craiga Posted February 5, 2005 Author Share Posted February 5, 2005 Musicman, I think the New Bedford HS Band are the Whalers. (I recall seeing their band truck at a band show last year)> Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dckid80 Posted February 5, 2005 Share Posted February 5, 2005 See my sig. Thanks for the memories. In MA we had: Queensmen, Winchester Cavaliers, Somerville Odyssey, Lowell Golden Eagles, Methuen We all looked up to Rockland. I can remember their version of Solitaire when the horn line burst out of an arc during the push. Kingsmen, Fitchburg Simplex Minutemen, Gardner Amvet Brigs, Randolph were small and struggling by '78. Alliance was a combo of Spectra, Weymouth and the Heightsmen, Arlington with some Ambassadors, Malden thrown in for good measure. All had glory in their past and tried mergers to stay competitive in the DCI era. Jeannettes, Lynn and Socialites, Saugus merged to form Charisma Other all-girl were the Joannettes, Leominster, Debonnaires, Norwood and of course Arbella, Salem. What a powerhouse they were. Their version of Evergeen was a a real tear-jerker. BAC struggled with numbers during those years. Spartans, Nashua, NH and Citations, Burlington were both kicking around back then but struggling for numbers also. East Coast Jazz grew out of the Malden family of corps(Diplomats, Ambassadors, Alliance). Tom Chopelas is still at the helm. There were never and EMass or CYO shows in Maine back then. The only shows we did outside of MA were for the Spartans home show on that dustbowl of a baseball field they had. As for me, I marched in the Guardsmen. We were a merger of Southern Cross, Melrose(inspired by and helped out by North Star, Rick Connors wrote our horn book) and the Crusading Militiamen, Wilmington. '78 was our first year out as a corps after 2 years of a very successful winter guard program. We regularly got our butts kicked by Arbella in Class B and had heated rivalries with the Queensmen and Cavaliers. '79 was a historic year. We marched almost a 100 in Class B and went undefeated in CYO, EMass, VFW and took the Class B championships at the World Open. It really was a magical season. '80 we moved up to Class A and regularly got beat by BAC and Rockland. My sig tells the rest. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
craiga Posted February 5, 2005 Author Share Posted February 5, 2005 I think it's probably safe to say that during the 70's and early 80's the eastern part of Massachusetts was home to the greatest concentration of drum corps (and winter guards) in the country. I hope all these alums find their way to Foxboro in August. It will the the first time in over 30 years that there will be a national championship in greater Boston with a Boston area drum corps in the thick of things...not to mention names, of course. :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
boston1977 Posted February 5, 2005 Share Posted February 5, 2005 I think it's probably safe to say that during the 70's and early 80's the eastern part of Massachusetts was home to the greatest concentration of drum corps (and winter guards) in the country. I hope all these alums find their way to Foxboro in August. It will the the first time in over 30 years that there will be a national championship in greater Boston with a Boston area drum corps in the thick of things...not to mention names, of course. :) <{POST_SNAPBACK}> "not to mention names" I think you Did? BAC aka Boston Area Corps? Also the Watertown Cadets?? They Won class c and b, I believe they took top drums at the World Open one year? Then they all went on to the, Boston area Corps and 26 + 1 "not to mention names of course" ps I'm sure the drum line made a terrific Breakfest Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
craiga Posted February 5, 2005 Author Share Posted February 5, 2005 LMAO!!! :) BAC1977, Unlike back in your day, the 21st century Boston Crusaders have a professional chef on tour as their food director. Kind of like having the Hilltop Steakhouse housed in an 18 wheeler! (no wonder the kids go home and "miss" tour food...) Binzy, where DID that bandaid go in 1983..... :P Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
boston1977 Posted February 5, 2005 Share Posted February 5, 2005 (edited) LMAO!!! :) BAC1977, Unlike back in your day, the 21st century Boston Crusaders have a professional chef on tour as their food director. Kind of like having the Hilltop Steakhouse housed in an 18 wheeler! "Actually Mr Craiga "Back in my Day" we stayed in some of the finest hotels up and down the East Coast. And always paid the bills. WAY BACK, in 1983 under the newly formed first bac, B.O.D. there we all were, on Miami Beach, the hotel was of course Beach Front, and just Wonderful. We also made it back in DCI, with a total of 49 members and 18 brass. Yes we all were, very well rested, and so pampered all week. " Back in My Days" Edited February 6, 2005 by boston1977 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
craiga Posted February 5, 2005 Author Share Posted February 5, 2005 You're right 1977...the corps always did seem to "get it done", pampered or not. "a corps made of Giants..." 65 and still alive! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pure enjoyment Posted February 5, 2005 Share Posted February 5, 2005 "the hilltop" have you been lately it is no better than mcdonalds bad comparsion Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brigadier80 Posted February 5, 2005 Share Posted February 5, 2005 I recall them as wearing dark green, I think, with cadetish uniforms. Their color guard (especially the rifle line) had a very obvious BAC style....I think maybe Helen K (now T) might have been teaching their rifles.Anyway, I recall them as being a good corps to watch....from Randolph, Mass, I think.....(GOD, that was 25 years ago!) :) <{POST_SNAPBACK}> Helen did teach the rifles in 79, They were quite good., we also had Boston people teaching percussuion. It does seem like a life time ago. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LancerLegend Posted February 5, 2005 Share Posted February 5, 2005 Welcome here dckid. Craiga - did you teach with the doctor for the orange and black? If so - we know each other well. My license plate has not changed in 10 years. As for the Watertown Cadets - they went undefeated in the summer of 1972 in local greater Boston shows. They were taught by all BAC folks. A classmate of mine - David Loh - played soprano and lived Brighton. FYI - not a single Watertown Cadet marched with 27th. I joined in fall of 1972. A few started with 26+1, but all went to the split tail lion before the season started. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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