Freak injuries in drum corps

[KVG_DC]

5 hours ago, waliman4444 said:

I remember when"clocking" a judge was considered  merit badge worthy..particularly if your corps felt he'd screwed you the week before..lol..peace

This one reminds me of something that happened when my sister was in band.  They were at an MBA show (BOA now) and the night show was rained out so everyone did standstills in a gym.  Which was both awesomely loud and horribly unmusical at times.  They did receive scores based on music though ... somehow.

Our band had a number that got progressively softer and softer on a phrase then HIT IT BIG AT FFFF.  Some judge has his whole face in a mellophone suspecting that this horn was not playing on the softer phrases.  Apparently they weren't on the morning panel for us and didn't know the show.  

That mello player was a complete stick out on the big hit and NO ONE complained. The director said after the show, "I saw that guy going into your bell and thought...I hope you it that phrase with your complete lungs.  And you did!"  

Dunno how he judged the bands after because...he had to be fairly deafened based on the recoil out of that horn.

[ranintothedoor]

3 hours ago, KVG_DC said:

Dunno how he judged the bands after because...he had to be fairly deafened based on the recoil out of that horn.

I wanna laugh, but man, that probably really hurt... and may have caused permanent hearing loss.  Crazy.  

[KVG_DC]

1 minute ago, ranintothedoor said:

I wanna laugh, but man, that probably really hurt... and may have caused permanent hearing loss.  Crazy.  

You'd THINK the guy would have been smart enough not to put himself that far into a mellophone bell.   I was up in the stands with the band parents and someone had noticed him doing this and was like "oh man...he's gonna be in trouble."   I think it was the Danville, KY block next to us (some smaller school from Kentucky that was really good) and they were picking up on our anticipation.  When it went off and he jerked back fast.  There was actual laugher from a fair few but it was also a big cheer moment for us so we waved the orange shakers in the air and hollered too.

Edited October 15, 2025 by KVG_DC

[drumcorpsfever]

On 10/13/2025 at 4:34 PM, year1buick said:

A couple years ago I saw in the news where a horn player (maybe at Broken Arrow?) had to have emergency surgery after a mid-show collision with a bass drum. (My guess is probably a fractured maxilla. Ouch.)

I smashed the hell out of my upper lip during Finals week rehearsal in 94 during the 180 spin going into the crab step. The guiding of our line was off and I smashed my bell into the other guy’s head. He ended up with a headache and I had a bloody lip.

My comment about band kids and freak injuries wasn’t meant to suggest I don’t know they happen—of course they do. But when you compare a professional athlete with a multimillion-dollar contract to a drum corps kid who pays to perform and pushes their body all summer, it’s heartbreaking when injuries occur. There’s really no comparison—band kids pay to play; professional athletes are paid millions.

[Quad Aces]

Didn’t happen in drum corps, but…

I was playing in a pit orchestra for a contemporary musical on the life, death, and Resurrection of Jesus.

A life-sized wooden cross was used, and during the crucifixion scene, the cross was just about flat on the ground, but on a very slight upward angle, so the audience could see Jesus being nailed onto it.  Then, in a very dramatic fashion, the cross was tilted upward, with the foot of it still on the ground, until it was standing straight up and down.

At one of the rehearsals, the stage crew forgot to put the steel plate in by the foot of the cross to prevent it from falling forward when the cross reached straight up in the air.  So with Jesus now hanging on the life-sized cross, it started to be tilted upward, never stopped at vertical, and continued to fall forward.  Jesus fell off the cross, off the stage, and onto the floor below the stage.

All told, he probably fell around 20 feet from above the stage and onto his hands and knees on the floor below the stage.

Thank God (pun very much intended 😀) that he was only shaken up, and after about a half hour, continued on and finished the rest of the rehearsal.

Edited October 19, 2025 by Quad Aces

[KVG_DC]

3 hours ago, Quad Aces said:

Didn’t happen in drum corps, but…

I was playing in a pit orchestra for a contemporary musical on the life, death, and Resurrection of Jesus.

A life-sized wooden cross was used, and during the crucifixion scene, the cross was just about flat on the ground, but on a very slight upward angle, so the audience could see Jesus being nailed onto it.  Then, in a very dramatic fashion, the cross was titled upward, with the foot of it still on the ground, until it was standing straight up and down.

At one of the rehearsals, the stage crew forgot to put the steel plate in by the foot of the cross to prevent it from falling forward when the cross reached straight up in the air.  So with Jesus now hanging on the life-sized cross, it started to be titled upward, never stopped at vertical, and continued to fall forward.  Jesus fell off the cross, off the stage, and onto the floor below the stage.

All told, he probably fell around 20 feet from above the stage and onto his hands and knees on the floor below the stage.

Thank God (pun very much intended 😀) that he was only shaken up, and after about a half hour, continued on and finished the rest of the rehearsal.

You could say he....resurrected. 

[bluecoats88]

1988 our soprano soloist in the slow part of autumn leaves had lip issues during the season,  he had a huge blister form then burst on him, but he kept playing through the pain and blood everynight we had a show doing his solo.

[year1buick]

On 10/23/2025 at 12:37 PM, bluecoats88 said:

1988 our soprano soloist in the slow part of autumn leaves had lip issues during the season,  he had a huge blister form then burst on him, but he kept playing through the pain and blood everynight we had a show doing his solo.

Was that Frank? (RIP)

[bluecoats88]

On 10/24/2025 at 2:52 PM, year1buick said:

Was that Frank? (RIP)

yes

[year1buick]

On 10/27/2025 at 8:18 AM, bluecoats88 said:

yes

He was on brass staff at Regiment during my years there. Super great guy and instructor.