30 Years Ago - Bridgemen

[johnric]

did anyone do that here????

[regularsopguy]

let's put it this way...what will we remember thirty years from TODAY? not much, is my guess.

Thirty years later, do we remember the Bridgemen? yes!

Twenty years later, do we remember the Velvet Knights? yes!!

why? because they were wildly entertaining, not catering to the judging system.

[johnric]

let's put it this way...what will we remember thirty years from TODAY? not much, is my guess.

Thirty years later, do we remember the Bridgemen? yes!

Twenty years later, do we remember the Velvet Knights? yes!!

why? because they were wildly entertaining, not catering to the judging system.

Ok I could probably go along wih that!! :P

[Piper]

In 76' the Bidgemen broke out of the gate. The Cadets are just sort of morphing into something unrecognizable. :)

[lp1955]

Back in 76 did we want to win #### yes but our main goal was to get the corps back on the map after not going to DCI in 75 even though it was only less than a 2 hour drive mission accomplished . Bobby wanted to win real bad after a Friday night show in Hasbrook Hights NJ we had a real off show the next day was Wildwood VFW states. Now we always did the show had so time off to go to the beach or boardwalk not this day we worked on the drill over and over till Bobby was happy with it than we did it one more time and the faint was born after that last run thru we all hit the ground and he loved it and told us we are going to use that someday and that day was finals. It took us most of the summer to catch the Cadets but with work days like Wildwood we finally did and the rest is history.

Edited August 16, 2006 by lp1955

[johnric]

Back in 76 did we want to win #### yes but our main goal was to get the corps back on the map after not going to DCI in 75 even though it was only less than a 2 hour drive mission accomplished . Bobby wanted to win real bad after a Friday night show in Hasbrook Hights NJ we had a real off show the next day was Wildwood VFW states. Now we always did the show had so time off to go to the beach or boardwalk not this day we worked on the drill over and over till Bobby was happy with it than we did it one more time and the faint was born after that last run thru we all hit the ground and he loved it and told us we are going to use that someday and that day was finals. It took us most of the summer to catch the Cadets but with work days like Wildwood we finally did and the rest is history.

ah Leo... we miss having you around!

BTW Yankees win...... THEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE Yankees win!

[Jeff Ream]

The same discussions that went on about the Bridgemen 30 years ago ARE some of the same discussions that go on about The Cadets today.

The difference:

In 1976 these discussions went on in Cafe's, resturants, bars and in the stands of drum corps shows.

In the 2000's a critic can hide behind the anonnimity of the internet, reach people all around the world and be as vicious, ignorant, silly and/or vile as they want. Without looking a single person in the face.

What cowards!

or some of us post our names

[lp1955]

ah Leo... we miss having you around!

BTW Yankees win...... THEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE Yankees win!

I miss being around see you at DCA do you have any Idea where the corps is staying?

Edited August 16, 2006 by lp1955

[byline]

I remember that during Black Magic Woman.

Yup, we also attempted some Bridgemen-style stunts during "King Herod's Song"; never really pulled either off, as I recall. Here's the only photo I've ever seen of the rifle line's magic act from 1978, which appears on the Del/Oakland alumni website:

Obviously a bit of Bridgemen influence going on there!

By the way, boxingfred, you may be able to spot yourself in some of the photos I forwarded to the site's gallery; scroll down to "Great set from Sue Deschenes (Templeton)."

A word of explanation: That line makes it sounds like I'm responsible for all the photos in that section, and that's not true. Some of them were taken by my dad, Ralph Templeton, in 1978 and '79, but others were posted in that great "old photos" thread in DCP's historical section (and a few, like this one, came from other sources). When I forwarded those photos to the website, I included credit for the photographer, but I guess because of the way these photos are archived on the site, the attribution wasn't included. Sorry 'bout that!

Edited August 16, 2006 by byline

[markdewine]

I remember St. Andrews Bridgemen. Great corps, cadet uniforms, superb talent, high mark-time, completely entertaining.

I remember the Bridgemen. Anti-establishment attitude, "different" uniforms, superb talent, the 'shuffle', completely entertaining!

I remember the Garfield Cadets. Great corps, cadet uniforms, superb talent, high mark- time, completely entertaining.

I remember the Cadets. Great corps, cadet uniforms, superb talent, becoming so esoteric and "artsy" it's difficult to follow.

But for me, the feeling is simialar for BD and the Cavies. When I first saw each of those corps, I was so busy clapping and cheering, it never dawned on me to 'analyze' what was going on. In recent years, I find myself searching for 'the message' they're trying to convey.

I'm not trying to bash anyone or any corps. Things are just evolving too quickly. I fear it won't be too long, that it just won't be drum corps anymore.