On another Forum thread, we were talking about the Santa Clara Vanguard and their loss to the Imperials in 1970 at Deerfield.

There is an interesting video on YOUTUBE which shows the Vanguard at a midwest show in 1973.. I think it is either DeKalb or Whitewater.

Includes interviews with their Director, Gayle Royer.

But, there is an interesting interview with our own alum Rick Maass. Great shots of many corps from that era.

I loved to see those (as well as Santa Clara) especially because I had been on the field judging them when they performed those shows! The Santa Clara show still gives me goose-bumps.

Check it out for an interesting walk down drum corps memory lane!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1wkv6UUmdZE

What did you do in the Corps? drummer

What years were you a Corps member? 1958-63

That was great!!! I remember that DeKalb has those tall buildings in the background. Not to sure about Whitewater. On you tube if you search for Madison Scouts, they have their show from 1974? It is great also.

Was that the year SCV did the "Bottle Dance"I always
wanted to see that,I heard so much about it.

What did you do in the Corps? French Horn

What years were you a Corps member? 1957 thru 1963

Rich,

That was the first year SCV did the Bottle Dance, and just with the rifle line. In later years, they used the entire guard. It was definitely one of the coolest moves ever done by a guard, and people would flock to see it.

Unfortunately, in the later 70s, they would pull it out for finals as a last "hype" and hope to move up a spot, and it often wasn't very good musically (1979 in particular). It sounded like they told the ones who knew it from before to play really loud - and they were all on third soprano! But the crowd still loved it.

I always felt that 1973 was a transitional year from older to more modern drum corps, because so many rules changes happened the following year (entering from the back sideline, ending shows on the field, mallets in the percussion section, mutes in the brass, etc.).

And I always liked Norwood's 1973 show - the second one (the original one was terrible!).

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, what WERE the "two" Imperials shows in 1973?

What did you do in the Corps? drummer

What years were you a Corps member? 1958-63

We started the year coming off the line with "New World Symphony". Later we changed to "The River" by Bill Chase, including the famous opening soprano solo from the stands. That then lead into "Goodbye Columbus" which was from the movie of the same name. We did "Requiem", complete with a makeshift casket made from flag poles and a flag draped over. Then "2001" (the rock version), and closing with "John Brown's Body", with all the American flags. The second version of the show was much more entertaining and "cutting edge" than the first. Even the songs that we kept were revamped, and it's like we moved ahead 10 years in design halfway through the season.

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

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

God, I remember that video. It was a real rush watching it and also seeing myself marching in the short segment of Kilts. I think I still have a bad copy of that on video tape somewhere. Thanks for sharing that url!!!!

What did you do in the Corps? Brass Instructor, Corps Manager