stxmoose32 Posted February 18, 2007 Share Posted February 18, 2007 Most Extreme Show? Unbelievable conditions? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nothingbetter Posted February 18, 2007 Share Posted February 18, 2007 Most Extreme Show? Unbelievable conditions? Ha, I've seen that happen in rehearsals, but ever a show... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
davam Posted February 18, 2007 Share Posted February 18, 2007 Port Clinton, OH is right on Lake Erie, and therefor a hot spot for mayflies. They used to have a show there back in the DCM days, and in 1996 the mayflies were allegedly coming down like a plague. These things raining down from the skies and you can't take one step without crunching on 2 or 3 with your feet. I wasn't there in 1996, but the Glassmen were and they made an "I survived the bug show" Tshirt to sell at their souvie booth, I saw alot of people wearing it. I was there in 1993, marching, and I remember practically inhaling a mayfly in the middle of the show, then having to spit it out. Was anyone else at the mayfly show in Port Clinton in 1996? I was there, and it was insane. The bugs were so thick it literally looked like snow. You mentioned taking one step and crunching two or three? Try 10 or 20. It was so bad that it was a drum-major-only retreat (this was back when they still had full retreats). The Cadets got the worst of it because of when they went on and their creamed colored uniforms (I'm thinking drum majors here) to which the bug were particularly drawn. At its height, people were fleeing the stands because the bugs were literally raining down on them. The ground was carpeted with the bugs and people huddled under any overhang there was because it was raining bugs. I've seen shows in heat, cold, rain, lightning, bad field conditions, etc., but none tops the weirdness of the bug show in Port Clinton. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mchromik Posted February 18, 2007 Share Posted February 18, 2007 I cannot speak for '79; but 1980 prelims at Birmingham's Legion Field was the absolute HOTTEST conditions I have ever seen. Troop went out on the field in the middle of the afternoon when the field temps were measured at 150 degrees...I had blisters on my feet after I came off the field; and people were being cared for all over the place. (Imagine what it was like in those dark tops!) Legion field burned us (literally) as well. In 87' DCI South prelims at Legion Star might have seemed a little 'light in the loafers' for the 150 degree turf was rough on our feet. The entire corps was wearing extremely light Capezio Dance shoes that year and those temps actually melted the soles of some folks. Incredible. Later that year at the Regional in St. Louis we were waiting in the wings to go on in finals. Madison was on the field and the most horrendous thunderstorm hit during their closer. I cannot remember seeing anyone march in harder rain. We retreated to the tunnel with Garfield's guard and pit as the power blinked and water raced down the tunnel. The Star hornline members carried many of the Garfield guard members so as to protect their delicate side button boots and long dresses from the water running over our feet. It was an interesting evening, if not a tad frightening. In 88' we were on the field in Horicon WI when the sirens sounded. The corps played on as the crowd began to retreat vigorously (ie. RUN). The announcer called for us to leave the field, but we played on until the Staff ran onto the field. Unknown to us, a nice funnel cloud was passing behind us! Of course it was during the Hurricane portion of Porgy and Bess. Earlier that year I spent some time trapped on our equipment truck with some Blue Devil B members as the most incredible lightening storm I have ever seen welcomed us to Phoenix. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zachariaswmb Posted February 18, 2007 Share Posted February 18, 2007 (edited) Ha, I've seen that happen in rehearsals, but ever a show... Yep, we had a rehearsal like that this year. Just marched through it! That is an incredible picture, man! Edited February 18, 2007 by zachariaswmb Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChicagoFan Posted February 18, 2007 Share Posted February 18, 2007 cannot speak for '79; but 1980 prelims at Birmingham's Legion Field was the absolute HOTTEST conditions I have ever seen. Troop went out on the field in the middle of the afternoon when the field temps were measured at 150 degrees...I had blisters on my feet after I came off the field; and people were being cared for all over the place. I was there in '79 and '80 -- in the audience -- and it was unbearable in the stands. It must have been brutal out on the astroturf. I remember it became something of a "game" with the crowd to count the number of fallen performers after each corps exited the field. A few kids passed out during their performance, but most had the fortitude to make it to the end, only to drop once the final note had been sounded. If you've never experienced August in Alabama, you don't really know what "hot" means. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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