jlhiatt Posted July 10, 2004 Share Posted July 10, 2004 I'm listening to Crossmen's 1992 show, "Songs For the Planet Earth." This show is one of my favorites. The drumline kicks ### and I love the percussion break. The hornline is also very strong. Anyone else out there like this show? -Jon :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jcn8 Posted July 11, 2004 Share Posted July 11, 2004 One of my all time favorite shows. It was the total package: great brass, design, guard and an awesome drumline. I still recall being in Madison and being so excited at finals that Crossmen placed 6th (although I thought they should have been 5th). My all time favorite Crossmen show... great choice! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CrossmenAlumni Posted July 11, 2004 Share Posted July 11, 2004 At the time, we were taking some criticism for doing this show, even from some of our own alumni. First half of the season, the crowds didn't really respond all that well (especially in comparison to what I witnessed in 1991 and 1990 for our shows), the judges were scratching their heads a bit, and even we didn't know how good we could be. Judges came around. With rising performance quality, the crowds came around. And with a new color guard and brass staff, it was all we could do to just have faith that they knew what they were doing and everything would work out in the end. Interesting to note that this was not a typical Crossmen show in many ways. Particularly in the ways the show began and ended. Slow and soft. Very rare for the Crossmen. The closer was almost entirely brass, with little to no percussion at all. Again, very rare for the Crossmen. The song entitled "The Elements" (which I consider one of the most well-coordinated audio/visual productions the corps has ever fielded) was an all-original piece of music. Another rarity for the Crossmen, and for drum corps as well. Lots of weird meter changes in the opener. Just a real fun show to march. As far as numbers go, I was convinced that even if we had our best show of the year on Finals night, we were destined for 8th place. Phantom was ahead of us by .6 at Quarterfinals, spread it to .8 at Semis, and we were only .1 ahead of SCV. With it being SCV's 20th anniversary show and all, and Gail Royer retiring, I just didn't think the drum corps gods would allow the Crossmen to beat SCV that night. And I wasn't even thinking about Phantom at all. All in all, it was a very special night for the Crossmen, and for me personally as it was the last show I ever marched. I know the Crossmen have been struggling a bit in 2004. The last time the corps really had to fight to get into DCI Finals was in 1989. I've been very silent on the matter, because I know the staff well, and the kids have been busting their butts. When I last saw them right before the most recent Allentown show, their morale was quite high, and that made me glad. It was just a much-needed reminder to me that the Crossmen are not defined by what place they come in...or by what color uniform jackets they wear, or by what kind of headgear they wear, or by what kind of music they decide to play. The Crossmen are one of drum corps' great survivors. I wish I could be on the road with them right now, but no matter where they are, they will always be close to my heart. Here's hoping for quality changes to the program in the next couple of weeks, to go along with some quality cleaning time. It just wouldn't be saturday night at DCI Finals without the Crossmen. "When all else is gone, the BONES always survive!" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jlhiatt Posted July 11, 2004 Author Share Posted July 11, 2004 Best of luck to Crossmen this season! (By the way, I love that question mark drill at the end. :) ) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CrossmenAlumni Posted July 11, 2004 Share Posted July 11, 2004 Another little known fact: The Question Mark was an idea of one of the members. He brought it up to one of the drill guys, and the next thing we knew it was in the show. Of course, this was after it was decided that 1993 would be Songs for Planet Earth Part 2 and the whole trilogy concept was born. Closing set of 1992 would be the opening set of 1993, closing set of 1993 would be the opening set of 1994. And so it was. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GMichael1230 Posted July 11, 2004 Share Posted July 11, 2004 I loved the Crossmen "trilogy" offerings.....Then again, I love most Crossmen shows.....As good and succesfull 1992 was though, 1991 is by far, to me , their best show ever..and one of my al time favorites, everything that year from repertoire, to drill design, to guard, to brass and percussion clicked so well......not a week goes by I dont still watch that show. ~G~ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JT76 Posted July 11, 2004 Share Posted July 11, 2004 I loved the Crossmen "trilogy" offerings.....Then again, I love most Crossmen shows.....As good and succesfull 1992 was though, 1991 is by far, to me , their best show ever..and one of my al time favorites, everything that year from repertoire, to drill design, to guard, to brass and percussion clicked so well......not a week goes by I dont still watch that show.~G~ <{POST_SNAPBACK}> I am with ya there! 92 was great, but 91 was just plain amazing! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CrossmenAlumni Posted July 11, 2004 Share Posted July 11, 2004 My perspective is different of course, having marched in both of those shows. In my opinion, 1991 and 1992 are like night and day. I will always love the Metheny music, but I never thought our hornline was as crisp, or had the kind of balanced and blended sound that the 1992 hornline did. In 1992, our tone was more focused and refined, our dynamic range was better, our attacks and releases were far better, and we could finish a phrase with the best of them. (Go back and listen...many ends of phrases died in 1991.) I thought the color guard was better in 1992. I thought our feet were much better in 1992. We definitely rehearsed better. I even thought the drumline was (in the end) better, because for once they didn't push the hornline all over the field. We actually played together. Also, I really didn't like the end of the 1991 show. After the drum solo (which ROCKED), the ending was.......well, to be honest, pretty awful. Nasty sounds coming from the brass, blown releases and phrases dying everywhere, poor balance drumline to hornline, and the drill didn't really do much. Those huge neon flags were pretty hideous as well. Yuck! To me, 1991 was all about peaking waaaaaaaaaay too soon. That corps didn't know how to finish the way the '92 corps did. There were poor decisions made those last two weeks of 1991 that really hurt us in the long run, and many members were disgruntled when it was all said and done (myself included). 1992 was like a breath of much-needed fresh air. A staff that had learned from its mistakes, a corps of kids who would run through a brick wall if you told them if would make them play better, and a much more coordinated and consistently performed program. Looking back, I still had fun in 1991, and I love that it remains very popular amongst the fans, but it was too much of a wasted opportunity for me to be as sentimental about it as 1992. Like I said, I will always love that Pat Metheny music. It's a shame we couldn't max that show out. We would have been a solid top 5 corps that year if we could. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gene Bennett3rd Posted July 13, 2004 Share Posted July 13, 2004 My perspective is different of course, having marched in both of those shows. In my opinion, 1991 and 1992 are like night and day. I will always love the Metheny music, but I never thought our hornline was as crisp, or had the kind of balanced and blended sound that the 1992 hornline did. thought the color guard was better in 1992. I thought our feet were much better in 1992. We definitely rehearsed better. I even thought the drumline was (in the end) better, because for once they didn't push the hornline all over the field. We actually played together. Those huge neon flags were pretty hideous as well. Yuck! To me, 1991 was all about peaking waaaaaaaaaay too soon. That corps didn't know how to finish the way the '92 corps did. There were poor decisions made those last two weeks of 1991 that really hurt us in the long run, and many members were disgruntled when it was all said and done (myself included). 1992 was like a breath of much-needed fresh air. A staff that had learned from its mistakes, a corps of kids who would run through a brick wall if you told them if would make them play better, and a much more coordinated and consistently performed program. I learned a lot about myself in those 2 years. Probably my biggest developmental spurt to that point. What great shows!!!!! Still get goosebumps right before drumsolo in 92, and the end of the opener in 91. My favorite drum corps moments as a performer. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
profhill Posted July 13, 2004 Share Posted July 13, 2004 (edited) Stupid computer posted this twice. Edited July 13, 2004 by profhill Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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