies moved up to where they should have been based on their start to the season. An extremely tough brass book.  Loved the tuning in that drum line.  Strong guard and Stellar visual package (TY and we miss you Steve Brubaker).  This show felt a touch more aggressive than what Cavies had shown since way before my time ... and this type of aggression wouldn't come out again until 1992.  I loved that aspect of the corps.  

BD was pretty loose this year.  The execution levels were down a notch .. but the writing was there.  Exciting show ..... and a horn line that walked the razors edge of controlled chaos.  This corps really had a lot of swagger and they weren't afraid to show it.

[supersop]

PR dropped 2 spots in the first 30 seconds of the show.  That double tonguing passage hadn't been dirty all year.  1 week prior, it was so clean that it sounded like a jackhammer.  Once that first passage imploded ... it was all over with.  A great corps that had a tremendous winter .. moved up from 10th in 1986 to 5th and what could have been one of the most improved placements in DCI history had they finished in 3rd.  

Madison was Madison.  This was still a variety format.  Programming didn't become a great strength for this corps until around 91-92.  

Star made me scratch my head ... a TON.  But that horn line and Jimmer's arrangements ... it was undeniable the direction that portion of the program was headed.

VK's magical mystery tour was a design triumph for the corps.  It was campy and hilarious without being cheesy nor forced.  Flat out Entertaining!

The Southern corps took a big step backward this year.  Still very enjoyable and entertaining.  Spirit felt young and not as tight as I was used to.  SCS felt kind of dry.

Bluecoats took a firm step into the top 12.  They were just trying to be themselves and not pushing for something they weren't yet capable of.  I appreciate that.  They had good soloists .. a solid drum line ... and better marching that people gave them credit for.  

Sky Ryders I absolutely loved this show.  They were the original storytellers of DCI.  They did it with a style and grace that didn't require anything more than the rules required at that time.  The PUSH on their knees .. the Angel Wing silks ... the multi colored corps uniforms... unique shako ... and that closer ... WOW!!   I miss this corps.

[N.E. Brigand]

On 5/18/2020 at 12:42 PM, mingusmonk said:

I'm fortunate. The only show I went to in 1987 is available online. Even the retreat. Make sure you stick around for the SCV Russian Christmas encore.

Link is to a playlist of 5 videos combined for the entire broadcast.

    August 6, 1987
    Bloomington IN
    1 Santa Clara Vanguard 94.900
    2 Star of Indiana 88.800
    3 Velvet Knights 88.400
    4 Dutch Boy 78.200
    4 Troopers 78.200
    6 Boston Crusaders 74.000
    7 Colts 73.700

Until the past week, I only ever heard of Finals being broadcast and had no idea that other shows were aired locally.

[frachel]

A little '87 sheet music for you to enjoy..