Massillon Review

[Lieut. General Effect]

Thanks!

I knew it was not in Lynn and not in Massachusetts.  New London is a little too far for me to go to a show unless it's a regional.  It would have to be an overnighter.

Maybe there were a lot of people from Florida there? 

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Must have been in New London, Connecticut then, Lancerfi. Seems the benefit of this thread has been an increase in the knowledge of American Geography if not in Peace and Harmony...haha !

[LancerFi]

Must have been in New London, Connecticut then, Lancerfi. Seems the benefit of this thread has been an increase in the knowledge of American Geography if not in Peace and Harmony...haha !

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

So true! :)

[kas]

At the risk of making people even MORE angry, BAC was VERY warmly received by the crowd in Massillon, and I would venture to say, would probably tell you it was one of the best crowds they have played for thus far this season. It wasn't until after the show -- when they blew a few measures of Conquest through their horns just before America-O'Canada (air only, but nonetheless loud), that ONE - did I say ONE - person made a comment. Nobody else responded, nobody else commented. That was the end of it. That doesn't translate to rude treatment by an entire crowd, group, organization, region,etc., etc., etc. It was just ONE person. BAC did get even though...by making the quickest, and out of order, retreat I've ever witnessed. Little too touchy for my taste, but I guess they felt justified.

[KungFuCharlie]

Isn't the Ft Edwards, NY show performed on a baseball field?

[Lieut. General Effect]

At the risk of making people even MORE angry, BAC was VERY warmly received by the crowd in Massillon, and I would venture to say, would probably tell you it was one of the best crowds they have played for thus far this season.  It wasn't until after the show -- when they blew a few measures of Conquest through their horns just before America-O'Canada (air only, but nonetheless loud), that ONE - did I say ONE - person made a comment.  Nobody else responded, nobody else commented.  That was the end of it.  That doesn't translate to rude treatment by an entire crowd, group, organization, region,etc., etc., etc.  It was just ONE person.  BAC did get even though...by making the quickest, and out of order, retreat I've ever witnessed.  Little too touchy for my taste, but I guess they felt justified.

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Just when we think we have this confusion of info resolved, we get new info that makes it even more puzzling. If the Boston Crusaders was " VERY warmly received "in Massillon, ( which I'll accept your word for ) and only "one person in the stands made a comment ", ( again , which I'll accept your word for ) then why did Boston feel compelled to have to make( in your words ) " the quickest, and out of order, retreat I've ever witnessed ? "..... I've never seen nor heard of a Corps before being forced to make a hasty retreat when playing for the fans in a post show exhibition for them. What happened to make them have to make this hasty exit out of there and in their minds " felt justified in doing so " ? Not a flame. Just asking, because it just doesn't make a whole lot of sense to me what you said about Boston's reception by the crowd in their post show exhibition for the fans there, yet it resulted in their " quick exit "out of there. Care to clarify ?

Edited July 30, 2004 by Lieut. General Effect

[kas]

I have absolutely no idea why they felt it necessary to do that. Maybe it was simply because there was a light rain falling... I can PROMISE you though, there was only ONE comment made, by ONE person, and there was NO response to that comment. That is EXACTLY what happened. There has been MUCH too MUCH made about the actions of one rude individual. We shouldn't give him this opportunity to make his point on this forum. Boston was very graciously received, everybody LOVED their show, cheered, clapped, gave them more than one standing O, they were very well treated. Again, ONE comment shouldn't get such attention here. It is true also, that the Manning Bowl crowd has always been very gracious to the corps performing there. I can't speak for what might be said between the members of two corps on the field. That happens on the field and should stay there.

[kas]

Okay, hang on. I just re-read your post. Boston didn't make a "hasty retreat" "while playing for the fans in a post show exhibition". They did so immediately after the playing of America/O'Canada. They were not, nor was any other corps, playing for the fans at the time. Not sure what you meant by that, but didn't want anybody to be under the impression that any performance of any kind was interrupted. As I said, perhaps they just didn't want to stand out in the rain. Your guess is as good as mine.

[Lieut. General Effect]

Okay, hang on.  I just re-read your post.  Boston didn't make a "hasty retreat" "while playing for the fans in a post show exhibition".  They did so immediately after the playing of America/O'Canada.  They were not, nor was any other corps, playing for the fans at the time.  Not sure what you meant by that, but didn't want anybody to be under the impression that any performance of any kind was interrupted.  As I said, perhaps they just didn't want to stand out in the rain.  Your guess is as good as mine.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Ok, that could explain it. Rain can certainly make a corps "make a quick and out of order retreat " from the field sometimes. Glad to hear the rains held up until after the Competition. And glad to hear that you never recall any " crap " from any Mass. drum Corps crowds as your Bluecoat colleague ( the poster " iceman ") claimed above. Massachusetts fans have really enjoyed the Bluecoats in years past, and I know I speak for many of them when I say we hope the Bluecoats return many times in the future.

Edited July 30, 2004 by Lieut. General Effect

[iceman]

Ok, that could explain it.  Rain can certainly make a corps  "make a quick and out of order retreat " from the field sometimes. Glad to hear the rains held up until after the Competition.  And glad to hear that you never recall any " crap " from any Mass. drum Corps crowds as your Bluecoat colleague (  the poster " iceman ") claimed above. Massachusetts fans have really enjoyed the Bluecoats in years past, and I know I speak for many of them when I say we hope the Bluecoats return many times in the future.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

OK, look... My comments were from sitting in the stands after our performance and based on some rude comments I heard from the people around me (BAC fans), not the entire crowd of course. Lets not pretend like DCI rivalries are like being at a OSU/Michigan football game. The crowd will enjoy each group.

Of course, I was out of uniform at that point (DM only retreat I recall) and they had no way to know i was a coats member, and I'm sure they wouldn't have said the things they did during, before and after the announcing of the scores if they realized who I was. Lets stop this bickering over what I said. I was there, It happened, and it wasn't a big deal,

[nero14]

Well, I'll accept that you know what you heard and how many times you think you heard it, as long as you'll accept the fact that there has never been any boos nor catcalls generated to the Bluecoats by the Massachusetts drum corps fans while your former corps has performed in Mass. And I'll accept the fact that you were mistaken on your geography, while acknowledging that it was not you but iceman ( poster name ) from the Bluecoats that spoke of the " crap " by the " crowd there ". I can't speak to the Northeast, just Massachusetts. But I've been to every DCI show in Mass ( usually 2 per year ) for decades. And the Bluecoats have always been warmly received by the fans in Mass. when the Bluecoats have appeared in Mass. There may have been a few catcalls and so forth generated to BAC in Ohio this week as reported, but to say this has occured in Mass.....well, not to my ears, and  not to the ears of others who annually attend the Lynn show and other Mass. venues  for decades.  As a matter of fact, I can't think of ANY Corps that has EVER been booed or received catcalls or in any way received " crap " from a Massachusetts drum corps crowd,...  ANYWHERE  in Mass....Certainly not within the last 25 years or so.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Thank you for recognizing what you did, and again let me clarify a little more because I think we are talking about two different things. All (100%) of the situations of which I speak occurred during retreat following the announcement that we had beaten either BAC or Crossmen (notice that I am including both corps, not singling out one or the other). I, like you, can’t recall any show where –prior to scoring- we the Bluecoats were not warmly received, applauded, and treated like any of the other corps. I am exclusively referring to those times (mostly during the first half to two thirds of the season where we were consistently beating Boston) where the scores were revealed and then and only then were there attitudes displayed that many would consider impolite, rude, or unappreciative. I know you aren't trying to tell me that when I was standing on that field and they announced that we had beat Boston that my ears were deceiving me and those fans airing their grievances were just a figment of my imagination. In terms of the two shows you are talking about- which I do recall. There was a drum major only retreat at each show and so the situations that I am personally referring are not one in the same with those shows. I sat in the stands at the end of the Lynn show to hear the scores and I even watched the BAC alumni corps. I didn’t notice any anti-bluecoat talk there, and nobody said anything to me. I did, on a side note think it was funny to watch some of the people there… I had never been to Boston and to hear everyone's accents, and mannerisms was entertaining to me. If someone got up and was in the way these big old ladies on my right would yell at them “hey get outta the way! We’re tryn to watch a $%^@ show hea!!”… which made me laugh… but that really doesn’t have anything to do with anything. I remember vividly the Spartans’ home show, and it was personally one of my favorite small shows. Honestly- the crowd reaction to the impact at the end of our opener was one of the most memorable to me personally. In terms of general excitement of the audience that night I would have ranked that night very high… so again- No beef with that venue whatsoever. Do you remember a few years ago when Madison started not doing so well, and getting beat by corps that nobody ever really thought they should have been beat by in their opinion… I went to a few of those shows and generally, everything was totally happy and fun and great like a normal show, but come time for scores, everyone got all ###### off at the results because “How could MADISON have lost to _____?!?!” it was a travesty!

Crossmen and Boston had great shows, and more than anything I think the shows both really came out and connected with the audience on a personal level. I can’t think of a show where Crossmen didn’t get a rousing ovation for their last 20 seconds of park and bark (ala the Madison closer this year) and to many casual DCI fans, it was TOTALLY mind blowing that the bluecoats last year, who I think took a much more technical and less connected approach than say crossmen and Xmen, could be a point or a point and a half ahead (and in bostons case this was only the first half of the season) It was even worse when we won and the score was really close. I don’t really have a strong point to end with… I just wanted to clarify what I was referring to and say that I really don’t remember any fans acting rude to my corps outside of retreat- after the scores were announced…. Peace.