HockeyDad Posted March 1 Share Posted March 1 (edited) In the spirit of the - shows you regret not seeing live - thread. I’ve been blessed to have seen so many shows over the years, I have very few that I missed live. But, there are two that stick in my mind as complete surprises (in a good way) that I’m so happy so saw. Not champion shows or even top three. But just electric in the moment. 1979 prelims performance of the Troopers. Yes I realize the other side of the coin here is what that meant to the Crossmen who were bumped out of finals. But imagine being in the days of no internet, no instant communications. No or little information about who was hot and who was not as finals approached. Maybe you read about it in drum corps world but that information is not instantaneous. So being in that crowd, watching the prelims unfold, realizing - hey, Troopers are ‘that close’ to making the top 12 for the first time since 1975. Four years. That’s a long time when you’re a teenager. As the show progressed the crowd really got into it. The Ecstasy of the Gold, the Sunburst, segue into Ghost Riders, my recollection of the crowd going crazy. What a lasting impression. So glad I was there. 1999 quarterfinals performance of Blue Knights - Trittico. This had to be their best performance of the season. The intonation and ensemble performance- just perfection. Those middle voices! Ugh. So glad I was there to witness it. They placed 5th (!) in quarterfinals. I think 7th in finals. What are your happy surprises? Edited March 1 by HockeyDad 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KVG_DC Posted March 1 Share Posted March 1 Jersey Surf 2023. Seems like a fair few skip Surf at the Annapolis show cause they’re not a “big name.” I’d seen their show on Flo already and “oh fun”. But seeing just HOW MUCH fun they had performing that in their faces live was super neat. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KVG_DC Posted March 1 Share Posted March 1 Bloo 2014 at Ft. Wayne. This was the show Tilt caught fire. They had us eating out of their hand. BD at that show too. They had a rough opener (for BD) but the ballad sucked the air out of your lungs with the silences and reentries. Bloo got within a point of BD at that show and it was as close as anyone got all season 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KVG_DC Posted March 1 Share Posted March 1 SCV 2016 at Annapolis. The bird calls and stuff were just so much more effective in person for Force of Nature. and it was when the vanguard yell as the corps did a snap about spin was catching on. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KVG_DC Posted March 1 Share Posted March 1 (edited) I forget which year in the 80s I think. Troop was doing Shenandoah and god it was gorgeous. Edit: it was the 1990 show with the Centennial to the state of Wyoming show. I loved that show. Saw them at Ft. Wayne. Edited March 2 by KVG_DC 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OldSnareDrummer Posted March 1 Share Posted March 1 This is where I have to go back to the Dino Days. 1979 was one of my favorite years. Our corps finished early August, so we were free to do a fan road trip to Alabama. Caught shows in Jacksonville, Huntsville and Birmingham and watched a ton of rehearsals of all the favorites, BD, SCV, Phantom, 27th, Bridgemen, Cavaliers, North Star, Guardsmen. Troopers prelims was a highlight. That crowd pushed them into Finals. 1972 was my second favorite. The Kingsmen defined for me the rest of my corps career what it was all about. Precision, duty to the corps, respect and honor. 2 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MikeN Posted March 1 Share Posted March 1 Cadets' encore in San Antonio in 2000. Only major show I've been on the upper deck for, and when they started playing the closer/drum solos practically everyone up there ran down to the front and crushed in by the rail to see. Never seen that happen before or since at a DCI show. Very "rock concert" vibes, and man if ever a battery *earned* that treatment... Mike 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
An_drew Posted March 1 Share Posted March 1 2022 Blue Stars Of War and Peace. I was kinda meh on that show after watching it on Flo, but their brass sound in person completely caught me off guard. Something about it was just so sonically pleasing to the ears. I had to pick my jaw up off the ground multiple times throughout that show, but especially after the Rimsky-Korsakov impact. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NewArpege Posted March 1 Share Posted March 1 21 minutes ago, MikeN said: Cadets' encore in San Antonio in 2000. Only major show I've been on the upper deck for, and when they started playing the closer/drum solos practically everyone up there ran down to the front and crushed in by the rail to see. Never seen that happen before or since at a DCI show. Very "rock concert" vibes, and man if ever a battery *earned* that treatment... Mike One of my all-time favs too. Very glad I got to see it live. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NewArpege Posted March 1 Share Posted March 1 Cavies Frameworks was my all time stunner live. I’ll never forget the audience buzz after that show. Everyone was stunned by the drill and visuals. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.