I wish there was a SPTDBCA

[MikeD]

Libretto! I had forgotten that's what they called it. I'm laughing only because I remember us all laughing at the time. Everybody thought the long rain coats for after the show were cool, though.

Actually, they were smocks sewn up by our quartermistress extraordinaire, Aunt Nelly.

The were a light-weight maroon cloth material with snaps...we were not permitted to sit in the stands unless we had one on, to save cleaning costs, esp the white pants. If we were short a few, we could spread them out for two people to sit on, but then we could not eat or drink.

As for the libretto...many folks liked them. I'm sure those who disliked the very idea of a themed show would have laughed, but that's their problem, not mine.

[Fran Haring]

Honestly, I'm not sure I'd even call the 1971 Cavaliers' show a "theme show."

Their show that year was pretty much a standard drum corps show for that era, IMO. An Irish medley off-the-line, "Americans We" for a color presentation, "Eleanor Rigby" for a concert tune, "Over the Rainbow" and other stuff for an exit tune.

The "circus show" portion of the Cavaliers' show was their out-of-concert production number. Hardly an entire show of circus-themed music. But the costumed characters in the "circus" production did cause quite a stir that year.

Madison Scouts' 1971 show, on the other hand, had more of an overriding "fairy tale" theme throughout... with all the Disney tunes, March of the Toys, Alice in Wonderland stuff, etc., including the various costumed characters. Even the "Yankee Doodle" color presentation was sort of a whimsical treatment of that tune.

And the Cadets' Revolutionary War show that year had that obvious theme throughout.

I will agree to disagree with the poster who thought those three shows "bombed." I saw each corps at least a couple of times that summer, and it seemed that all three shows were pretty well-received by the crowd.

Fran

Edited October 26, 2006 by Fran Haring

[Martybucs]

Honestly, I'm not sure I'd even call the 1971 Cavaliers' show a "theme show."

Their show that year was pretty much a standard drum corps show for that era, IMO. An Irish medley off-the-line, "Americans We" for a color presentation, "Eleanor Rigby" for a concert tune, "Over the Rainbow" and other stuff for an exit tune.

The "circus show" portion of the Cavaliers' show was their out-of-concert production number. Hardly an entire show of circus-themed music. But the costumed characters in the "circus" production did cause quite a stir that year.

Madison Scouts' 1971 show, on the other hand, had more of an overriding "fairy tale" theme throughout... with all the Disney tunes, March of the Toys, Alice in Wonderland stuff, etc., including the various costumed characters. Even the "Yankee Doodle" color presentation was sort of a whimsical treatment of that tune.

And the Cadets' Revolutionary War show that year had that obvious theme throughout.

I will agree to disagree with the poster who thought those three shows "bombed." I saw each corps at least a couple of times that summer, and it seemed that all three shows were pretty well-received by the crowd.

Fran

Maybe not bombed, but I don't know anyone, other than you guys, that really liked at least Garfield's show that much. After the crowd figured out what was going on they warmed up to the show a bit, but I really can't recall any great enthusiasm for it.

I agree that I didn't see Cavies show so much as theme oriented show. I thought the Scouts show was pretty cool and also not really a theme show. I do remember a buzz about Cavies not being allowed to have the clowns on the field at Nationals.

For the life of me, I thought those shows were in 1970! No kidding, it was VFW in Dallas in 1971, right? I remember it was very, very warm and our busses were un-airconditioned.

In anycase, all three shows were pretty much traditional shows and most of the shows from those years were cool. My own corps competed open class but never placed that high nationally. We always got hammered with huge penalties, (deserved and stupid on our part. Guess we choked). My favorites from those years were definitely 27th and Kilties, but they were all so good. Again I miss those type of shows and I wish there was a way to have that venue again, free of the DCI/DCA trappings.(My Mike D disclaimer, in my opinion :) )

[MikeD]

Maybe not bombed, but I don't know anyone, other than you guys, that really liked at least Garfield's show that much. After the crowd figured out what was going on they warmed up to the show a bit, but I really can't recall any great enthusiasm for it.

To back up my memory...

I have a DVD of the Garfield WO performance, and a VHS a friend made of 2-7, Anaheim and Blue Rock at the same show, and our crowd reaction basically matched theirs...inc 2-7 who was virtually the "home team".

Did everyone like our show? Of course not.

I would guess that those who did not like it probably hated the very idea of passing out a libretto.

I agree with Fran on the Cavies as well..really only a part of their show was a circus show...the furor was over the guy who put on the clown suit.

We were lined up in the end zone waiting to go on after them at a show in Northbrook Ill, and we got to watch the poor guy hopping around behind his shield of drummers as he tried to get the legs of his clownsuit over his shoes. Cracked us up to see...but they had a nice show, as did Madison.

For the life of me, I thought those shows were in 1970! No kidding, it was VFW in Dallas in 1971, right? I remember it was very, very warm and our busses were un-airconditioned.

Nope...1971. Dallas was a furnace...I remember standing just outside the gate in our wool Cadet unis waiting to go on at pelims, and I overheard a security guard tell someone that it was 130 degrees at field level in the stadium.

In anycase, all three shows were pretty much traditional shows and most of the shows from those years were cool. My own corps competed open class but never placed that high nationally. We always got hammered with huge penalties, (deserved and stupid on our part. Guess we choked). My favorites from those years were definitely 27th and Kilties, but they were all so good. Again I miss those type of shows and I wish there was a way to have that venue again, free of the DCI/DCA trappings.(My Mike D disclaimer, in my opinion :) )

Actually, I know it's your opinion, so you don't really have to add that "just for me". :)

I loved the shows too...for 1971 my faves, in addition to our own, were 2-7 and Argonne, plus most of Blue Rock's show.

Who did you march with then?

[Martybucs]

I agree with Fran on the Cavies as well..really only a part of their show was a circus show...the furor was over the guy who put on the clown suit.

We were lined up in the end zone waiting to go on after them at a show in Northbrook Ill, and we got to watch the poor guy hopping around behind his shield of drummers as he tried to get the legs of his clownsuit over his shoes. Cracked us up to see...but they had a nice show, as did Madison.

Nope...1971. Dallas was a furnace...I remember standing just outside the gate in our wool Cadet unis waiting to go on at pelims, and I overheard a security guard tell someone that it was 130 degrees at field level in the stadium.

Actually, I know it's your opinion, so you don't really have to add that "just for me". :)

I loved the shows too...for 1971 my faves, in addition to our own, were 2-7 and Argonne, plus most of Blue Rock's show.

Who did you march with then?

I remember that guy trying to get in the clown costume. I remember Cavies at one time making a big deal about their solo soprano holding a 8 count high G. Most lead sops could do that and more by those years, I know I could. Crowd loved it though. "When Irish Eyes are Smiling", I think.

I loved Argonne's "Barnum and Bailey's Favorites" on V/R no less! Blue Rock was cool. Red Winser, their horn arranger in those days, subs on bass with our jazz band some jobs. Upright bass of course.

I was with Brookhaven Crusaders from 1964-1974. We were a local corps, but OK, state and circuit champs. Joe Marello was our drum instructor, Ray Eyler did arranging and horns, (most of the hornline didn't read music so it was done by rote and fingering charts), Al Lucia, did the drill, but later Ralph Pace came in. There was a little kid playing snare that could barely fit the drum, his name is Thom Hannum now with Vic Firth and UofMA.

After the '71 season, Ray Eyler said the corps should not have gone Open Class, but Class A. He and our director, Dave Clark, disagreed mightily on the subject and Dave fired Ray. Well 80% of the corps agreed with Ray 'cause they all left and that was pretty much it for Brookhaven.

Ray and almost our entire corps went to a little corps in nearby Newtown Square, PA called Tri-Community Cadets. They changed the name to Keystone Regiment and went Class A and did well. In a couple of years they merged with the Norwood 507 Hornets and became the Crossmen.

So I think, had Ray Eyler not been fired, there would've never been a Crossmen drum and bugle corps. We replaced Ray with Truman Crawford and then Carl Slagely, but we could never really put all the pieces back together again.

I then went to Reading Buccaneers in 1975 and the same darn thing happened just before I joined more than half the corps quit. We had a great year in 1976 and some of the best music I ever played was that year. Red Winser and Tony Yaklich did the horn arrangements. Stayed in Bucs til 1981. ouch.

Edited October 27, 2006 by Martybucs

[MikeD]

I remember that guy trying to get in the clown costume. I remember Cavies at one time making a big deal about their solo soprano holding a 8 count high G. Most lead sops could do that and more by those years, I know I could. Crowd loved it though. "When Irish Eyes are Smiling", I think.

Yes, our lead solist could hit the high notes too....he is very audible in the closer in the reprise to the jazzy section of "Yankee Doodle" as we exited the field and in our "America, the Beautiful" closing fanfare in the 71 show. I have the WO DVD, as I said, and I also have the same performance on a Garfield 60-72 set of CD's I purchased last year at a USSBA band show my band competed at.

I loved Argonne's "Barnum and Bailey's Favorites" on V/R no less!

Yup...an amazing opener...the JC Superstar back half of the show was god too....I was hanging with a gal baritone player that summer whenever possible...a lot of great folks in that corps.

Blue Rock was cool. Red Winser, their horn arranger in those days, subs on bass with our jazz band some jobs. Upright bass of course.

I thought Kerchner did the 71 show...but I could certainly be wrong on that.

I was with Brookhaven Crusaders from 1964-1974. We were a local corps, but OK, state and circuit champs. Joe Marello was our drum instructor, Ray Eyler did arranging and horns, (most of the hornline didn't read music so it was done by rote and fingering charts), Al Lucia, did the drill, but later Ralph Pace came in. There was a little kid playing snare that could barely fit the drum, his name is Thom Hannum now with Vic Firth and UofMA.

I clearly remember the name...but I have no recollection of the corps itself.

After the '71 season, Ray Eyler said the corps should not have gone Open Class, but Class A. He and our director, Dave Clark, disagreed mightily on the subject and Dave fired Ray. Well 80% of the corps agreed with Ray 'cause they all left and that was pretty much it for Brookhaven.

Ray and almost our entire corps went to a little corps in nearby Newtown Square, PA called Tri-Community Cadets. They changed the name to Keystone Regiment and went Class A and did well. In a couple of years they merged with the Norwood 507 Hornets and became the Crossmen.

So I think, had Ray Eyler not been fired, there would've never been a Crossmen drum and bugle corps. We replaced Ray with Truman Crawford and then Carl Slagely, but we could never really put all the pieces back together again.

That type of story was sadly all too common back in the day.

I then went to Reading Buccaneers in 1975 and the same darn thing happened just before I joined more than half the corps quit. We had a great year in 1976 and some of the best music I ever played was that year. Red Winser and Tony Yaklich did the horn arrangements. Stayed in Bucs til 1981. ouch.

Gee...you were the kiss of death! :P

We can agree on a few things, I think!

[Martybucs]

Yup...an amazing opener...the JC Superstar back half of the show was god too....I was hanging with a gal baritone player that summer whenever possible...a lot of great folks in that corps.

"JC Superstar...was god too." AMEN!!! Shouldn't it be an upper case G, though. :)

[Martybucs]

Gee...you were the kiss of death! :P

We can agree on a few things, I think!

Yes, but we won two DCA World Championships while I was in and after I left the corps struggled a bit. So you can't blame me.

[Martybucs]

Anyone reading this and in the Reading, PA area might want to catch the Hamburg, PA King Frost Parade Saturday night.

Huge parade. Lots of music, not just fire trucks and floats. Get there early, dress warm. I'll be in the Bucs Alumni front row soprano. Just about my 36th or so King Frost parade. (missed a year or two here and there or else it would be my 43rd)

[MikeD]

Yes, but we won two DCA World Championships while I was in and after I left the corps struggled a bit. So you can't blame me.

Whew! That's good! :)