Ryan H. Turner Posted November 3, 2005 Share Posted November 3, 2005 For those that are curious, there were 2 Conquistador groups. Yes, the South San Franciso group was a junior corps. But there was another one, based out of the San Fernando Valley. It started as a youth band for the fledgling "Summer Bands International" (youth summer band used to be the BIG DEAL out in southern California for many many years). They decided to become a senior corps, and I was asked to be the show designer for that group. Went to the inagural staff meeting--unfortunately, it didn't pick up any steam and died relatively quickly. I believe there was an actual "successful" senior corps in southern California called "West Coast Express". Back in the very early 80's...I'd have to look it up. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
84BDsop Posted November 3, 2005 Share Posted November 3, 2005 (edited) And I'd like to point out to Mike Nash that Wolf1 mentioned Shockwave before I did.... (now waiting for Mike's right eye to stop twitching...) Wayne makes a very good point, tho...with no one to compete against (until recently) and the HUGE costs of getting a corps back east for finals, there was simply no real incentive until Renegades said "#### it" and took the plunge...then came RCR and Dream, so at least we have the pleasure of beating each other...constant exhibition's not as fun as actually trying to stomp another corps... Edited November 3, 2005 by 84BDsop Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeff Ream Posted November 3, 2005 Share Posted November 3, 2005 Jeff you are right. I remember back in the early 70's the only seniors out west were Mn Brass,Inc & The Spirit or Boys of 76. That was pretty much it..............maybe I'm missing someone else. that was it. the first VA corps was the Knights in 1987. 76 were replaced by Chichago Connection who were replaced by Des Palines vanguard who were... it goes on. forwhatever reason, senior/all age corps never caught on out west or down south. then, this group from CA that cause trouble everywhere they go showed the world it could be done and viola. DCA keeps growing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wolf1 Posted November 3, 2005 Share Posted November 3, 2005 Man, I would've been with the Knights in my own hometown if I didn't move out west two years before.......... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jocko the Wonder Llama Posted November 3, 2005 Share Posted November 3, 2005 There was the South San Francisco Conquistadors???? I think they were a late 70's junior corps. Heck, my hair stylist still remembers them (and still lives in SSF)........ SSF Conquistadors were a junior corps in the '70s. We were 3rd in "ClassA" (Div II) in '79, in '80 we tried goin "Open Class" (Div I)...Inactive in '81. Need I say more? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JimF-LowBari Posted November 3, 2005 Share Posted November 3, 2005 Will have to check the History of Drum Corps book on this one. Only big time West Coast Senior corps (pre Renegades) I can think of is San Gabriel Dons (AL Post #442?). And they disappeared around the 1950s. They were also the corps the Cabs copied their look from. Where's Munson Chan when you need him????? B) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Austin Stars Posted November 3, 2005 Share Posted November 3, 2005 All of the new senior corps in the West, Southwest and South owe a great deal of gratitude to the Renegades. They've shown us that a new senior corps can be formed and become highly sucessful. I'm proud to be a part of the growth of this activity. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jojo Posted November 3, 2005 Share Posted November 3, 2005 And Nationals will always be a 3000 mile plane flight away. ____________ and that's what they used to say about DCI ... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LisaLisaMoMeesa Posted November 3, 2005 Share Posted November 3, 2005 So we don't have the thicket of drum corps that the east coast has. Yeah, what we have is good, but the percentage of local kis (heck even kids from Californis) in Blue Devils and SCV is NEGLIBLE at best. So we don't really have alot of local kids even knowing what drum corps is. Then you take a look at the two main drum corps news letters, Drum Corps World and DCI today. At least in Drum Corps World there is a passing mention of Sr. Corps. DCI today, (the bigger of the two) is chock full of woefull interviews of ageouts, the interviewer asking "What are you going to do now that you age out". For DCI Today, the music DOES end at 22. On the East coast its typical for a kid to nurture his chops in an all age corps and then hit the jr corps scene and then come back to the all age corps. It's als the reason you'll see us talking about (some of you call it "whinning") how we have to go on the local drum corps shows at something like 4:30. A) we loose the ONLY valuable rehearsal time we have and B ) there's often 4 people and a piece of toast at that time, so it's tough to get our product into the laps of the very market we're trying for. However, one change I love is one year, there were 4 people and a piece of toast in the stands for us at Pacific Procession. The next year, we went on at the same time, (ie before the B & C corps) stands were nearly full. Now if DCI would just smarten up and figure out Senior Corps = Butts in seats = MONEY, we'll all be sh**ing in tall cotton! Sr. Corps will get their product into the laps of the people we're trying to recruit, more people will start marching, more people will be in the audience = more ticket sales = more money for DCI = more money "for the kids". Everyone's happy. It's working....but baby steps. Baby steps. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ryan H. Turner Posted November 3, 2005 Share Posted November 3, 2005 ... we'll all be sh**ing in tall cotton! Sr. Corps will get their product into the laps of the people we're trying to recruit, more people will start marching, more people will be in the audience = more ticket sales = more money for DCI = more money "for the kids". Everyone's happy. It's working....but baby steps. Baby steps. And isn't that what Lee is all about? The synergystic "marketing" if you will for the betterment of the ENTIRE activity, not just the Renegades which of course he has a vested interest in? I think Lee better than most thinks globally, and unfortunately, the excitement that SHOULD be generated sometimes gets back to us in the form of "will you guys just shut up". Unfortunate. And it even happens out here on the west coast from folks in the junior ranks. But I won't open that can of worms. Suffice it to say--once we're past the egos and defensiveness and "turfism", to expand the market and visibility of this great activity of all-age corps will REALLY start paying off even more. But one only has to look as far as Brent Unger and Chris Green to see the affects. Oh...and one more thing....Lisa? ####TING IN TALL COTTON???? Bwaaaaaaaaaa hahahahaha...weird. But great reference. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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