I have such a powerful connection with these performances. This was just a few years after I discovered DCI, and I watched and listened to these shows many, many times. While I have my favorites, the collection as a whole is truly impressive. While I remember that Star won, I do not recall the remaining placements. I personally would order the top 7 like this: 1 Star 2 Cadets 3 Phantom 4 Cavaliers 5 Blue Devils 6 Madison Scouts 7 SCV
This was the last year that I marched corps. Star's win was bought and paid for. Truly sad day for DCI. I will never forget the loud roar of BOO from the crowd, because if I remember right, the Cavaliers had the better show 100 times over and the crowd knew it.
Jason Estrem Are you kidding me? Star was amazing!! They OWNED that field. Cavies were excellent too - the drill of Steve Brubaker was perfect for the show. But Star by far had the better brass line and design (both drill and music).
Travis Wilkinson - Such a shame that people are still perpetuating such vile lies, Star '91 was FABULOUS, that show changed everything, it was and still is considered top five shows EVER in MOST DCI fans hearts... My good friend from High School in SD march Contrabass in that amazing show and I STILL remember how I felt the first time I saw it when he got back from tour and we were moving in to our dorm rooms for our sophomore year at South Dakota State University, it was magical!!! Star changed the game and DCI has not been the same since...
One of the most underrated DCI years in history. This was the first year Blue Knights made it into the top 12. This was the final year the Skyriders made in the top 12. This was I believe the last year the freelancers made or 92 and then folded, along with the Velvet Knights in 92. This was one of the most innovative years, topped off by the extravagant, extraordinary Star of Indiana. I was sooooo happy when they won because they were soaring all year long. And, the Midwest reigned having the top 3 spots!!!!! What a year!!!
We (Freelancers) made 12th in 92... made all the more amazing when you look at the number of ageouts we had in 91... not just ageouts though... most had been with the corps since 87 when we came back from folding. VK went out with a bang in 92 as well. LOVED the Blue Knights opener. And... this was also the year we lost Sky Ryders, who unfortunately folded later this winter and didn't field a corps in 92 (or ever again). Luckily finals was in Dallas and the corps had "relocated" to DeSoto TX otherwise the members may have been hitchiking home.
When I saw Star/Cavies/Phantom at a DCM show in Normal, IL, that year (late June, if I recall), I knew it was going to be a remarkable year for the midwestern powerhouses.
Good lord. I am flat blown away by 1. the quality of this video, and 2. the quality of those bands. Thats incredible. Im stunned, i have to watch this again.
Madisonscoutsfan No. It started before then. Blue Devils went off the deep end the way they interpreted Stan Kenton that year and they were doing a lot of tinkering before returning back to their old, but new form in 1994. That lasted for the rest of the decade until the 2000s. Phantom had been creepin around the top 3 spots for the most part in the early to mid 90s, broke through in 1996 and hovered there for a while more until St. Angel passed then that spelled big changes on many fronts. They took many strong dips in the following years until "Spatacus" came back and they won. They have maintained this consistent form since the late 1980s..."Dvorak". The Cavies started their current form in 1990 and it culminated in 1992 with a championship.They went on, of course to win 7 and they pretty much have stayed the course before taking major dips themselves in the latter 2000s.
I would say the Cavies started building their identity in 1990 - I think the corps adopted its masculine, brassy sound and truly started to become a powerhouse then. 1991 and 1992 marked the evolution of this image, imo. I agree with Veo T regarding the Blue Devils, and I think Phantom started building its identity in 1989, when it, too, started to become a powerhouse.
Wow, I used to have lots of hair back then...I was the timpanist for the Freelancers back in the day. Thanks so much for letting us all relive a time when we had G Bugles, melodies, and one of the best endings in DCI history (Star of Indiana, 1991).
You guys really performed the hell out of that show. I can remember being on a rehearsal break as we were sharing same housing site and you guys were arc'd up and playing THE KISS. I was in complete awe of that Hornline..JUST GORGEOUS!
So at the end of the video, the DM at 10:00 is my band director now, & we pay homage to that video clip...I can't explain the whole cheer without the arm movements, but the last one we do is what he does at the end of the video, while saying "woo" haha. So, kudos for the video for being up, not just 'cause it's cool but because I can see him doing that! Haha.
Woah not at all, no rule. it was just an assumption, that was apparently wrong though. It was just a detail I noticed in your videos. Wonderful compilations nonetheless! Glad you take the time to makes these to show the art of music in motion!
Truely a great year. Entertainment and creativeness together, equally. The music was entertaining, listenable and wonderful. Too bad that didn't continue...
meeman21 Yeah. They were awesome. I witnessed one of their shows and a major accident occurred. There was a part where the contras were coming across and the drums were moving across opposite in front or back. It was a fast paced movement and WHAM!!!! CRASH!! Three or four horn players took a dive!!! They got back up, though. But the ambulance was waiting afterwards!!!!
For those of you who like this older stuff, you should watch some of the late 80's shows. The top corps from those years were usually SCV, Phantom, Cavaliers, Blue Devils, Madison and Garfield(Cadets of Bergen County for the newer viewers).
@drumgod1974 Sorry you thought our show was boring. It was only the best corps the Freelancers ever fielded. Boring or not, we worked our asses off for you!
'91is the peak of DCI - i thought the top 5 shows were all very special, Phantom won the emotion of the night, cavies were overall spectacular, star's drill and mellophones, devils horn book probably the most difficult of all time. Vanguards percussion sounded awesome. . . . . 1991 is the best.
I think this was the year there was a three way tie for 1st in percussion between Star, Cavies and Vanguard while Crossmen effectively got 2nd. Crossmen's percussion book that year is some of the most groovy and well written IMO.
Warren Moore They were both great, but the competition amongst the top corps was incredibly fierce.. Phantom had the overall package, Cavaliers had a completely mind blowing visual production, and Star fused everything that is great about DCI into a show that was untouchable.
@TheRaelPaulGabriel Yep! :) Awesome. I've been here since 2008, just finished my third year in the band and second with Karriker (he was gone for two years to get a degree but came back in 2009, which was also our first year at the new stadium).
I was in Cavies '91. The next year mid-season '92 when I saw them in Texas, I knew they were going to win. Knew it. The drill was more physical, yes, but even more importantly, it was FLUID. The Cavies in form were starting to flowing like water - like the Garfield Cadets in 1987's Appalachian Spring (one of the best championship performances imho) - with simply a SONIC level of brass. They were finally surrendering the strict geometrical forms and moving to melodic designs. However, you don't give up your strength totally: compact, quick, tight maneuvers at the end preserves breath and allows you to blow, and then perform the athletic maneuvers to move and occupy the whole field 16 beats later. A very nice blend of physical skill and music performance. In 1991 we simply couldn't match Star's brass talent. The staff was on a mission even in October 1991 to improve the brass quality and prepare the corps for a truly physical show in 1992 - even greater than 1991. Cavies won every category in 1991 except brass, and they would not let the brass forget that. I couldn't afford to do another season, but, honestly, I should have been cut anyway - they needed better players than I ever was. Still, I will take our last minute on the field against anyone: th-cam.com/video/PysoO9p0OCU/w-d-xo.html. Thank you Cavaliers. Thank you to whomever is preserving our performances. I will never forget the summer of 1991. I hope that even these performances - 18 years later - inspire some young man or woman to do drum corps. It is something you will never forget.
Love this clip. Great quality. Ahh back when drum corps was DRUM CORPS! The drill back then wasn't quite as demanding, but wow, you don't hear brass performance like that anymore. I miss those days. Still love DCI though, in any era.
This is when DCI focused on the music. Beautiful full brass sound. Now the focus is on the marching, with the music simply accentuating the marching. DCI was soo much better in the 1980's and early 1990's. Is there any chance they go back to focusing on the music?
@mobilesuitZer0 The very fact that you had to ask that question makes me incredibly sad. I marched in Freelancers from 1987-1992. The fact that my corps has now folded is not nearly as sad as the fact that apparently we were pretty irrelevant.
MinkyBoodle44 It had a lot to do with the flexibility of the instrumental voicing back then being in the key of G. The writers (and players) were a little more flexible with creative ingenuity.
Were they still playing G bugles at this point? or did Drum Corps stop being Drum and Bugle Corps? (marched in the seventies and early eighties...spent most of the 90's overseas in the service.....missed alot of DCI!!!)
Im starting to realize why people say 91 as the best year for DCI ever. I mean even the skyriders and freelancers were tough that season. Truly a good solid year, much like 08 was.
wow sexy ass solo madison scouts and i spin my trumpet like that too but that fool looke sly while he did that was awesome then the high f came out of no where nice touch
![The Stars and Stripes Forever with 94 piccolos! [4K]](/img/n.gif)
Star of Indiana's mellophone section that year is a masterpiece of creation and execution .
Short Ride in a Fast Machine, Letter from Home, and Prelude Fugue and Riffs--what a performance!
Cavaliers Advent Anthems was one of my all-time favorite shows.
I have such a powerful connection with these performances. This was just a few years after I discovered DCI, and I watched and listened to these shows many, many times. While I have my favorites, the collection as a whole is truly impressive.
While I remember that Star won, I do not recall the remaining placements. I personally would order the top 7 like this:
1 Star
2 Cadets
3 Phantom
4 Cavaliers
5 Blue Devils
6 Madison Scouts
7 SCV
Star of Indiana had a fabulous horn line.....and magnificent visuals this year.
I think that Phantom was the most entertaining, closely followed by Star. But Star won, and with that cross-to-cross, they deserved it.
Though the Crossmeen and the Freelancers were both lovely too.
This was the last year that I marched corps. Star's win was bought and paid for. Truly sad day for DCI. I will never forget the loud roar of BOO from the crowd, because if I remember right, the Cavaliers had the better show 100 times over and the crowd knew it.
Jason Estrem
Are you kidding me? Star was amazing!! They OWNED that field. Cavies were excellent too - the drill of Steve Brubaker was perfect for the show. But Star by far had the better brass line and design (both drill and music).
You a-holes that think we bought that championship still piss me off.
Travis Wilkinson - Such a shame that people are still perpetuating such vile lies, Star '91 was FABULOUS, that show changed everything, it was and still is considered top five shows EVER in MOST DCI fans hearts... My good friend from High School in SD march Contrabass in that amazing show and I STILL remember how I felt the first time I saw it when he got back from tour and we were moving in to our dorm rooms for our sophomore year at South Dakota State University, it was magical!!! Star changed the game and DCI has not been the same since...
THANK YOU for including the conclusion of SCV's opener. One of my fave DCI moments ever. I knew you would! :D
I still remember these SOUNDS and Shows from when I was there at age 16! NEVER seen or heard anything like this before, LUV DCI Forever!
Brilliant design by Marc Sylvester..that drill was just too awesome and the execution..WOW
One of the most underrated DCI years in history. This was the first year Blue Knights made it into the top 12. This was the final year the Skyriders made in the top 12. This was I believe the last year the freelancers made or 92 and then folded, along with the Velvet Knights in 92. This was one of the most innovative years, topped off by the extravagant, extraordinary Star of Indiana. I was sooooo happy when they won because they were soaring all year long. And, the Midwest reigned having the top 3 spots!!!!! What a year!!!
We (Freelancers) made 12th in 92... made all the more amazing when you look at the number of ageouts we had in 91... not just ageouts though... most had been with the corps since 87 when we came back from folding.
VK went out with a bang in 92 as well.
LOVED the Blue Knights opener.
And... this was also the year we lost Sky Ryders, who unfortunately folded later this winter and didn't field a corps in 92 (or ever again). Luckily finals was in Dallas and the corps had "relocated" to DeSoto TX otherwise the members may have been hitchiking home.
When I saw Star/Cavies/Phantom at a DCM show in Normal, IL, that year (late June, if I recall), I knew it was going to be a remarkable year for the midwestern powerhouses.
Cainan Cornelius *Thank you!!!*
Good lord.
I am flat blown away by 1. the quality of this video, and 2. the quality of those bands.
Thats incredible. Im stunned, i have to watch this again.
Phantom Regiment's conductor at the end of that video is my college band director!!!!!
Thanks for putting this together. 1991 was a special year for me being my rookie year and one of the Best Years for Music that year hands down.
De beau souvenir!
Je faisais parti de l'Académie Musicale, c'était ma première participation au DCI.
Does anyone else think that this was the year that corps like blue devils, phantom, and cavies got the identity they have today?
Madisonscoutsfan
No. It started before then. Blue Devils went off the deep end the way they interpreted Stan Kenton that year and they were doing a lot of tinkering before returning back to their old, but new form in 1994. That lasted for the rest of the decade until the 2000s.
Phantom had been creepin around the top 3 spots for the most part in the early to mid 90s, broke through in 1996 and hovered there for a while more until St. Angel passed then that spelled big changes on many fronts. They took many strong dips in the following years until "Spatacus" came back and they won. They have maintained this consistent form since the late 1980s..."Dvorak".
The Cavies started their current form in 1990 and it culminated in 1992 with a championship.They went on, of course to win 7 and they pretty much have stayed the course before taking major dips themselves in the latter 2000s.
Veo T. Lol and in descent years when can you recall a phantom screamer solo, which is dope
I would say the Cavies started building their identity in 1990 - I think the corps adopted its masculine, brassy sound and truly started to become a powerhouse then. 1991 and 1992 marked the evolution of this image, imo.
I agree with Veo T regarding the Blue Devils, and I think Phantom started building its identity in 1989, when it, too, started to become a powerhouse.
Float years to Johnson years big changes for everyone.
@@KiranSundarkdog97 I think 87 was the beginning for Phantom's rise going from 10th the previous year to 5th.
Thanks for making this. I really miss the Freelancers and Sky Ryders. 1991 was a great year!
Wow, I used to have lots of hair back then...I was the timpanist for the Freelancers back in the day. Thanks so much for letting us all relive a time when we had G Bugles, melodies, and one of the best endings in DCI history (Star of Indiana, 1991).
You guys really performed the hell out of that show. I can remember being on a rehearsal break as we were sharing same housing site and you guys were arc'd up and playing THE KISS. I was in complete awe of that Hornline..JUST GORGEOUS!
That was a fun summer.. thanks for the memories!
Oh my god! The 90's may have been the best time ever for DCI, it seems to have been a great era.
I get goose bumps every time the stars make that cross!
My band director was a tuba in the Star of Indiana!
No he wasn't. He had to have played contrabass.
Sorry. I wasn't aware how long the contrabass was used.
Do you happen to live in Sioux Falls?
CBC had HUGE sets that year. WOW.
This video does a good job showing best moments of phantom regiment but that's about it. A lot cooler moments from others that are missed. A lot!
agreed. There's a BUNCH of stuff that I would have preferred to see from the other corps.
heartbreakingly fabulous year, everyone was awesome, nice compile
Jesus how is it bk sounds so beefy in this compared to everyone else? That low brass had power!
I noticed that too I think Jim Prime was arranging for them that year. Doesn't hurt.
As a member of the Bridgemen, this was great to see. Nice Job. Got chills!
Back when the sparkling of the horns truly brought an exciting GE to the adventure without a shitload of props blocking the glare.
So at the end of the video, the DM at 10:00 is my band director now, & we pay homage to that video clip...I can't explain the whole cheer without the arm movements, but the last one we do is what he does at the end of the video, while saying "woo" haha. So, kudos for the video for being up, not just 'cause it's cool but because I can see him doing that! Haha.
I was there and it was my first drum corps experience. Good memories.
1991 was a great year for drum corps...
A great year for DCI
DCI's best year ever. No question....
thats trumpet twirl was beastly!!!
Woah not at all, no rule. it was just an assumption, that was apparently wrong though. It was just a detail I noticed in your videos. Wonderful compilations nonetheless! Glad you take the time to makes these to show the art of music in motion!
love that phantom regiment solo in the opener of their show. =D
all they show of BD is the Stan Kenton song. the Conversations in Jazz starts after that. I still think they are the best hornline ever.
It was one hell of a year.
I can't imagine rehearsing Star's show for an entire summer. A triathlon must seem like a warm-up for them.
Truely a great year. Entertainment and creativeness together, equally. The music was entertaining, listenable and wonderful. Too bad that didn't continue...
Geez, that Nessun Dorma solo...I shiver every time!
This video inspired me to buy the dvd! thank u Jeremy! :)
NOW THIS IS DRUM CORPS....
Freelancers had the best opening hit this year
OMG , I was HERE in Dallas at this Finals when I was 16, awesome ending STAR!!!!!!
AWESOME experience to be there in the stands live when I was 16.
DCI was HOT bad then!!!
GO STAR!
anyone else notice how in time the blue knights were at the beginning? amazing
meeman21
Yeah. They were awesome. I witnessed one of their shows and a major accident occurred. There was a part where the contras were coming across and the drums were moving across opposite in front or back. It was a fast paced movement and WHAM!!!! CRASH!! Three or four horn players took a dive!!! They got back up, though. But the ambulance was waiting afterwards!!!!
That's a great idea. If one wanted to show a person what drum corps is all about, one can point them to this.
The Star of Indiana had one of the greatest mellophone lines in my opinion.
Gotta love Jim Prime's writing! He let those mellos rip like crazy...
For those of you who like this older stuff, you should watch some of the late 80's shows. The top corps from those years were usually SCV, Phantom, Cavaliers, Blue Devils, Madison and Garfield(Cadets of Bergen County for the newer viewers).
@drumgod1974 Sorry you thought our show was boring. It was only the best corps the Freelancers ever fielded. Boring or not, we worked our asses off for you!
i love those freelancers hornlines/shows in 88 and 90 in particular. super ballsy brasslines
amazing....that was straight sweet
I miss the Santa Clara of old... NOBODY told a story like Vanguard!
coats sure changed since I recall the good old days rehearsing at babe stern
'91is the peak of DCI - i thought the top 5 shows were all very special, Phantom won the emotion of the night, cavies were overall spectacular, star's drill and mellophones, devils horn book probably the most difficult of all time. Vanguards percussion sounded awesome. . . . . 1991 is the best.
I think this was the year there was a three way tie for 1st in percussion between Star, Cavies and Vanguard while Crossmen effectively got 2nd. Crossmen's percussion book that year is some of the most groovy and well written IMO.
And don’t leave out a strong 7th place show by Madison. As far as 7th place shows go it was top notch and as always entertaining
Both the Cadets and Blue Devils were ripped that year. Their programs were so advanced.
Warren Moore They were both great, but the competition amongst the top corps was incredibly fierce.. Phantom had the overall package, Cavaliers had a completely mind blowing visual production, and Star fused everything that is great about DCI into a show that was untouchable.
@TheRaelPaulGabriel Yep! :) Awesome. I've been here since 2008, just finished my third year in the band and second with Karriker (he was gone for two years to get a degree but came back in 2009, which was also our first year at the new stadium).
I just got an Olds Fullerton II G Bugle....time to learn that Freelancers soprano solo!
Great year ❤
Ha! Love the old uniforms! Classic!
wishing star would come back for just one year!
I was in Cavies '91. The next year mid-season '92 when I saw them in Texas, I knew they were going to win. Knew it. The drill was more physical, yes, but even more importantly, it was FLUID. The Cavies in form were starting to flowing like water - like the Garfield Cadets in 1987's Appalachian Spring (one of the best championship performances imho) - with simply a SONIC level of brass. They were finally surrendering the strict geometrical forms and moving to melodic designs. However, you don't give up your strength totally: compact, quick, tight maneuvers at the end preserves breath and allows you to blow, and then perform the athletic maneuvers to move and occupy the whole field 16 beats later. A very nice blend of physical skill and music performance.
In 1991 we simply couldn't match Star's brass talent. The staff was on a mission even in October 1991 to improve the brass quality and prepare the corps for a truly physical show in 1992 - even greater than 1991. Cavies won every category in 1991 except brass, and they would not let the brass forget that. I couldn't afford to do another season, but, honestly, I should have been cut anyway - they needed better players than I ever was.
Still, I will take our last minute on the field against anyone: th-cam.com/video/PysoO9p0OCU/w-d-xo.html.
Thank you Cavaliers. Thank you to whomever is preserving our performances. I will never forget the summer of 1991. I hope that even these performances - 18 years later - inspire some young man or woman to do drum corps. It is something you will never forget.
Love this clip. Great quality. Ahh back when drum corps was DRUM CORPS! The drill back then wasn't quite as demanding, but wow, you don't hear brass performance like that anymore. I miss those days. Still love DCI though, in any era.
I miss G bugles
damn, for 91 that's INSANE quality
My band director marched Star of Indiana and Spirit of Atlanta
This is when DCI focused on the music. Beautiful full brass sound. Now the focus is on the marching, with the music simply accentuating the marching. DCI was soo much better in the 1980's and early 1990's. Is there any chance they go back to focusing on the music?
hey they are SO GOOD!!!
@mobilesuitZer0 The very fact that you had to ask that question makes me incredibly sad. I marched in Freelancers from 1987-1992. The fact that my corps has now folded is not nearly as sad as the fact that apparently we were pretty irrelevant.
I like all the old corps logos.
Is it just me, or does the music they chose back then sound a lot more interesting?
MinkyBoodle44
It had a lot to do with the flexibility of the instrumental voicing back then being in the key of G. The writers (and players) were a little more flexible with creative ingenuity.
Were they still playing G bugles at this point? or did Drum Corps stop being Drum and Bugle Corps? (marched in the seventies and early eighties...spent most of the 90's overseas in the service.....missed alot of DCI!!!)
nice video
Star of indiana's uniforms have got to be the most unique i've ever seen.....
It BLEW our faces OFF!!!!
Why does it look like the cadets have 14 tenors in the beginning? I think I'm missing something here...
Im starting to realize why people say 91 as the best year for DCI ever. I mean even the skyriders and freelancers were tough that season. Truly a good solid year, much like 08 was.
PLEASE... let there be another year like this one before DCI can finish screwing the activity up!!
Damn, those intervals look JUST like they would on a computer program...
Star was killer. Makes me a little more glad to live in Indiana lol
7:17. Lol that must suck if the first guy in the line watches this
@maemmfc do you go to Akron U? I marched there during the first part of Karriker's (sp?) first year in '99 .
1991 was an odd year. Freelancers and Skyriders had good strong shows and then fell off the face of the Earth. That was a shame!
1991 season was probably one of my favorites!! And the one year I didn't like the Cavie's show as much.
@tacos931s I'm sure the volume isn't accurate.
And then when you finish that you can start doing the best of for each individual corps :P.
@Wahl95 The year after float left... :o
1:03 WHAT IS THAT SONG!? it's amazing.
pat metheny suite
The only way to end these videos is definitely with phantom... Good choice
from the story i heard, that was added on finals week
wow sexy ass solo madison scouts and i spin my trumpet like that too but that fool looke sly while he did that was awesome then the high f came out of no where nice touch
Star should have won by a mile. They were so underscored.
miss the freelancer!
wheres the velvet knights :P you got to put them in the mix !!
Who won this year? I don't remember. I know Cavies (unfortunatly), Phantom, BD, and Bluecoats didn't win.
star
Amazing. How do you have this in such good quality?
Nobody was moving like star man
You didn't include the leg spread!
Star of Indiana was a bit ahead of it's time, I think.
did i just hear star doing feste romane????