On the Cavies main forum, a FMM writes about the contest that he had just attended, out West. He says,
"the announcer - this guy has been doing the Portland/Vancouver/Kelso/Woodburn/Salem area shows since before I started marching in 1990, and he screws up somehow every year. Before the show he announced that the Crossmen were from Colorado. Then during the scores he said that the Mandarins were the Marauders (who folded in 1994). Can someone please get this guy a script already?"

I replied: "The p.a. guy at Naperville, on June 27, kept announcing Capital Sound as being 'The Colts.' The audience would yell out, 'It's Capital Sound' each time he referred to them as the Colts... repeatedly. It made no difference. What is with these guys, anyhow? Do they hire some guy off the street who doesn't even know one corps from another, or what?! To the members of Capital Sound, it must have felt like The Cavaliers would feel if they were called The Cadets, several times over, when they are on the field.

Interestingly enough, in talking with a FMM of Phantom, that night, he said that he never heard a thing... not until the final applause when the show was ended. He said that if he listened to anything, he would be distracted and therefore miss what he was supposed to be doing... either musically or in drill. He said that he couldn't afford to hear anything; he had to fully concentrate on the DM and on his job at that moment. If ever he lost his concentration, he would have a heck of a time getting back on track and it would be noticable. I wonder if other FMM also 'lock out' (as he referred to it) all outside sounds. Having never marched, myself, I wouldn't know. The first sound he ever heard, other than his own corps, was the applause upon the last note of his corps' performance, each night."


How about you FMM (Imperials, etc.), did you hear the announcer, the crowd, etc., while you were out on the field, I wonder? Or, did you find yourself doing what this FMM of Phantom did?

Only crowd reaction I remember was when we did the sunburst formation at the dream contest in 1963. At first I thought it was an airplane approaching Newark Airport but on the recording it's crowd noise.

I also recollect the announcer at the Dream Contest talked through our opening fanfare. He also tried to mimic John F Kennedy when he introduced St Kevin's. Probably only remember these from listening to recordings--did a lot of that when Keith and I put together the Norwood CD. The best announcer from those recordings is the guy who did the 1962 VFW Nationals in Minnesota (which we didn't include in the CD). Usually Tony Schlecta (the VFW Drum Corps Director) did the announcement. He usually sounded like he was half drunk and really could mess up an introduction. He also had to include the VFW Post that sponsored the corps. I think that there were some pre-1960 Nationals where the corps were only introduced by the VFW or American Legion Post and the corps name wasn't used.

As a drum line member, I don't remember hearing much most of the time. Of course, in the Cavaliers, it was always fun to hear some of the crowd call us the "Green Latrine".

As Drum Major, I think I was more aware of it, because I could hopefully hype the crowd more, which would hype the corps more during a performance.

One time in 1974 they announced the Cavaliers as the Belleville Black Knights - not only the wrong corps, but one of our oldtime arch enemies. We refused to move until he corrected it.

Mispronunciations were the most common mistakes, but it's pretty tough to mispronounce Norwood Park Imperials...

What did you do in the Corps? Snare, Drum Major, Drum Instructor/Arranger

What years were you a Corps member? 1970-73, 78-79

Bob, I was hoping that Capitol Sound (Madison, WI) would just stand there, but they started their program. Perhaps the DM never heard them announced (3 times) as the Colts; I don't know. It would have been so cool if they hadn't done their program til their name was called correctly.

I have to agree with what John said, that the 1963 Dream was a day of most memorable crowd and announcer reactions. There were about 27,000 people in the stands that day and they reacted as if our sunburst was just about perfect. I was on cymbals at the time and was the "point" coming from the circle, straight at the stands. I was a bit of a showoff and twirled those cymbals until my fingers were raw. That day was just about the biggest thrill as an Imperial that I can remember.

One change to John's description: The announcer talked through our exit number, and I'll always remember his words as he praised our performance and brought the crowd to their feet. He finished his speech just as we started the final fanfare, which we blasted at the stands. It was a proud day to be an Imperial.

We just barely beat the Audubon Bon Bons, but the memories are not about how good we were, they are about how the crowd reacted and expressed their appreciation. For me, that's what the shows were all about. We were often much better than our scores revealed, and what I remember has little to do with the scores.

Other than the day at the Dream, I cannot recall any other significant announcer or crowd reaction. In fact, I really didn't know the totality of the reaction that day until listening to the recording much later.

Also, John, there was a plane overhead during the sunburst, which I also didn't hear until listening to the recording. It's interesting to notice that it was a propeller aircraft - something you wouldn't hear today.

I was often aware of momentary reactions such as during flag presentation or just before opening fanfare or after final fanfare. But I seldom heard much more. Maybe it's because there wasn't much more to hear?

I think the work to be done on the field is what's important to concentrate on, and to be paying attention to anything else was the first step toward making mistakes.

Not that I never made a mistake, but distractions do cause lapses. One time, they resulted in my stumbling and falling, after which I was physically ON THE FIELD! But that's another story entirely!

What did you do in the Corps? Drumline

What years were you a Corps member? 1960-1965

John and Larry are correct. Most of the time, we were too busy trying to perform well to really pay any attention to the crowd. (Momemvce was an exception!)

The Dream contest was an exceptionm because the crowd reaction was so great that you couldn't avoid it. Also, there were SO MANY people! Just SEEING them there was amazing!

Finally, the announcer at the Dream ALWAYS did that. He gave each corps a "unique" introduction and a great "send-off" as they left the field.

Bob, Tony Schlecta could mispronounce Norwood Park Imperials.

Larry is correct about the airplane and the announcer talking during the closer. I tend to remember the famfare as it seemed odd that he talked after the corps started to play.

One can hear the airplane on the recording right after the crowd reaction subsides. The 1966 VFW Nationals recordings of a couple of the corps have an airplane in the background as well.

Some things that we all did hear (and see) when we entered the field:

1. The corps which was already on the field
2. The audience (especially the SIZE)
3. The judges, as they prepared for OUR entrance

Later, it was usually a blur!!!!!!!

What did you do in the Corps? drummer; later - instructor and quartermaster

What years were you a Corps member? 1958 - 1963

I used to tell my band students that the LESS they remembered about a show, the better it probably was.

What did you do in the Corps? Snare, Drum Major, Drum Instructor/Arranger

What years were you a Corps member? 1970-73, 78-79

Bob, if what you told your students about the less they remember, the better they probably did, then, man, I must've been great then. 'Course I was. You guys amaze me with the clarity of your memories. I remember a lot of the music, and could probably march to some of the numbers, but reactions? Man... I think Bob is right; I was just too into what I was doing. Or maybe I'm just farsighted. Either way, y'all impress the pants off me with your memories.

What did you do in the Corps? Snare

What years were you a Corps member? '70s

Mike,

If I could only remember what I had for breakfast...

I think it's mostly drummers who remember, for some reason. A few years ago they made a video series called When Drum Corps Was Really Drum Corps. It's mostly a history of the Cavaliers, but it's also a general look at the "good old days." In one interview with Don Warren, he says he can never remember which shows they won or lost, but drummers ALWAYS remember whether they won DRUMS or not, and usually base the success of a year on that rather than the corps itself. I know in 1980 I would have been perfectly happy winning drums and not corps (we actually TIED in drums, although in those days they didn't announce ties, so nobody knew it).

What did you do in the Corps? Snare, Drum Major, Drum Instructor/Arranger

What years were you a Corps member? 1970-73, 78-79

If my wife didn't keep track of birthdays and dates, I'd be a very despised man. I'm like you, I can't even remember what happened yesterday most of the time. Time... all I know about it is that it flies and I don't.

I vaguely remember Dan Kalvig telling me about tying for first in drums. that. Was it Fox Valley you tied with? I say you... I was already in the Army.
Or were you talking about the Cavs? In which case, never mind the previous paragraph.

Spirit tied with Bridgemen in drums in 1980. In those days, they broke the tie by looking at the GE score. So, basically, we lost drums because Bridgemen had a better color guard...

What did you do in the Corps? Snare, Drum Major, Drum Instructor/Arranger

What years were you a Corps member? 1970-73, 78-79

This is what I heard.

"Judges are you ready?

Drum Major [Ann Bay, Val Korman, or Scott Goodrich] is your corps ready?

1983 - "Holy Buckets!!!!"

Imperials, you may take the field for competition"

Gun shot.....

What did you do in the Corps? Cymbals, Bass Drum, Quads

What years were you a Corps member? 1980-1983

Jim: yep! That's about it for me too!

What did you do in the Corps? drummer

What years were you a Corps member? 1958-1963