Breaking ranks???

[KVG_DC]

29 minutes ago, IllianaLancerContra said:

For us, breaking ranks was usually something that happen at parades when some civilian would try to cut through the Corps to get to the other side of the road.  We usually saw it coming, and put the kibash on it one way or another.

Corollary to this was for us, a 45-55 member Corps, was that when marching on to field for retreat we would stretch out the interval so our file was just as long as Phantom, Madison, or whatever 'full' Corps was there.  As a Contra, I was at the far back so it was my job to make sure this happened.  Woe be to anyone that broke out ranks - even w/ 6-8 step spacing.

Oh ####.  Parades.  Yeah.   We'd have people sometimes get the idea they could cross before us as we tended to be behind equestrian units ALL THE #### TIME and being too close with loudness lead to more incidents of having to march around piles.  

So now and then people would think they could cross in front of us.  The sign bearers for the band were typically first year alternates but instructed to be aggressive with their sign pole if that happened.  There was also often a slight gap before and after our battery block in the formation (which was for some reason...Poms, Bones, Saxes, brass, battery, assorted woodwinds, flags) and if that gap was somewhat largish, and viewers were more intoxicated, they'd be tempted.  The battery was vicious about it though and there were more than one "nope, turning back" moments.  

The best I ever saw though was when we did the Rose Parade.  Some drunk lady comes staggering out from the street side "I'mgunnajointheMARCHingbaaaand."  Those white suit guards along the way instantly swarmed her to the ground and got her off.  She'd come pretty much right at our director who freaked the #### out about It and lost his cool making those of us near him laugh.  He gave us a dirty look and called for a sound off to play again and it was the sloppiest horns up ever at the front because we were dying laughing.  It became a meme thereafter.  We'd go out the next year for after school rehearsal and line up in parade block to march to the lot for practice. TEN HUT! and someone would occasionally "I'mgonnajointheMARCHingbaaaand". 

 

[Lance]

i understand that reservists may march in a corps, but other than that, anybody in a corps is a civilian.  it's rude of your fellow civilians to try to walk through your block on the parade route, but that's also true of people walking through any formation by any group of people on a parade route.  the pretend military stuff by modern drum corps is adorable to me.  that's about it.  

totally understand that it could be a sign of aggression from one corps to another, though.  seeing people rant about it BITD was always pretty interesting.    

[greg_orangecounty]

13 hours ago, Orwellian Wiress said:

Holy crap it seems that high school band was a VERY different experience from drum corps🤣 

It used to be.......not sure about today.

[Orwellian Wiress]

13 hours ago, KVG_DC said:

Some drunk lady comes staggering out from the street side "I'mgunnajointheMARCHingbaaaand."

I now believe in reincarnation and past lives. You've enlightened my awareness of myself.

[ECJ94]

My high school band was "corps style", with many corps members involved.

Looking back on it, we tended to get a little touchy about breaking ranks - especially in the battery.

i personally issued more then my fair share of "hip-check" styled maneuvers while wearing a set of Ludwig quads. They were heavy as hell, but they could take (and issue) a beating!!

 

As for the old school parade style retreats - I personally miss it. There was something to be said for each drumline getting to play their cadance on the track and the entire corps playing while passing in review.

Now the "Olympic" Style retreats - those were ....... interesting. When I marched, we only had them a couple of times a year, but that was always like Fight Club in disguise. I was in the pit, so I either carried cymbals or nothing. But you used to see bass drummers pivoting at the hips, tenor drummers swaying side to side, contras being contras - 'nuff said? It always seemed like those that had the most bruises were the winners!!

[Old Corps Guy]

Those of us that were in "The Commandants Own" during the mid 80s can tell of a certain parade in Massachusetts.  While we were stopped, a protester decided to kneel down in front of our drum major.  Let's just say that as we moved on, those of the us in the back of the hornline were treated to a protester reeling in pain and rolling around grabbing his nether regions.

Edited October 7, 2022 by Old Corps Guy

[IllianaLancerContra]

37 minutes ago, Old Corps Guy said:

Those of us that were in "The Commandants Own" during the mid 80s can tell of a certain parade in Massachusetts.  While we were stopped, a protester decided to kneel down in front of our drum major.  Let's just say that as we moved on, those of the us in the back of the hornline were treated to a protester reeling in pain and rolling around grabbing his nether regions.

Sounds about right. 

Was there fallout for Col Crawford to deal with (when I was in USAF I made it a point to always warn the boss that there may be a stink-bomb incoming)?

Edited October 7, 2022 by IllianaLancerContra
speling

[Old Corps Guy]

He was aware and it was dealt with privately.  However, those of us marching had a hard time playing the next song while we were laughing through our horns.

[Boss Anova]

3 hours ago, Old Corps Guy said:

Those of us that were in "The Commandants Own" during the mid 80s can tell of a certain parade in Massachusetts.  While we were stopped, a protester decided to kneel down in front of our drum major.  Let's just say that as we moved on, those of the us in the back of the hornline were treated to a protester reeling in pain and rolling around grabbing his nether regions.

  As mentioned by a DCP poster above, " breaking ranks " means different things to different people, and at different times/ circumstances.

 This is a pic of the I.C. Reveries ( Revere, Ma. ) at the 1966 VFW Nationals Championships on the Starting Line on Finals Night.  They were not happy with their prelims score that kept them out of TOP 12 Finals, so in uniform on Finals Night, George Bonfiglio , Reveries Mgr  , proceeded to have his Corps " break ranks "  of the Finals Night performance order ranking position of the Racine Scouts , (that made Finals,) outside the stadium, and to march ahead of them into the stadium ( Roosevelt Stadium, Jersey City, N.J. ) ,. Then as protestors, proceed to do a " sit down " strike and demand they be allowed to be performed and scored by the Finals Night judging panel. ( after 15 minute delay, VFW Nationals Championships officials allowed them to perform in exhibition, but not scored ).

  

Edited October 7, 2022 by Boss Anova

[KVG_DC]

That sounds like some high drama on the field