Wow, no one wants to discuss VANGUARD?

[Cappybara]

9 hours ago, kdaddy said:

That was a weird one. I remember liking the drill, but they were in their "sophisticated music" era. 

The 2012-2016 era was definitely my favorite from them. 2016 especially was “peak” SCV for me, I kinda miss the Weber drill in drum corps 

[Vuitton]

I love where this thread is going. I'm a huge SCV homer. I remember going to DCI Midwest in '84 when I was in Jr. Scouts. Everyone was there.w I had yet to see Vanguard, Blue Devils or Garfield. In prelims the way the announcer said, "Vanguard, you make take the field in competion" sent shivers down my spin then the performance they gave blew me away. I fell instantly in love.

In the fall of '87 I was wearing my Vanguard sweatshirt to school one day and a guy walked in my classroom, saw my shirt and said, "You only wish you could be as good as them!" It was all in good fun and I simply replied, "Yeah, you're right." They were my idols. We toured with them all summer in '88. They were the epitome of class and grace and I'm serious when I say the best thing about winning in '88 was thinking "holy ####, we are as good as them."

Favorite Vanguard shows (in no particular order):

1998 - why does this show not see more love. Loud, fast and fierce. Such an amazing show, full of energy and power.

2000 - just a complete miracle. 

1999 - Canyon is everything.

2018 - Babylon. Probably my favorite show since '93 Star.

2017 - Just a masterpiece IMO. That guard feature in the closer is the best flag feature I've ever seen.

1997 - I'll take anything On The Waterfront. This was the first year I think you could see scores online during the season (or maybe it was '96). Devastating at the first show they were down nearly 10 from BD. Tied them at quarterfinals.

1987 - My heart is still devastated over that loss. This, '87 Garfield and '93 Star are probably my three favorite shows of all time.

1985 - Watched them practice every night during finals week. Pulling into the parking lot and hearing the opening fanfare from Festive Overture was immense. 

1984- That opener was killer.

2007 - So underrated.
 

Hope to see you back and in full force next year, Vanguard.

Edited August 9, 2023 by Vuitton

[GBugler]

10 hours ago, kdaddy said:

97 is where it's at, though I didn't see it live.

 

1997, for me, was the single most emotional, vibrant, and blazin' ######## SCV that there ever was. I thought, even though there were some noticeable (small) flaws in execution, that this show could have and maybe should have won. It was an amazing tour de force. 

[Zeke]

1 hour ago, Cappybara said:

The 2012-2016 era was definitely my favorite from them. 2016 especially was “peak” SCV for me, I kinda miss the Weber drill in drum corps 

Perhaps we see a return of Pete Weber's amazing drill at Vanguard in hopefully  the not so distant future.  

Edited August 9, 2023 by Zeke

[fighterkit]

On 8/7/2023 at 7:34 PM, Barneveld said:

I'd almost rather watch the meltdown in the Madison thread when they finish in the bottom 3 , than watch the SCV drama rerun.

I think the Madison thread would melt down even if they finished second overall. I’ve seen the things they post in their alumni page…

What a shame

[Zeke]

1987 band camp summer going into my Freshman year of Highschool. We were taking a break to get out of the afternoon heat and the band director fires up the Vcr and this group called Santa Clara Vanguard dows their show. Was I ever so mesmerized by what I had just witnessed that Brass, percussion, marching style and carriage  I WAS SOLD.  ALL time favorite Drum Corps show of all time. Very special summer that was. Phantom's Winter Palace show along with that incredible Sky Ryders WSS show.

 

Edited August 9, 2023 by Zeke

[GBugler]

14 minutes ago, Zeke said:

1987 band camp summer going into my Freshman year of Highschool. We were taking a break to get out of the afternoon heat and the band director fires up the Vcr and this group called Santa Clara Vanguard dows their show. Was I ever so mesmerized by what I had just witnessed that Brass, percussion, marching style and carriage  I WAS SOLD.  ALL time favorite Drum Corps show of all time. Very special summer that was. Phamtom's Winter Palace show along with that incredible Sky Ryders WSS show.

 

I was in HS at this time as well. There used to be a huge DBC show here in Columbia, SC that we all went to in the early 1980's that was originally at Williams-Brice Stadium but was moved to Spring Valley HS at some point in the late '80's. Crossmen, Cadets, Bluecoats were all regulars. Good times.

[Vuitton]

45 minutes ago, Zeke said:

Phantom's Winter Palace show along with that incredible.

Yes. Regiment members were at an early show in '87 to spectate (Madison and Cavies were the big corps competing at that show). I talked to one of Regiment's guard members. I asked if they were better than last year and she said, "we're a hell of a lot better than last year" and she said "wait until you see our uniforms." It was so SHOCKING when they debuted those uniforms. Breathtaking. Unique. Orginal. 

[gak27]

Fave SCV show discussion portion of the thread? Yesssssss...

1974 – First time to ever see them.  I was 11 at the time, a big drum corps fan already (my Dad marched in the ‘50s with St. Vincent’s Cadets) but it was our first time going to Championships and seeing a lot of the “big corps”.  Every single thing about that Vanguard show enthralled me.

1975 – may well be my favorite Vanguard show.  To this day when I listen to/watch it I’m amazed at what they accomplished in that show.

1987 – A feast for the senses. As someone else mentioned, heartbroken at them not winning (I actually smuggled a small bottle of champagne into Finals to “celebrate”…) but man, that was one special show.

1988 – A feast for the emotions. My preferred “Phantom” version as well.  My parents came into town to go to the local show and by the end of SCV’s performance they were stunned.

1991 – Helicopters! Wood block thingie for marching feet sound! Traveled to the DCI Canada show b/c they were there; SUCH a gorgeous show.

Did not see them for a long time after the 1992 season (kids, kids’ activities, family…next live viewing was the 2011 show…which I really kinda dug for its quirkiness…) but like many others here really dig the ’97 and ’99 shows.  In particular, though…

2003 – this is just a fun show to watch, and the “pathway” drill moves to open and finish the show were just fantastic.

2016 – Classic Vanguard from start to finish; the intro to the opening hit was – in my mind – perfect.

2018 – Just, wow.  Got to see them at the Akron/Canton/Massillon show, so it was pretty well set for Championships and boy did it deliver.

So many other years – complete shows or moments – it’s so difficult to limit my choices and on a different day my list would grow or contract (yes, 1980 and 2009 and 2013 and 2015, I see you…) and still be an amazing assemblage of shows.  They have been my favorite corps for almost 50 years and I truly wish for a positive outcome for the corps and all those associated with it.

[scheherazadesghost]

2003 has been mentioned a couple of times here so I'll share some positive lore... it was my rookie year... 🙏🏽 to @Jeff Ream and @gak27.

That show was a dang goat rodeo. The second we thought we had that opening drill down, we'd enter a new stadium and everything went out the window due to new acoustics. I'll never forget the mess that Denver was... and what it felt like to tear that opener and then find each other again after the first impact. Can't stop a freight train easily or suddenly, we just had to learn to deal. I liked watching our DM sweat and hopelessly flap his arms when that happened. The pit became our metronome in those cases.

I think out best run finals week was Quarters.

Even the guard was hopeless to stay together if we listened to the corps. That's not even accounting for the wind. I remember laughing at the impossibility of grappling with it in Phoenix and Orlando specifically.

We lost all our free days after Las Vegas. No rest for the wicked.

I just remembered that the women in the guard parted our hair in pathways designs for shows all summer. A small detail, along with the intricate eye shadow that will forever be lost. I marched with a fellow HS alum that year. She didn't come back in 04, what would've been her ageout.

Lots and lots and lots of re-writes for this show. It was a true labor of love, and some alum say it's the most difficult one SCV has fielded. During one re-write session at the top of the closer, I tripped a tenor player and they immediately through that idea out the window. 🫢

Instead of paying for rights to Orawa, Kilar's company paid Vanguard. It was a small amount, but wired to them nonetheless from Europe.

"Reset!" while running the opener lost its meaning early in the season. I learned rehearsal etiquette from the cymbals. Run back, get there before everyone else, squeeze in a few pushups for fun, at get to attention before others.

I'm still hopelessly in love with that dang cymbal line. Can't help it. They were like my family, and they still are. The closing drill move ended with at least three of the cymbal players and their seat partners at the center formation together. No one can convince me that my relationship with Omar that year (and passion for plates in general) didn't influence their inclusion in the drill/story in 04 and, as a result, later in 14.