30 Years Ago - Bridgemen

[The Oz]

The original question asked for a comparison of the “reaction” received by the Cadets and the Bridgemen.

There is no comparison. The Bridgemen NEVER received a bad reaction in the stadium.

Some people believed that they were mocking the traditions of drum corps. But once you saw them in person, they won you over. And their leader – Bobby Hoffman – did not complain that the judges did not understand his shows. He took the rules and designed his show right up to the edges. And right into the hearts of the audience.

Although I would bet that, if the Bridgemen and Bobby were still around today, they would have clarinets on the field. Yes, they would. Of course, they would be used as torches in some voodoo/witchdoctor/Indiana Jones shtick.

[DDANN]

DCAT (Drum Corps Alumni - Toronto) was formed 11 years ago as a place where drum corps alumni who were "too old to march" could get together with friends, reminisce about the "good old days", and sing instead of play bugles. But once "alumni corps" got started in the area a few years ago (Toronto Signals, Mighty St. Joe's, Toronto Optimists, Preston Scout House, "Bayonne Bridgemen", etc.) many of us did return to marching and the ranks of the DCAT Chorus began filling up with folks who had never seen or heard of "drum corps".

Guess which "videos" we play to introduce them to the activity and show them what they missed?

Even though they are 20 or 30 years old these are the ones that best tell the story when played in this order: 1989 Santa Clara; 1989 Phantom; and 1980 Bridgemen. Then we play Scout House from the 2003 DCA Alumni Spectacular to show how we "old-timers" still do it today. And believe me - once we get a video of the 2006 Bridgemen we will definitely be using it as well.

So only after our new members have absorbed what drum corps is really all about do we expose them to the "modern era" where we have to sit with them and try our best to interpret every move and explain why "no one plays 'tunes' any more". (We're not entirely sure about the reason, of course, but apparently it has something to do with the judges not giving a corps credit for "difficulty" or "effect" if - with the exception of the ballad - the corps is not constantly moving at 160 paces per minute)

To me that tells the story of "the problem" with drum corps today. Those of us who grew up in "the sport" and have followed its evolution can easily appreciate the amazing talent of today's performers and the incredible effort they put out every day. But when someone has to constantly point out what's happening on the field and explain that this performance really is "good" and this next one is "better" and this one is the "best" and took first place and whether you "enjoyed it" or even "understood it" or not is irrelevant then it is time to adjust the judging criteria.

[glory]

- Having been a Garfield Cadet for 2 DCI finalist seasons before becoming a Bridgemen for life, you will never convince me that the BB weren't every bit as much a drum and bugle corps.

Nor I.

I never said they weren't a legitimate competitor. What I said was few, if any, honestly believed that Bridgemen's finalist finishes would spawn a wave of converts to their style. I said had they won a championship, as Cadets did last year, the establishment "serious" drum corps and their supporters would have felt threatened much as many felt threatened by a Cadets championship in 2005 that made use of amplified voice.

Bridgemen were good but still a novelty in an era without an Internet. So long as they were, they weren't going to inspire the same sort of dislike that plagues Cadets a year after a championship in an electronic age.

HH

[Windsor]

Nor I.

I never said they weren't a legitimate competitor. What I said was few, if any, honestly believed that Bridgemen's finalist finishes would spawn a wave of converts to their style. I said had they won a championship, as Cadets did last year, the establishment "serious" drum corps and their supporters would have felt threatened much as many felt threatened by a Cadets championship in 2005 that made use of amplified voice.

One does not need to win to become a threat to the establishment "serious" drum corps and their supporters. As many of us know, winning is not only about who designs and executes their show the best.

Bridgemen were good but still a novelty in an era without an Internet. So long as they were, they weren't going to inspire the same sort of dislike that plagues Cadets a year after a championship in an electronic age.

HH

Sorry, judging by that experienced while performing at DCI East this year wearing the yellow and black, I would have to say that the Bridgemen were and are much more than a novelty. Don't kid yourself. The dislike for the Cadets show wasn't about the electronics. Had the Cadets staff not been so blinded by their own hard headed reluctance to audience feedback, that show could have been a number one contender (and I say that as a Cadets loving alumni).

[byline]

Here's what I recall. Lots of people who had friends, who had friends, on the east coast - or had a subscription to Drum Corps News - talked like they knew the scoop and badmouthed what Bridgemen were doing early on in 76.

Until they saw Bridgemen.

Then it was - how cool is that.

The comments I remember came from people I knew in Indiana from the late '70s to around 1980. These folks had all seen Bridgemen, but for them, it was military or nothing, and of course military was about the last label you'd attach to Bridgemen; they were all about irreverence, and they honed that style to a fine art. The problem was, some folks weren't buying, and maybe never did.

[byline]

No, not backwards. History makes clear that Bridgemen weren't a genuine threat to the drum-corps status quo, just as I said. If they had been, their style would have been copied by more corps. Instead, only one truly followed the Bridgemen lead. And that corps - VK - had a director in common with Bridgemen.

Actually, some corps did try to copy the Bridgemen, only to find out how incredibly difficult it was to pull off. I remember our corps director telling us in '78 that we were going to follow Bridgemen's lead, and then we tried the ill-fated magic act. Should've stuck with what we knew!

[boxingfred]

Actually, some corps did try to copy the Bridgemen, only to find out how incredibly difficult it was to pull off. I remember our corps director telling us in '78 that we were going to follow Bridgemen's lead, and then we tried the ill-fated magic act. Should've stuck with what we knew!

I remember that during Black Magic Woman.

[LancerFi]

There were actually people in the B-men that didn't like their style and would rather have been more serious.

I heard a lot of complaints about their type of shows back in the day, however I never once heard anyone say anything bad about their drum or horn line!!!!

[johnric]

The comments I remember came from people I knew in Indiana from the late '70s to around 1980. These folks had all seen Bridgemen, but for them, it was military or nothing, and of course military was about the last label you'd attach to Bridgemen; they were all about irreverence, and they honed that style to a fine art. The problem was, some folks weren't buying, and maybe never did.

Sue you are right on the money... I can remember hearing it from people at the end of 81 when I left LIK for the Bridgemen. "why do you wan to do that?" "That's not drum corps".

People, believe me, no one running an organization would want their organization seen in anything but the most positive light.. but back then we were effecting change that others did not always embrace. I think as you look back its easier to see the positive effects of what a corps like the Bridgemen had on the activity.. and believe me there were more things than most see... but at the time there were people who did not like it! just as people do not like some of the things that The Cadets are doing. Only time will tell. Not all change is seen as positive at first. it has to play itself out....

The one real difference? Cadets won last year!! OMG why when you go out and win it all, do you not stick to the formula that got you there for as long as you can???

[boxingfred]

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!