This was my first drum corps show. Our high school band director loaded up a few kids and away we went. Three years later I marched snare with Spirit. What memories! Spirit Snare 1980
I remember this performance. The cement walls were echoing sound back. Extremely difficult to hear the timing of the full ensemble. Truly enjoyed the 1977 year playing with these fine musicians & performers. Thanks for posting the video.
Wowwww!!! Thank you so much for posting this!!! I am the #3 bass drum. THAT was a great summer and this is the FIRST time i have ever seen our performance👍👍 thank you again!!!
You're welcome. I marched #4 '83 & '84 and bottom bass my ageout '85. My best friend in corps marched #3 those same years. Glad you enjoyed this & keep on keepin' on!
My mom and dad and I were at this show. Doc Severinsen put on a pre-show concert and it was awesome. No need for the huge speakers he had and that we were a few feet from - OUCH! Spirit placed 5th ahead of the Kingsmen, Argonne Rebels and Oakland Crusaders. I remember those 7 bass drums which were more than any other corps I saw in that era. I came to learn based on the impeccable tone that Joel Schultz was the soprano soloist in their concert number who would go on to play many more legendary solos during his career in Spirit of Atlanta.
Thank you for this post. Have not heard this recording in a very long time they were just outstanding, great horn line, followed by a outstanding drum line. Today is January 27th 2022. Former member of the Long Island sunrises.
Afraid not. My friend Randy Wickstrom marched in the snare line for Oakland during this time, too, but I don't have the Crusaders' performance for this show.
@@chale1108 I know they marched Ludwig in 78 and 79, then played Slingerlands in 1980. They were going to play North drums for 81 but they couldn't get the prototype to work, so they went back to Ludwig for the rest of the decade.
Grew up in Georgia and have always been a huge Spirit of Atlanta fan since 77. Great throw back and yes I remember marching with our HS band of 150 in the early 1980s at Fulton County Stadium for a Falcons game. Our band director arranged for us to practice at the stadium before the game to get used to the echo. Glad he did it. 😅
I'm thinking Slingerland TDR for the snares, the first generation for the really tight drum heads. You can hear in this recording that the sound wasn't quite dialed in. Drum head technology had not quite caught up with the snare drum shell and hardware lug designs.
Jim Ott and Tom Float were then the soul of Spirit's music, and remain legendary figures in drum corps!!
Neither Jim or Tom were with spirit in 77. They came in 78.
This was my first drum corps show. Our high school band director loaded up a few kids and away we went. Three years later I marched snare with Spirit. What memories!
Spirit Snare 1980
I remember this performance. The cement walls were echoing sound back. Extremely difficult to hear the timing of the full ensemble. Truly enjoyed the 1977 year playing with these fine musicians & performers. Thanks for posting the video.
I believe Dan Spaliding did the percussion writing in 77. He was one of the most creative writers at that time. I enjoyed this, thanks.
Remembering Jerry McEver on this day as one of the founding contrabass players. He lived for Spirit, gone too early, Jerry, you will be missed.
Wowwww!!! Thank you so much for posting this!!! I am the #3 bass drum. THAT was a great summer and this is the FIRST time i have ever seen our performance👍👍 thank you again!!!
You're welcome. I marched #4 '83 & '84 and bottom bass my ageout '85. My best friend in corps marched #3 those same years. Glad you enjoyed this & keep on keepin' on!
Jim Black super cooooool!!
Holycow. The old Atlanta Stadium and Spirit. I never knew this existed. Thank you thank you!!!!!
One of the great brass lines/corps ever. Still remember the first time I saw them up close. Unreal.
My mom and dad and I were at this show. Doc Severinsen put on a pre-show concert and it was awesome. No need for the huge speakers he had and that we were a few feet from - OUCH! Spirit placed 5th ahead of the Kingsmen, Argonne Rebels and Oakland Crusaders. I remember those 7 bass drums which were more than any other corps I saw in that era. I came to learn based on the impeccable tone that Joel Schultz was the soprano soloist in their concert number who would go on to play many more legendary solos during his career in Spirit of Atlanta.
I remember the 77 Southern tour . My first year in drum corps with the Anaheim Kingsmen. Loved Spirit!
Thank you for this post. Have not heard this recording in a very long time they were just outstanding, great horn line, followed by a outstanding drum line. Today is January 27th 2022. Former member of the Long Island sunrises.
Thx Jim.... When I think of Spirit.❤ 2 names will forever & have always stuck in my head.... Mr. Jim Ott & Mr. Tom Float. Awestruck.!!!!
Even their warmups give me goose flesh. Has there ever been another corps quite like this one?
I was at this show. Horrible venue for a drum corps show. But good to see a rare look at Spirit’s inaugural show
Did any competitive corps ever carry SEVEN bass drums? Or carry at least SEVEN drums in their tenor sets?
Spirit did in 1981
Not a corps, but for a few years, the WGI group inov8 competed with 8 bass drums.
I was in this show, marched Oakland Crusaders. Jim if you have video of Oaklands please let me know.
Afraid not. My friend Randy Wickstrom marched in the snare line for Oakland during this time, too, but I don't have the Crusaders' performance for this show.
thanks for responding. The search continues.
Does anyone know what brand of drums they used that year?
I believe they marched Slingerland for the first few years, including 1977.
Christopher Hale Thanks
@@chale1108 I know they marched Ludwig in 78 and 79, then played Slingerlands in 1980. They were going to play North drums for 81 but they couldn't get the prototype to work, so they went back to Ludwig for the rest of the decade.
Grew up in Georgia and have always been a huge Spirit of Atlanta fan since 77. Great throw back and yes I remember marching with our HS band of 150 in the early 1980s at Fulton County Stadium for a Falcons game. Our band director arranged for us to practice at the stadium before the game to get used to the echo. Glad he did it. 😅
I'm thinking Slingerland TDR for the snares, the first generation for the really tight drum heads. You can hear in this recording that the sound wasn't quite dialed in. Drum head technology had not quite caught up with the snare drum shell and hardware lug designs.