Where and when was your first live corps show?

[wolfgang]

Where and when was the first corps show you attended live? Specifying live because some of us grew up in the pre-internet age where streaming and youtube weren't a thing.

Besides, a hornline sounds more in-your-face live than on a screen.

[Jeff Ream]

somewhere in PA in 1969...i was weeks old. Coulda been Mount Carmel, maybe Hershey, or Carlisle. Mom and Dad don't remember.

[Terri Schehr]

Illinois State Fair,  Springfield, IL 1968. I was in junior high band and we did an exhibition there.   

[Boss Anova]

1954.... VFW Nationals, Championships. Philadelphia. 7 years old. 'Went with parents to see local parish Drum Corps compete. I.C. Queensmen, Winchester- Woburn, Ma. National powerhouse Corps. Finished 7th, 1 1/2 point behind Boston ( topped them a week later to win the Eastern Mass. Circuit Championships for 3rd season in a row ),  2 points behind Madison Scouts,  3 1/2 points behind Champion Blessed Sacrament Golden Knights. Our Corps had huge numbers of age outs end of season, and went inactive for 1955. In 1956, I.C. Queensmen reformed with little kids, 8-12. I joined up age 9. marched 12 years with them until age out, 3 years as DM.

 

Edited September 4, 2025 by Boss Anova

[OldSnareDrummer]

3 hours ago, Terri Schehr said:

Illinois State Fair,  Springfield, IL 1968. I was in junior high band and we did an exhibition there.   

1	Royal Airs	83.100
	2	Cavaliers	82.300
	3	Nisei Ambassadors	77.100
	4	Black Knights	69.550
	5	Millstadt Crusaders	68.800
	6	Kewanee Black Knights	57.280
	7	White Tornadoes	49.500
	8	Gabrielettes	41.600

[OldSnareDrummer]

May 1969 Macomb IL

Cavaliers and a few small corps like ours who had no business at all being on the same field with them were there. I think we were 2nd and 40 points down. 

 

[Lance]

1993 in Merced, California. Just looked it up.  It was June 23, so early season.  

Cavies

BD

VK

Pretty decent lineup for a first timer lol.  

Edited September 4, 2025 by Lance

[Brian Tuma]

1968, Mink Festival* Parade, Medford, WI. I was eight years old. Something caught my ear. The sound was so different from all the marching bands. It was a drum corps from St. Mary’s High School Rhinelander, WI. The All Girl Belles of St. Mary. They did a field exhibition after the parade. I was awestruck. I asked my dad if boys were allowed to do that too lol. 

 

*Yes, that was a real thing. Mink Capital of the World!

[flugelswerebugels]

I joined Blue Devils B without ever seeing a show. The first time I saw a drum corps perform live was the infamous Stockton camp indoor standstill of Blue Devils A corps where each section wore different costumes including the snare line in tuxedos, the tenors in McDonald's uniforms and Dave Dugan, the drum major, in a gorilla suit. I had only ever played in the B corps horn line and had absolutely no clue the kind of power a world class horn line could produce. Photos here: https://bluedevils.org/programs/a-corps/seasons/index.php?module=photos&albumID=56&season=1976

Edited September 4, 2025 by flugelswerebugels

[POSITIVenrgy]

Even now I can’t believe my first live drum corps was at finals (!) at the Rose Bowl in 2007. Needless to say I was overwhelmed and hooked. My son was a huge SCV fan so we went for him. He made Vanguard Cadets the following year, and then SCV the year after that. Our family obsession was born