DCI 1982

[Guardguy89]

Hey all,

as a gift for my b-day, I got the 1982 DCI Legacy DVD. 1982 was the first time I had ever seen the "Big Boys" of drum corps. Although I had been marching since 1979, we had pretty much competed in and around Quebec.

So, at the ripe old age of 14, I competed in my first DCI championships (we got 12th in A class) and attended my first DCI finals at the Olympic stadium. The memories I kept from that night are etched into my brain. And finally being able to relive those moments with the '82 DVD were too much fun.

So here's my rambling stream of consciousness mini-review:

GENERAL COMMENTS

1) Wow, did we ever have alot of hair in those days

2) Is it just me, or were glasses HUGE - they covered the entire face

3) Drill seems so ssssslllllooooowwwwwww compared to today

4) Drum lines rocked back then

5) Flag lines were kind of the forgotten step-child left in back of the corps to do right slams

6) Seeing xylophone players carrying their instruments and rocking out as they play is hilarious

7) Using one set of flags for the whole show is boring and didn't anyone ever get rid of sails back then

SPIRIT OF ATLANTA

It's a pretty cool show music wise, and the flag line almost jazz runs at the start of the show. Nothing really struck me with this show - except for those pill box hats the guard wore with the netting in front. Weren't those annoying to see through????

CAVALIERS

This is the show that made me want to march there (and I did 6 years later). I don't know why. I mean they were 11th, they weren't the "it" corps back then, but I thought that they were the greatest thing since sliced bread. The opening drill is cool (especially for '82). The geometric patterns that intertwine are a glimpse of things to come.

I don't know why, but they look like they're about 500 on the field. And holy crap, they've got 8 quad players. The snare line has some streamers on their sticks (ummm...okay ). I wish they would have had more close ups on the rifle line. Those tricks were awesome!!!! Why did the rifle line remove their hats for the last part of the show??? Kinda funny to hear the Cavaliers play some dance/disco songs after playing Pines of Rome as an opener (program choices back then must have been decided with a dart board)

SKY RYDERS

I hadn't realized that their rifle line was all male. Again, nothing really stands out in this show for me. Sorry! I'll have to watch it again. Anything I should look for?

FREELANCERS

Another corps with alot of guys in the guard. For some reason, when I was 14 - I thought that the only guards with guys were Madison and Cavaliers. In Quebec, guard was for girls - which is why I started out as a drummer Thank god Eclipses finally let guys guys on their guard

Anyway - I love the Freelancers show musically. I still listen to it on CD when I work out (I know I'm a geek). Visually, not so much. The guard's uniform is so close to the corps proper that everything kinda looks the same. Its a real dark look on the field. But man, I love that music!!!

BRIDGEMEN

Sucks that part of the opener is missing. I was expecting more from the guard - I just remembered them being so exciting to watch - but they are having fun out there. As for the drumline. HOLYCRAP - I would put that drum solo up with anything that is played today - and they do it wearing slings (man I hated wearing those!!!) I think they're the only ones wearing them on the DVD. The tap dancing guard on the tables part is cool, as is the Bridgemen shuffle. And is the assistant drum major really playing that soprano solo? 'Cause if she is, she rocks - she also dances with the guard and does all kinds of kooky things in the show. Its also funny to see the crowd go nuts when they all faint at the end. Man I miss the Bridgemen!!!!!!

CROSSMEN

One of the most underated shows!!!! I couldn't even remember what they did until I watched them. But wow!!!! Love the show. And that guard was awesome - man are they clean. Russian Christmas Music at the end is great - and you gotta love the capes (although I liked them better when they were longer). I'm definately hitting the gym with this show now

27th LANCERS

One of my all time favorite corps. I was left wanting a little. Did the rifle line have an off night? I had totally forgotten about the one rifle girl with her arm in a sling - and she gets a big close-up. Niner-Two is still easily one of the best pieces out there. The drum line is smoking. This is another drumline that could go head to head with todays drumlines. The pom-poms - yikes :sshh:

Not one of the best 27th shows, maybe they had an off night, but its still 27th Lancers and I still love them.

MADISON SCOUTS

One of the most advanced guards of the night (along with the Blue Devils). Guards in '82 aren't much fun to watch anymore (sorry!!!) but a couple of them were trying to do something different and Madison is definately one of them. If you watch closely, the flag line does carving and 45 angle work. The rifle line is a hoot and what the #### are the middle rifles tossing on the pyramid toss - a 7???? Too cool.

You know, I kinda still like that old uniform. All in all - a very cool show.

PHANTOM REGIMENT

See this is one of those shows that had me totally amazed back then. I can still remember them coming out on the field and marching through their warm-up. They had me on my feet for the entire show. So I was really excited to see it again. Maybe its just em, but I think its just one of those shows that doesn't age well - OR I just built up this show soooooo much in my mind, that nothing could compare to it. Still, Spartacus was a very big undertaking in 1982 - and the sound of those quads (they were tuned very low) is the one thing that always stays with me.

GARFIELD CADETS

Holy crap - were they out there in '82. I don't know how the judges were able to judge the drill. It was really, really really really - did I say really different than anybody else back then. It was funny seeing the guard with rifles - yet what a kick-### rifle line they were - why did they get rid of them for '83? And that guard was intense!!!!!! I remember always being a little afraid of the Garfield Guard Girls -you just didn't mess with them. The funny thing is seeing that they only have 6 contras - thats just so wierd to watch!!!! Althugh they won it all in '83 - this show is definately the one to watch to fully understand how Garfield changed the face of drum corps.

This is the show I've watched most often on the DVD - great show!!!!!!!!! I wonder if people back then were like "Wow they're so cool, we'd better watch out for them" or "what the #### are they doing - why aren't they doing mirror drill".

VANGUARD

How can you not love this show. Slava and the Bottle Dance!!!! The guard wearing their little white boots (how were they able to march in those is beyond me), and man can you say clean - they're a SCARY clean guard. And of course, the Vanguard Drum Line. Man those early '80's drum lines were absolutely incredible and they even got to play during the ballads back then. No standing around or posing or "dancing" with the guard <**>

The bottle dance kinda falls apart (but its after the gun shot). I remember going nuts for that. There had been a rumor going around that they were going to do it. The older kids in my corps explained to me what the bottle dance was, and when we saw that the end of their show wasn't the same as prelims, we started going nuts - along with 39,000 other people at the stadium. Gotta love that guard salute at the end. I really thought they had won it all that night.

BLUE DEVILS

Now I've never been a big BD fan. And I was mad at them for winning that night (hey I was only 14). But watching the show now - They more than deserved it. That show was phenomenal. From the drill to the horn line, to the drum line, to the charts to the guard. That show was way more advanced than the competition (Garfield would have been a close 2nd). What really does it for me is the integration of the guard. They were years ahead of anyone. They "really" danced (unlike the simple foot and hand moves of the others). The wings were out of this world, and they are the most musical guard on the field. I felt sorry for the girl who drops her rifle and can't pick it up until concert (I always wondered why people were cheering on the CD at this part - now I know). I don't know who taught their guard back then, but man they knew what they were doing - I wonder if they ever had trouble convincing the rest of the staff - 'cause the BD guard was definately out there by '82 standards.

Well thats about it, a long rambling look back at 1982. These Legacy DVD's really are the best.

Peace,

Mike

Various drum corps 1979-1984

Les Eclipses 1985-1987

Cavaliers 1988-1989

Brigadiers 2000-2005 (and counting!!!!)

[Malibu]

Yeah, I liked our capes longer too...but the judges complained that when we turned back field, they couldn't see the feet. DUH!

Did you see the guard girl (Beth) in the all black uniform in Bridgemen? She marched Crossmen '79 & '80.

It was a tight year to the finish for corps 6-8 place. Crossmen was hoping to jump ahead of 2-7 that night.....but it didn't happen.

I don't know if you remember, SCV had a different ending that they had been using all year. It was rumored that "The Bottle Dance" was being tagged on for finals. Because of the "surprise" ending, the crowds reaction was so loud and intense, I believe the hornline had a difficult time hearing each other on the field......thus the sloppy ending. Never the less, it WAS exciting!

In 1982 Zingali & Company was working with Garfield Cadets.....I believe it was his first year there. That's why their drill was so different and light years ahead of everyone elses. Also that was the year "drop spins" were being incorporated to more eastern guards. I remember watching Peggy warming up Garfield's guard and I said, "Holy_____, they are for real!"

Back in 1981, George Hopkins told everyone that he had a three year plan to win DCI. We laughed at first, until I saw them in 1982.....I knew then that he was serious and that his dream would soon come true!

Edited December 15, 2004 by Malibu

[johnric]

Sandy your right about Beth she was the guard Captain (not the asst drum major) and NO that was not her playing the sop solo partly bacause she didn't play and because that wasn't a solo that was the lead soprano line playing that.

[uncle z]

Seeing xylophone players carrying their instruments and rocking out as they play is hilarious!!!!!!!

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

ROFL!!!! For a special Christmas present, once I get home from work, I'll point out where uncle z gets face time while rocking out as I play!!!!! <santa>

[Malibu]

Sandy your right about Beth she was the guard Captain (not the asst drum major) and NO that was not her playing the sop solo partly bacause she didn't play and because that wasn't a solo that was the lead soprano line playing that.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Yeah....you probably remember her boyfriend (although they may have broken up by then) Pete (sop) that was also from Crossmen. I heard from Russell that Pete didn't make the transition to BMen too well. I guess he thought you guys goofed off more but soon learned that was not the case.

Beth was a very nice person....I knew she wasn't the one playing.....but it was a neat effect.

[abgiles]

When we went to add the Bottle Dance in 82, we were looking for whatever little edge we could get over Concord for the finals. They pretty much kicked our butts all season, but we thought a little blast of GE might do the trick. We were taken away from our normal practice field to a high school in the suburbs of Montreal. We had been practicing on a beautiful field in the shadow of Olympic Stadium. It was all very secretive as we learned the music and drill. If I recall correctly, we learned this between prelims and finals, so we didn't have a lot of time to practice. The drill had the hornline spread across the front sideline, so it was very hard to see our drum major, Mike Zapanta. Once we started into the Bottle Dance, it was total chaos; the crowd was going nuts, and we couldn't even hear ourselves playing. In the end, I think the side one horns ended about a full second earlier than the side 2 horns. YIKES. Needless to say, Concord took it all home that night, and deservedly so.

I have been getting back into drum corps this last year after 20 years away from the activity (largely due to Tournament of Champions and my son starting marching band). I have been listening to the BD shows from 80 - 82. Holy crap, were those guys good!

[Guardguy89]

I just love hearing the stories from people who were actually on the field that night.

I can't wait to have enough time to sit down and watch the '88 DVD - this time I was on the field so my next review might be a little biased

Later,

Mike

Drum corps member 1979-2005 (I've seen alot, and still love it) b**bs

[84BDsop]

When we went to add the Bottle Dance in 82, we were looking for whatever little edge we could get over Concord for the finals.  They pretty much kicked our butts all season, but we thought a little blast of GE might do the trick.   We were taken away from our normal practice field to a high school in the suburbs of Montreal.  We had been practicing on a beautiful field in the shadow of Olympic Stadium.  It was all very secretive as we learned the music and drill.  If I recall correctly, we learned this between prelims and finals, so we didn't have a lot of time to practice.  The drill had the hornline spread across the front sideline, so it was very hard to see our drum major, Mike Zapanta.  Once we started into the Bottle Dance, it was total chaos; the crowd was going nuts, and we couldn't even hear ourselves playing.  In the end, I think the side one horns ended about a full second earlier than the side 2 horns.  YIKES.  Needless to say, Concord took it all home that night, and deservedly so.

I have been getting back into drum corps this last year after 20 years away from the activity (largely due to Tournament of Champions and my son starting marching band).  I have been listening to the BD shows from 80 - 82.  Holy crap, were those guys good!

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Jeff Pearson told me about that in 03...he also said that Zap lost the beat...which made my jaw crash...Zap -- one of the most legendary DMs in the activity -- lost the beat???

Still...it's fun to listen to...phasing and all!

Edited December 15, 2004 by 84BDsop

[byline]

Jeff Pearson told me about that in 03...he also said that Zap lost the beat...which made my jaw crash...Zap -- one of the most legendary DMs in the activity -- lost the beat???

I think this is the stuff of (urban) legend; the legend, and the reasons why it happened, seem to grow in the telling. I've read so many theories on RAMD about why this happened. The most obvious problem was the echo inside Olympic Stadium, combined with the crowd noise, which was the perfect recipe for a train wreck. I'm actually surprised there wasn't a lot more phasing than we heard that night. What also amazes me is that the guard was able to hold it together as well as they did. They had to have been watching the drum major, rather than listening to the corps.

One of the things I remember reading on RAMD was this explanation by Scott Williams:

Yes it was '82. though we of the honored green feather don't discuss this very often as it is taboo to discuss publicly, I will breach this wall of formality of the finals that SCV would like to forget.

What happened from what I was told in SCV history 101, was that the Bottle Dance was to start AFTER the DM threw his hat off and AFTER he started cunducting it. what happened that night was half the corps stated playing it right after he tossed his hat, but BEFORE he started conducting. The other half of the corps waited for him to start conducting. oops.

Dunno if there's any truth to that, but it's another theory. Any way you look at it, it must have been a heartbreaking turn of events for the corps. I know people like to say, "Oh, but it was such a great thrill for the audience!" True, and I don't mean to take away from that. It's just one of those things that, had it gone right, it would be truly legendary. Instead, many people remember the phasing. If you're a perfectionist--and let's face it, most of us who marched corps are--that hurts.

Edited December 15, 2004 by byline

[Guardguy89]

Personnally, I will always remember it as the year Vanguard did the Bottle Dance - period :)

I'm just glad I was there in person to witness it - still one of my greatest Drum Corps memories to this date.

Later,

Mike