What year did you attend

[mello_laurel]

My first exposure to drum corps was my rookie year in my high school marching band-1997. Our director brought in a tape one night to band camp, and we all watched. I distinctly remember my jaw dropping. From that year til the year I graduated (2003) I didn't miss a PBS broadcast.

During my first year in college marching band, I met people who ACTUALLY MARCHED in these corps. From what I had seen on TV, these people were like GODS (me: "ohmygod, that guy seriously marched cadets this past season...ohmygod."). I was astounded that I would actually be allowed in their presence. One of my friends who marched in ECJ convinced me to come to the Open House, and I went. I couldn't leave.

I saw my first drum corps show from the sideline at our homeshow-a small Div 2&3 show. I could see from everyone on the field that we all shared a bond of working so incredibly hard, whether we're 7 years old carrying a bass drum, or 20 with a mello.

My first show with Div 1 was in New London, CT. I sat backfield and drooled. Spirit, the Cadets, Boston, Carolina, Crossmen, and Glassmen were there.

Yeah, so that's my story. Too long-winded for what it actually was.

[Malibu]

1977....West Chester Show, West Chester, PA

[lilskydiver20]

My first drum corps show was the day before I moved in for my rookie year of corps. It was this year, June 18, the Toledo, OH show. Yeah, I marched a corps without ever seeing a drum corps show. I think that made the exerience a lot cooler though, because I had no expectations.

[Michelle]

2003 Finals Night in Orlando; wonderful experience for a first show.

[70sxmenbass]

If in the womb counts, 1957 Dream. If not, then it was probably a Reilly Raiders show in 1958.

[PJS53]

First show I can actually document being at was 1968 South Milwaukee.

Royal Airs 76.480

Cavaliers 76.430

Kilties 76.320

Des Plaines Vanguard 75.470

Niesei Ambassadors 67.170

De LaSalle 63.920

Kenosha Queensmen 60.350

Pretty tight top 3 huh?

I'd seen a number of corps in parades prior to this and a couple other shows that summer either before or after this when I was performing with the Chicago CYO Band. My band days were numbered after seeing the S. Milwaukee show even though it took a couple more years.

Edited September 8, 2005 by PJS53

[CrunchyTenor]

1972 U.S. Open! What a great experience!!!

I went to the Sunday make up open class finals, someone form Saturday couldn't make it. Of course the Saturday night show was rained out (rain being a common occurence for the US Open). Actually the skys burst open on Blue Rock which had to perform in US Open T-shirts on Sunday becuase their coats were to soaked to wear.

I was sitting in the end zone bleachers on the exit side (old timers know what I mean). I remember the last Kingsmen guard girl lifting her foot and stepping over the goal line just as the timing gut went off. Perfect!!!  :) Then re-entry!!!

As I was in the end zone and not directly in front of the corps I don't think the sound got to me as much the first time as the guards and visual programs. Even though colorgaurds didn't spin near as much then, I was really taken with the visual component. Colors on the field and the precision of the rifle lines!  :)

I also loved retreat! In those days the guards carried their equipment during retreat. It was such a beautiful sight to see all those colors lined up next to each other as they trooped the stands.

Discalimer: For me guards were completly new. At that time the high school bands I was familiar with had only majorettes. :sshh: (can you say cat fights). It was my first time seeing a flag or rifle line. My senior year my HS band was the first in the area to have a flag line.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Shawn, that was 1973. And if you remember correctly, Anaheim had a huge penalty at prelims for being a day late. They still went on last at finals as they were the defending champions.

Also, each section of Blue Rock (brass, percussion, guard) wore a different style of US Open T-shirt. Amd even though Toronto Optimists had completed their show before the skies opened up on Royal Crusaders, then Bue Rock, they still had to do their show over on Sunday.

Garry

[CrunchyTenor]

My first show was in 1970. Corps in competition included:

Velvet Knights

Anaheim Kingsmen

LA Chinese Imperial Dragons

Lynwood Diplomats

California Crusaders

Golden Statesmen

Squires (VK feeder)

Kings Lancers (Kingsmen feeder)

And I was hooked!

Garry

PS My baby has performed in-utero with the Renegades at the Chinese New Year parade in 2004, and in a baby carrier at the San Francisco St. Patrick's Day Parade in 2005 on her four-month birthday.

Edited September 8, 2005 by CrunchyTenor

[shawn craig]

Shawn, that was 1973. And if you remember correctly, Anaheim had a huge penalty at prelims for being a day late. They still went on last at finals as they were the defending champions.

Also, each section of Blue Rock (brass, percussion, guard) wore a different style of US Open T-shirt. Amd even though Toronto Optimists had completed their show before the skies opened up on Royal Crusaders, then Bue Rock, they still had to do their show over on Sunday.

Garry

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I was having trouble remembering exactly which year it was.

I don't really remember anything about prelims or the Saturday finals show because I didn't get to go to those. I do remember a lot of talk about Blue Rock having to perform again, many saying the Saturday show was better (minus the rain) and they would have scored higher etc. The Sunday show was my first. Someone else in the original group couldn't go, so I lucked out.

[kac]

What a great thread!

As far as I can tell from Corpsreps my first show was DCE championships. The show was in Foxboro though, not in Boston (which is why I'm not 100% sure this was the show). Can someone help me out with this?

Saturday July 22, 1989

Boston MA DCE Championships DCE

Position Corps Score

1 Cadets of Bergen County 88.100

2 Spirit of Atlanta 81.500

3 Crossmen 77.200

4 Suncoast Sound 77.000

5 Dutch Boy 74.500

6 Boston Crusaders 68.500

7 Ventures 60.200

8 L'Insolite 58.400

9 Academie Musicale 48.600

10 Spartans 46.100

11 S.T.A.R. 41.300

12 East Coast Jazz 35.300

Honestly, I don't remember seeing anyone below Boston. I vaguely remember Dutch Boy, Suncoast, and Spirit.

When Crossmen came on, I turned to my mom and said "HEY, they are from West Chester!!!!"- I was starting at WCU that fall and honestly had no idea it was a school full of corps people. When I saw them make the Crossmen symbol on the field, I knew then and there that I was going to be marching in that corps.

I also remember loving the Cadets show.

I think I may have attended prelims?? (was there prelims back then?) as the sun was behind the stadium but had not set yet when the Cadets were on.

That was my first "in person" show. I had been watching the PBS broadcasts for a few years before that, and had seen Boston in local parades before then too.

Back then, I think the Sunday Boston Globe used to publish the contest scores in the "hobbies" section. I would check the paper every Sunday to see if there was a column about dc that week.

I was definitely hooked before I ever saw my first show in person.