I saw Boston at their Florida camp today and... my god. Oh sure, they were pretty damn good last year. 12 to 6th is surely no joke. But this - what I saw today - this is now something entirely different. This is something that I've seen before. I've seen it and I recognize it as sure as I know my own face. I cannot mistake this feeling for anything other than what it most assuredly is. It is something I saw, and felt, back in 2012 with Crown; I saw and felt it again in '14 with TILT. And this thing is - a Super Saiyan. That's the only way I can explain it. Those corps in those years took that invisible step that upped their power to a level they had never achieved before. Maybe they didn't win it all, but that was not why we remember those shows. We remember because they all had crossed some invisible line and what came next from them was inevitable. Even if it took another season, even if it took two. Boston has crossed that line. It's not even about where they place this year. It's about putting everyone else; the fans, DCI, and the top 3, on notice. They know how to go Super Saiyan now, and they are coming. We've had our 'dark' shows. We've had our artsy shows. We've had 'clever', and minimalist and Fellini-esque and psychedelic and you name it shows. Prepare for Angry. Animal Farm in comparison was just sarcastic with a touch of upset. Wicked Games was dark with a touch of brooding. What is coming this year is controlled and brutal anger. I know it because even Gino was surprised enough by it to raise an eyebrow and say out loud, "these kids are very good at doing angry". Anyways, I'm calling it now. Top 4. They'll fight it out with someone, possibly Cavs. Here's the Shamaliyan plot twist though. It's entirely too early to tell of course, but if they keep ramping up their power level at this same rate, they may very well leave 4th in their wake. There, I said it. There is a definite possibility that, despite all I just said, that I might be underestimating them.
You were either here, or you were not. I am proud and honored to say I was here for this. The only finals I ever attended, and perhaps the most legendary finals of all time. Blue Stars back in AND in top eight, Crown in fourth, and of course, what we all came for (literally and figuratively). What a privilege it was to witness that night live.
Was in the Crown hornline this year, I remember when they announced BD second there were audible gasps at the field level. It was insane. Such a great year!
That closer never gets old. Constantly rewatching it. Probably watched it over 100 times easily. The fact an entire band stays on beat without any conducting and staying that powerful until the end was remarkable.
They were, at least in my poor speaker phones’s ears, louder than they were in any part of the show. Just goosebumps hearing mellos hit that last note god damnnn
I march Gold in 23’ and James Rocillo, who was our show designer and also a brass tech at BD, told us a story about how they heard phantom on the field in 08’ right before BD went on, and James said when he heard the roar of the croud he knew deep down there was no way the Blue Devils were going to win that night.
I had 50 yd line, 3/4 way up seats. Hotel booked, route planned and snacks ready for the road trip to IU. July 30th, 2008 (that date is engrained in my mind), the office I was co-managing was shut down. I was transferred to another local office, only to learn that two other people had quit from that office that same week. Since I was middle management at that time, vacation was recalled and I couldnt make the trip to IU. To say I was irate was an UNDERSTATEMENT. This was the last year before Friends of DCI was started. This was the last time tickets for finals were on a first come first serve basis instead of pay-to-buy with Friends of DCI. Found out four years later, the company went bankrupt and shut its doors (I had already left). Have never celebrated the end to a company as I did the night I found out their doors were shuttered. If I could go back, I would have handed my keys to the office and made the treck to finals.
Saw this show early season at a small contest in Louisiana. One of my college drumline mates was on the snare line. It was my first live show and I’ve been chasing that high ever since.
Madison Scouts 85-87 alumni and Indiana university 92 5:45 graduate and I was there that night. After Phantom finished that masterpiece I turned to the Phantom fans and alumni sitting around me and told them I really felt they just won tonight. They were hopeful with my prediction and ecstatic with the final results. What an awesome night to be a drum corps fan!
That score was based on what happened in 1996 (tie between Phantom and BD), 1993 (.1 spread between Star and Cadets who won) and the other ties I can't remember correctly. Infinitessimal scoring!!!
There are so many DCI shows I wish I could’ve seen live, and Spartacus is DEFINITELY one of them. I remember watching bits and pieces in high school, but I never watched it in full until years after graduating. All in all, PR ‘08 is one of my favorite shows from the 2000s, and one of my all-time favorites. It’s up there with the likes of Babylon, Kinetic Noise, Tilt, Frameworks, and Scheherazade: Words 2 Live By.
It was a great performance and such a memorable evening. Fun rumor about the guard girl getting a concussion and passing out, but it's not true. She walked off the field that night like she did every night.
We didn’t make final that year, I had probably 30 friends in phantom from other years we had marched together. I’ve never screamed so loud at a show and lost my voice when they won. At that time each corps provided their busses to get everyone home where they needed to be. It is as an awesome ride home with many members from all corps on that trip back to the south.
I’ll argue that end of the 1992 VK show was the loudest crowd response in DCI history. The crowd roar blew out some of the mics. Also, from the time when the fat lady came out to the end of the show the crowd was so loud, I couldn’t hear myself playing my drum.
Ironically, I am a Cavies' Alum who performed in the Alumni corps that year. As much as I thought Cavies deserved second that night. Phantom had one of the most emotional shows I have ever seen. I knew right after their performance, that even thought is was not as clean as BD or Cavies. The emotional aspect of the show was miles above the other 2 corps. I knew at the end, they deserved to win. This was the first finals even I had been to since 1989. I have been to at least 7 finals since then, but this was one of the all time emotional shows I have seen.
Actually, for PR, it goes back Waaaaay further than 1999!! All throughout the 1970s & 80s, they were pretty much considered the perennial bridesmaids at DCI Finals, no matter which corps., name was announced as winner on Finals night, they came in 2nd at Finals more years during those decades than any other single corps., and even in 1994, when PR was, "allowed," to , "tie," for 1st Place with Concord, I truly felt at that point, ( convinced actually), that PR would Never see a true pure 1st place Finals win by DCI, for whatever reasons, I honestly felt there was a legitimate prejudice against Phantom, and I couldn't understand or figure out any good reasoning behind it .
This is only a small part of the story of that night. If you are interested in a deeper dive into the full story…… hit me up. I’d be happy to chat and get you the full backstory!
Some shows tell a clear story, like the Crusaders 2023, but to me 'Spartacus' beats them ALL! You can clearly see the gratitude of the PR members at retreat, and it's beautiful.
Ah the young and not so informed. Yes, 2008 was a PHANTASTIC show. But that reaction, in my opinion, has to do more with other Regiment shows of the past, 77,78, 79, 89, 06. THOSE are why this reaction was as raucous it was.
lmao you would be shocked by how many times I misspoke or messed up pronunciation on things that I wrote like 45 minutes before this. Honestly I might have to just go back to elementary school to learn how to read
I saw Boston at their Florida camp today and... my god.
Oh sure, they were pretty damn good last year. 12 to 6th is surely no joke. But this - what I saw today - this is now something entirely different. This is something that I've seen before. I've seen it and I recognize it as sure as I know my own face. I cannot mistake this feeling for anything other than what it most assuredly is. It is something I saw, and felt, back in 2012 with Crown; I saw and felt it again in '14 with TILT.
And this thing is - a Super Saiyan.
That's the only way I can explain it. Those corps in those years took that invisible step that upped their power to a level they had never achieved before. Maybe they didn't win it all, but that was not why we remember those shows. We remember because they all had crossed some invisible line and what came next from them was inevitable. Even if it took another season, even if it took two.
Boston has crossed that line. It's not even about where they place this year. It's about putting everyone else; the fans, DCI, and the top 3, on notice. They know how to go Super Saiyan now, and they are coming.
We've had our 'dark' shows. We've had our artsy shows. We've had 'clever', and minimalist and Fellini-esque and psychedelic and you name it shows. Prepare for Angry. Animal Farm in comparison was just sarcastic with a touch of upset. Wicked Games was dark with a touch of brooding.
What is coming this year is controlled and brutal anger. I know it because even Gino was surprised enough by it to raise an eyebrow and say out loud, "these kids are very good at doing angry".
Anyways, I'm calling it now. Top 4.
They'll fight it out with someone, possibly Cavs. Here's the Shamaliyan plot twist though. It's entirely too early to tell of course, but if they keep ramping up their power level at this same rate, they may very well leave 4th in their wake.
There, I said it. There is a definite possibility that, despite all I just said, that I might be underestimating them.
You’re getting me hype
You were either here, or you were not. I am proud and honored to say I was here for this. The only finals I ever attended, and perhaps the most legendary finals of all time. Blue Stars back in AND in top eight, Crown in fourth, and of course, what we all came for (literally and figuratively). What a privilege it was to witness that night live.
Was in the Crown hornline this year, I remember when they announced BD second there were audible gasps at the field level. It was insane. Such a great year!
never in my life have a heard a crowd go completely silent like they did in 2008
I wish I could’ve been there instead of being 4 years old.
lmao fr
That closer never gets old. Constantly rewatching it. Probably watched it over 100 times easily. The fact an entire band stays on beat without any conducting and staying that powerful until the end was remarkable.
They were, at least in my poor speaker phones’s ears, louder than they were in any part of the show. Just goosebumps hearing mellos hit that last note god damnnn
Spartacus was actually so fire.
Fr
I march Gold in 23’ and James Rocillo, who was our show designer and also a brass tech at BD, told us a story about how they heard phantom on the field in 08’ right before BD went on, and James said when he heard the roar of the croud he knew deep down there was no way the Blue Devils were going to win that night.
I had 50 yd line, 3/4 way up seats. Hotel booked, route planned and snacks ready for the road trip to IU. July 30th, 2008 (that date is engrained in my mind), the office I was co-managing was shut down. I was transferred to another local office, only to learn that two other people had quit from that office that same week. Since I was middle management at that time, vacation was recalled and I couldnt make the trip to IU. To say I was irate was an UNDERSTATEMENT. This was the last year before Friends of DCI was started. This was the last time tickets for finals were on a first come first serve basis instead of pay-to-buy with Friends of DCI.
Found out four years later, the company went bankrupt and shut its doors (I had already left). Have never celebrated the end to a company as I did the night I found out their doors were shuttered. If I could go back, I would have handed my keys to the office and made the treck to finals.
Saw this show early season at a small contest in Louisiana. One of my college drumline mates was on the snare line. It was my first live show and I’ve been chasing that high ever since.
Madison Scouts 85-87 alumni and Indiana university 92 5:45 graduate and I was there that night. After Phantom finished that masterpiece I turned to the Phantom fans and alumni sitting around me and told them I really felt they just won tonight. They were hopeful with my prediction and ecstatic with the final results. What an awesome night to be a drum corps fan!
15 years later and im still getting choked up over that show
That score was based on what happened in 1996 (tie between Phantom and BD), 1993 (.1 spread between Star and Cadets who won) and the other ties I can't remember correctly. Infinitessimal scoring!!!
( 4:27 ) another fun fact, the guy who stabbed the drum major is actually the Orchestra teacher at my high school currently.
There are so many DCI shows I wish I could’ve seen live, and Spartacus is DEFINITELY one of them. I remember watching bits and pieces in high school, but I never watched it in full until years after graduating. All in all, PR ‘08 is one of my favorite shows from the 2000s, and one of my all-time favorites. It’s up there with the likes of Babylon, Kinetic Noise, Tilt, Frameworks, and Scheherazade: Words 2 Live By.
It was a great performance and such a memorable evening. Fun rumor about the guard girl getting a concussion and passing out, but it's not true. She walked off the field that night like she did every night.
I was there that night. It was incredible. I still get chills every time I see this show.
We didn’t make final that year, I had probably 30 friends in phantom from other years we had marched together. I’ve never screamed so loud at a show and lost my voice when they won. At that time each corps provided their busses to get everyone home where they needed to be. It is as an awesome ride home with many members from all corps on that trip back to the south.
I’ll argue that end of the 1992 VK show was the loudest crowd response in DCI history. The crowd roar blew out some of the mics. Also, from the time when the fat lady came out to the end of the show the crowd was so loud, I couldn’t hear myself playing my drum.
I’ve been watching corp for 40 years, I’m just so interested in this, I’ll share thoughts later
I was there that weekend and I know how great it all was, this was a wonderful theatrical/musical moment.
Ironically, I am a Cavies' Alum who performed in the Alumni corps that year. As much as I thought Cavies deserved second that night. Phantom had one of the most emotional shows I have ever seen. I knew right after their performance, that even thought is was not as clean as BD or Cavies. The emotional aspect of the show was miles above the other 2 corps. I knew at the end, they deserved to win. This was the first finals even I had been to since 1989. I have been to at least 7 finals since then, but this was one of the all time emotional shows I have seen.
wish i coudlve been there instead of being -2 months old
Actually, for PR, it goes back Waaaaay further than 1999!! All throughout the 1970s & 80s, they were pretty much considered the perennial bridesmaids at DCI Finals, no matter which corps., name was announced as winner on Finals night, they came in 2nd at Finals more years during those decades than any other single corps., and even in 1994, when PR was, "allowed," to , "tie," for 1st Place with Concord, I truly felt at that point, ( convinced actually), that PR would Never see a true pure 1st place Finals win by DCI, for whatever reasons, I honestly felt there was a legitimate prejudice against Phantom, and I couldn't understand or figure out any good reasoning behind it .
This is only a small part of the story of that night. If you are interested in a deeper dive into the full story…… hit me up. I’d be happy to chat and get you the full backstory!
Some shows tell a clear story, like the Crusaders 2023, but to me 'Spartacus' beats them ALL! You can clearly see the gratitude of the PR members at retreat, and it's beautiful.
Chills eveytime
I was in that crowd. Seems like yesterday.
Ah the young and not so informed. Yes, 2008 was a PHANTASTIC show. But that reaction, in my opinion, has to do more with other Regiment shows of the past, 77,78, 79, 89, 06. THOSE are why this reaction was as raucous it was.
This…100% this!
You could probably also do indoor groups, so you have something for winter. That was a great vid
You can memorize these scripts my boi
lmao you would be shocked by how many times I misspoke or messed up pronunciation on things that I wrote like 45 minutes before this. Honestly I might have to just go back to elementary school to learn how to read
Great- yes. The Greatest- no