Corps Hall Memories

[That70'sLancer]

So how about some corps hall stories? Or at least the kind that they will post.

As corps halls go, the 27th Lancers bought theirs in either late 1977 or early 1978. Therefore, it was my honor along with the other out of staters in 78 to be the first to stay in it. That said, here are the details. It should have been or probably was illegal to live there, as workers were still tearing down walls and such to make the upstairs bigger. The stairwell had no surrounding banisters or handrails. As any hard working drum corps can tell you after practicing your butt off, sleeping through people knocking down walls is not as hard as it sounds. Sleeping amongst dry wall dust and nails was also a unique memory that is not likely to happen again in my life.

Another surreal memory has to go to the downstairs part of the building. Solid concrete and dark at the time, horn practice could be deafening, even playing at low levels. But the hightlight was “old drum head wars”. Flinging these things around like Frisbees brought on a new level of Jedi like awareness, especially after the lights were turned off! "Playing it by ear" took on a whole new meaning. Snare heads were stingers for sure, but I will always remember the sound of the giant bass drum head coming at you. Sort of like SCV's helicopter drums in their Miss Saigon show.

At one point during the summer, one of our guys dragged in a TV cable from the building next door which provided us with free cable. On the down side was the fact that the building next door was…. “the Cable Company”. Eventually they caught on, yanked the cable and said that we were draining the cable quality of all Revere. It only got better at the 35th Reunion in 2002, when Dave McBurney, who marched and lived in the corps hall in 79, said that they did the exact same thing, and it took the cable company even longer to figure it out. Nothing like feeble old folks to make kids feel like they were stickin' it to da man!

All of this was topped off by being directly across the street from the Revere House of Pizza. (AKA House of Grease) Nobody really ate the pizza. It was the sub sandwiches toasted in the pizza oven that was incredible. And every time they took your order, they asked the same question, even 5 years later when my wife marched, "Ya wanna ina oven?"

....(insert Homer drool here)

Sadly, I could not get the money together to return in 79, So I sure would like to hear stories on how it turned out in the following years right on up to the stories my wife has from 84-86. The place belongs to a foot doctor now. (Ironic?) I wonder if there is any 27 evidence in the basement.

[Malibu]

Roger, I heard about the "Rat Den." A few guys from down here marched with you and stayed at that corps hall. I think one of them was referred to as "Rat Den Mother."

[That70'sLancer]

Roger, I heard about the "Rat Den." A few guys from down here marched with you and stayed at that corps hall. I think one of them was referred to as "Rat Den Mother."

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I don't remember rats in the hall in 78, but who knows what came later.

I do remember lots of basketball sized rats moving about as the sun would start to go down on any practice session behind the Northgate shopping center. I never went on "Rat Patrol", but I am sure that was an event.

My wife and I drove behind the old Northgate a couple years ago. The landscape is just as "Lunar" as I remember it.

B)

[ferb27]

I don't remember rats in the hall in 78, but who knows what came later.

I do remember lots of basketball sized rats moving about as the sun would start to go down on any practice session behind the Northgate shopping center. I never went on "Rat Patrol", but I am sure that was an event.

My wife and I drove behind the old Northgate a couple years ago. The landscape is just as "Lunar" as I remember it.

B)

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Before i respond, how is Stephnie doing?

The Hall became known as "The Building" and was the social center fo the corps for my years. We actually expanded to the space next door. I remember helping clearing out the place when we first got it. During weekend camps we always had an official gathering ( OK, Keg Party but it was authorized by George B.), to welcome the out of staters and give everyone involved with the corps (members, instructors, management, Lucy Patti-lol, etc.) a chance to get to know each other. A few memories involve Wedge hanging around the keg (every party), the infamous meeting in the men's room (well for me, John Bodie and Jack Shallow-a contra player by the way) and me and Doug Edwards (contra player and drum major) in 82 keeping a rather inebriated (sp?) rifle from quitting the corps because she didn't think she fit in. There are many others, some not even related to the weekend parties. As my memory clears, I'll try to give you some more. Man, even though I lived on the South Shore, I didn't miss too many events at that hallowed hall. It really brings back some memories. Oh an aside, my brother Kenny recently delivered plumbing supplies to that address. I think it is a foot doctor or some medical office.

[That70'sLancer]

Before i respond, how is Stephnie doing?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Steph is doing fine. A lot of sleeping to do after the "textbook" sugery. You can be sure she will get back with you soon.

^OO^

[ferb27]

Steph is doing fine. A lot of sleeping to do after the "textbook" sugery. You can be sure she will get back with you soon.

^OO^

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

She just e-mailed me. That's great. I'll have more hall memories as they come to me. I've got many.

[Walter]

When I marched in the Northstars from Kitchener, Ontario, we had a huge corps hall that doubled as our bingo hall, out of town members hall, dance hall and on a rainy day, emsemble practise hall. It was complete with a kitchen and washrooms, there were also smaller rooms in the basement for offices, storage and practise rooms. This was the envy of many corps who had the pleasure of a tour. This hall existed until 1999 when our sponsor was bought out and then the new owners of the grocery store closed it to Dutch Boy and then cut all ties with the corps. The corps was forced out and the space was changed over to offices for the new owners. We had some great dances up there and a lot of fun. The sign to the hall is still up, the paint has faded but never the memories we had in that place: THE NORTHSTAR CENTRE!!!!! B)

[apoch003]

Okay, I really don't understand. We had a hall with a trophy case. But it was only used to store old equipment and play bingo. We always practiced at local junior highs, and we NEVER slept in our bingo hall.

I MISSED PART OF THE CULTURE!

Although, we DID have our drill camps inside the goodyear blimp hangars in Astoria once a month. We could learn our entire drill in those things, and they kept us dry! But WHAT AN ECHO.

[Lancerlady]

Yeah, most of the corps of today use their "halls" for Bingo, or something else, I suppose. When I marched and went up to Revere, by the time I got there, there were alot of out of staters, myself included. The downstairs had been turned into a bunk bed living quarters. When we would get ready to leave for tour it was easier for everyone to stay at the corps hall that was out of State. It was pretty cool

The upstairs was used for Bingo and also we would practice their whenever it rained. Right before tour the ladies would stay upstairs! :) We probably inhaled so much mold and whatever, no telling from downstairs where the shower was, and all the other things growing.... I remember the horrible showers.

We also practiced at the "Northgate" I guess some traditions never go away. As well as other places. I remember practicing on the parking lot and always having a bar of soap or spray can, to mark our "spots" for drill. I remember George Zingali running all over the place with spray cans and soap bars to mark spots with! :)

I was lucky though and lived with George B. alot of the time when we were back from tour, cause the out of staters usually stayed with some of the local kids. I got to be one of the fortunate ones!

Oh well, the medication is kicking in from surgery so I must depart... :sshh:

[ferb27]

Glad to hear you're doing better Steph. Nothing like a few pain killers to mellow things out.

I remember in 79 when the hall wasn't set up for bingo yet and we had tuesday (might have been wednesday) night rehearsals. no heat in the winter, only 10-15 horns rehearsing (that was pretty much our in state contingent then). we didn't rehearse regularly downstairs until 80-81.

but it was a great place for everything. we never had a trophy case because the trophies never made it back from tour in one piece. The fact that we used the building as a dormitory was helpful in getting the out of staters in a little sooner. that was an expense these people didn't have to worry about. i know a lot of them worked at burger king or over night at logan airport to afford the tour fee. ($300-$600 depending on the year). yes people, tour fees for under $2,000.00.

the building was the place we met before tour, held meetings, rehearsed, partied, hung out, held our banquets. it was the lifeblood of what we did back then. boy, i really miss the old place.