A.Ham at My.Home

Hamilton on Disney+

July 3, 2020

The Sherry Cave

Yes, folks, I'm blogging about Hamilton from my house as I watch it.  I sent this Pic Collage to Bro and V.  

The last time I saw this show was in Puerto Rico with Lin Manuel Miranda reprising his title role, and I got all emotional thinking about that awesome trip, and the show that they gifted me for my birthday.  Then I started crying and realized that I needed to go back to watching the show and blogging already.  Also, those M&Ms needed my attention.

Love the vocal percussion during the opening castle logo.  Oh my gosh, I'm so excited!

I'm so happy that I can do this and maybe pay better attention another day, like tomorrow.  

I'm also happy that I get to see all of the performers that I hear when listening to my CD, even though I've liked all of the touring performers, too.

"Don't modulate the key and not debate with me!"

Love seeing Jonathan Groff's facial expressions as King George.  I love seeing all of the facial expressions up close!

That lighting with each BOOM!

Rewind is about to break my heart again.   Oh my gosh, her voice is so awesome!!!

Liz is watching right now, too, and loving the close-ups.

"Call me 'son' one more time!"  Whoa, so angry.

Lafayette / Jefferson is probably my favorite role(s) besides Hamilton.  Oh, it's Joe's, too!

I cannot help but say "Immigrants.  We get the job done!" with them, even when in the theatre, although without any sound.

"We'll never be free until we end slavery."

This is drum corps, but dancing with real-looking rifles and a live orchestra instead of brass instruments.  Also, you can't see the instruments.  So maybe Winter Guard?

Uh oh, here comes George again.  Crazy mofo.  "Awesome. Wow."  King George is from the San Fernando Valley.

"When your people say they hate you, don't come crawling back to me."  (You hear that, current President!?!?  Oh, sorry, I'm a little stressed out about our country right now.)

So, what actually happens to Theodosia?  I need to do some research.

Ooh, intermission!

I don't think Jefferson actually needs that cane if he can dance that way.

"We all know who really does the planting."

Love that cabinet meeting, especially when they reference Grandmaster Flash. 

So love Eliza providing the beatbox.

"My dearest, Angelica".  Grammar is important, and I love that they note that.

"Tell my wife John Adams doesn't have a real job anyway."

"Screw your courage to the screwing place." -- Macbeth / Beauty and the Beast / Hamilton

...and then Sherry gets pissed off at Hamilton.  But then again, he was a Tom Cat.

"I said that last time, it became a pastime."  Hey, that word is in my blog title!

Love that "Room Where It Happened" groove.

"You must be out of your go*&*mn mind!"  and then he talks about speaking with King Louis' severed head.

"I'm sorry.  What?"

Yes, George, history has its eyes on you.  Love King George's not realizing that a leader can just step down.  Also, his reaction to John Adams becoming president is hilarious.

Uh oh.  Ominous music.

Such power in Eliza's voice during "Burn".

"Everything is legal in New Jersey."

CRYING NOW.  Unimaginable.

"Can we get back to politics?"

"At least they know I know where France is."

I sometimes wish that my first name started with an "A", so I could sign letters like in the "A.Ham" / "A.Burr" way.

Ahhhhh, this countdown.  Sooo good.

Wise up, eyes up.

I love when she tells her story.  It's making me cry again.

That was so great!  Thank you, Disney, Lin-Manuel Miranda, and the cast and crew of Hamilton!  I needed this to make my soul feel better in such a tumultuous time.  Weird,huh?  Because it's not like this is a happy-go-lucky kind of show, but it's just...ahhhh.

Good night, and Happy Independence Day, USA!

Corpse of Corps, er...Course

Tonight would have been the Western Corps Connection in Riverside or San Bernardino, whatever.  It's usually the last night that the World Class Corps compete in SoCal, and the night I go into withdrawal for a month.  But that won't happen today, because I've been in withdrawal since last August.  So let's help me out by taking a dive into the wonder that is The Academy's 2016 show, "Drum Corpse Bride".

I've been enjoying The Academy shows since they first came on the scene as an Open Class corps, or what we called back then: Division II.  I was very impressed with their musicianship, which was to be expected, considering their pedigree of former Phantom Regiment staff.  They soon became part of the World Class corps contingent, and got really cool uniforms that were longer than the traditional ones, with double breasted waistcoats, which were probably very warm in the Arizona sun.  They did some very entertaining shows, tackling Disney and Warner Bros themes leading up to this one.

Blog from my first viewing of the show: MidCal Champions

THE ACADEMY
Repertore: "Drum Corpse Bride" --Corpse Bride Main Titles by D. Elfman; Romeo & Juliet by S. Prokofiev; Sorcerer's Apprentice by P. Dukas; Suggestion Diabolique by S. Prokofiev; Unchained Melody by A. North & H. Zaret

The announcer said "Drum Corps Bride", which does not have the same effect as the proper pronunciation.  Bro prepared me for this show, saying that he loves it from looking at the snapchat feed.  I love it, too!  Awesome themeing throughout, with the pre-show of the wedding, the creepy cool wedding gown, the CG dressed as Death, the CG males wearing the perfectly-hued suits, and the muted purple cumberbunds on the corps uniforms.  Heart formation was pretty and not the standard.  Cross formation - Sherry yelled "YEAH!!!" "Unchained Melody" was very nice.  When the chairs are turned around, they become grave markers.  Xylophones on their chests like they are skeletons!  The set in back is really cool.  I'm going to enjoy the heck out of this show as we see it progress.  Easily the crowd favorite of the evening.  Bro figured he saw what he wanted to see and we could leave.  I told him to at least hang on for SCV, since that is his favorite corps.

Academy Wedding

Yup, I loved the show at first sight.  I would share video with you from that night, but the one that I found has a child talking through some of it, as well as somebody's head in it most of the time.

Blog from my second viewing: DCI West

THE ACADEMY

Bro and I discussed the movie earlier in the day because it had been a long time since I saw "Corpse Bride".  We saw that there were 2 weddings, but it wasn't the same as in the movie.  Bro forgot to look for butterflies, but we figured there weren't any because of the difference.  I'm going to listen for the cool crescendo/decrescendo that Bro is talking about, although I did hear the end of the decrescendo down to one snare drum.  There are wedding rings on the flags.  They move really fast to get to a kneeling position at one point.  I'm glad I get to see this show several more times.

Chest Xylophones

Blog from my third viewing: Moonlight Classic

ACADEMY

Beautiful "Unchained Melody" solo.  OH!  "Ghost"!!!  That's the other reason they're playing this song.  I get it.  Bro told me later that there is a ghost formation.  I'll have to look for that.  I think I may have seen it but didn't think about it.  Heart beats with the big bass drum and the corps moving with each beat.  Very cool. Unlike the movie, there are no butterflies at the end of this show.

Time is eternal for those who love

Blog from Fourth Viewing: Corps at the Crest / Oceanside

THE ACADEMY
Death starts from the left side now instead of the right upper corner.  Awesome guard:  here, let me carry this girl on my back, toss up my saber really high, and catch it with one hand without dropping the girl.  The xylophone players at the graves now wear skulls on their heads so that when they look down at their chests to play, they look like skeletons.  Love the added effect!  That "Unchained Melody" solo was gorgeous.  I've missed this show.

(The reason I wrote "I've missed this show" is because Academy was not at SCV Family Day or the one with all of the encores and no competition that we had attended earlier in the week.)

Fifth viewing of the show: Corps at the Crest / Rose Bowl

THE ACADEMY

A bit dirty, but I just love this show.  I didn't see a ghost formation, so I guess there isn't one. This was Dodie's favorite show of the evening. I think it was Tim's, too.  He loves the choices that the corps has been making in the least few years, and they are becoming one of his favorites.  Their music is familiar but they skew it in a way that is unique.  I mean, who else would think to turn the Death March melody into "Here Comes the Bride"?  The Academy's shows are just so entertaining and understandable that they make it hard not to love them.  I wouldn't be surprised if someone from Disney was on the design staff.  If only they were cleaner, they'd probably make it to Finals night.  Bro is getting sad because he knows that he'll only get to see the show in person 3 more times.  

Wedding Ring Flags

So then they had time to work on their show before we saw them again.

Here's the trumpet/flugelhorn soloist cam from a few days before Finals.  Yes, THAT soloist!  My favorite, playing "Unchained Melody".

Blog from Sixth viewing: DCI Prelims

THE ACADEMY -- 87.15*

Gorgeous. The show was spot on. The changes made the show even better: the circle of chairs, the individual corps members dancing with the bride, the heart around the chairs at the end...beautiful. I recalled what the GE judge on the IndyGo shuttle said about this show: "it's always a cool feeling to be the fan favorite." And look at that score! I'm hoping that we were wrong when they left So Cal in July, and that we WILL get to see them on Finals night. It seems that we're not the only ones hoping for this.

Here is the field judge's tape from that night, although it is just audio and a still of the big heart formation.  I do not understand a lot of the drumspeak, but I like how excited he gets about the drama. "The macabre 'bones" xylophones.  That is really just brilliant...playing the melodic tempo with an eerie sound."

Blog from Seventh Viewing: DCI Semifinals

ACADEMY -- 87.225*

I. Can't. Even. with this Academy show.  As soon as the marimbas played the opening notes of "Unchained Melody", the tears started to well up in my eyes.  Then that beautiful solo hit, and the tears fell.  WOW.  The tombstones today included the names of this year's age-outs, according to Dan Potter's interview with the drum major.  V had overheard them talking about this at the booth yesterday, and it was a surprise to the corps.  We are really, really excited that The Academy has made it to Finals for the first time.  We get to see the show again!  YAY!!!!!!  Congratulations, Academy!

Let's warm up those horns for the last show.  I especially like their arrangement of the Doxology.

Blog from Eighth Viewing: DCI Finals!!!!!  

THE ACADEMY

Wow, nice ovation for them as they entered the stadium for their very first Finals night.  Announcer Brandt Crocker:  "Performing their 2016 program, 'Drum Corpse Bride', Drum Corpse International is proud to present The Academy!"  So awesome that he even said "corpse" for DCI, and he got a good reaction from the crowd.  The "Unchained" soloist blew a kiss to the camera afterward.  He's so dreamy!  I do not recall hearing one wrong note in all of the times that I've seen this show, live or online.  He has been amazing this whole season.  I was weeping by the end of the show.  I mean, I always cry at weddings, but this is ridiculous how much emotion they generate for the audience in their 15 minutes on the field.  The lead CG tossed her bouquet from the DM stand.  Their pit vehicle had a "Just Married" sign and a string of cans on the back.  I heart you, Academy, and pledge to thee my love.

Retreat:

Academy brought their tombstones/chairs, and they received a standing ovation when they were announced to enter the stadium for their first Finals appearance

The Academy

Scores:

11) 86.10 -- The Academy

 (They received a standing ovation, and the other corps applauded them.  Awesome).

I like this synopsis about the show/Academy.

So that was my view of Academy's storied first season at Finals.  I hope they get to go back someday!

Crest at the Crest

I remember the first time I saw a Pacific Crest show.  It was "Dracula".  I'm a fan of vampire stuff anyway, but this show made me pay attention, because I really liked the way they interpreted Feeney's "Dracula".  It started with the color guard on their knees, with faces to the ground, and flapping their bat wings (double flags) to the sound of heart beats.  It was soooo cool!  I wish I had photos of that show to include here.

When I heard that this corps was giving its members a chance to concentrate on summer school or summer jobs and would only be doing local shows, I thought this would be a great corps to support.   I've been supporting them ever since, even when they have a year or two in a row where I'm not that thrilled with their shows.  They have since negotiated with DCI to do shortened national tours, and eventually increased their shows, but I still really like this corps and their style.  

For the past several years, Pacific Crest held its home show, Corps at the Crest at the Rose Bowl, and it's even listed now as "Drum Corps at the Rose Bowl", but I still call it Corps at the Crest.  I've always loved going to this show, mostly because I wouldn't have to drive very far to get to it, but also because I feel like it's my home show, too!  I don't really like the seating at RB, though, because it's so tight.  One of these days, I'm getting a suite for us or whatever the VIP section is called, so my friends and I can stretch out a little bit and enjoy the formations from higher up in the stands.

Back to PC, though.  My top five favorite PC shows:

• 1999: "The Dracula Ballet" -- did not travel to DCI Finals
• 2004: "On Dangerous Ground: The Music of Bernard Hermann" -- 19th place
• 2012: "The Spectrum" -- 16th place  
• The video is a look back by corps members
• Blog from Corps at the Crest 2012:
• PACIFIC CREST
• Repertoire: "The Spectrum" -- Butterfly Yellow by L.J. Buckley; Tarantella Red by L.J. Buckley; Yellow  by G. Berryman, J. Buckland, W. Champion, C. Martin; Blue Sapphire by R. Cichy, End Credits (from "The Green Lantern -- First Flight") by R.J. Kral; True Colors by B. Steinberg, T. Kelly
  
  
  The CG starts with white uniforms to show off their flag colors, until the last piece, wherein their uniforms are the whole rainbow.  I like how they kept the PC teal on one of their arms.  Beautiful yellow double flags.  I like the blue sparkly umbrellas, but one got turned inside out.  Nice, big opening sound!  They really sound great.
• 
  
• 2017: "Golden State of Mind" -- 21st place
• This video is of a rehearsal run through at my alma mater
• Blog from Corps at the Crest 2017:
• PACIFIC CREST
  Uh-oh.  Sounds like the adrenaline from the jazzy piece got to the soloists today.  The jazzy piece was well done, though.  They just need to keep up the energy through the end of the show.  I think one of the formations is the continental US.  Bro doesn't.

  

  Rays of the Sun
  

• 2018: "Here's to the Ones Who Dream" -- 20th place
• Euphonium Cam!
• Blog from Corps at the Crest 2018:
• PACIFIC CREST
  I do love that mambo, during which they do the tap dancing.  Oh, there's an Esther Williams segment, too, with some of the corps members providing the legs as the color guard soloist rises out of the "water".  Cute.  Are those flags Lakers colors on purpose because it's Los Angeles?  If so, thank you, PC!  If not, don't tell me.  Pretty solos, especially the mellophone.  If this was louder, the show would have much more impact, especially in big stadiums like this.  I hate to say that they need amplification, though.  My no-amplification side is struggling with this a lot right now.  Some people were laughing during the show, and I didn't catch what happened.  Later, V told us that someone lost their plume, and another person placed it back on their shako at the precise moment of the *ding* of the xylophone.
  
  
  

  

  Star

  
  

  

  Tap Segment

  
  

  

  Hollywood
  

PC's corps song is Biebl's "Ave Maria",  and I've posted video of it on this blog before, but here's one from the morning of 2019 Semifinals.

Someday PC will get to play on DCI Finals night, and I will be so very happy for them.  Until then, I'm your fan, PC!

Next up:The Academy

Hell Is Empty, and All the Devils are Here

Today would have been Corps at the Crest San Diego, the first of the SoCal DCI competitive shows.  I'm bummed out that I don't get to take the short road trip down to Oceanside with Bro and Rudy, ready to see Rudy's reaction upon seeing the shows for the first time, as well as seeing what has changed in the previous 5 days.  

Strangely, Blue Devils never attends this show because they have an ongoing prior commitment.  So, of course, the rebel in me decided to showcase them today.  

Trying to figure out my favorite Blue Devils show is difficult, because even when I really like a show, there is usually at least one element that annoys me, preventing me from fully loving the show.  It's usually the ballad, but not always.  Sometimes it's the props.   

First, let's tune those instruments.

My first time to see the Blue Devils live was their "Casablanca" show in 1997 (one of Bro's favorite BD shows), and the second time was in 1998, "One Hand, One Heart".  I love this show!  The music is from "West Side Story" and Tchaikovsky's "Romeo and Juliet", and I love the way the arranger mashed them together.  I think this is my favorite BD show, mostly for the music, and I also like the story.

Here is a video from the front sidelines at Finals, and here's another one of just the last minute, so you can see the formation of the heart from up above.

I've watched the Blue Devils win many, many championships.  TEN of them.  I feel privileged that I've seen their shows evolve from start of the season to end, and also annoyed because they win so much!  I find it interesting that the BD shows I like the most are actually the ones that didn't win the championship.  

My top 5 BD shows, in no particular order, with a link to a video for each but the first one:

• 1998 "One Hand, One Heart" -- 3rd place

• 2000 "Methods of Madness" -- 3rd place
• I love the music to this show, and most of the visuals, particularly when they're playing Bernard Hermann's the 3 short trumpet blasts for "Psycho", and the movements of the sabers as if they're stabbing someone.  I do not like the visuals during "Vertigo" with the weird purple sheets.  But hey, take a look at this marimba feature, leading to the end of the show.

• 2015 "Ink" -- 1st place
• Drummers on ladders!
• Spinning rifles on ladders!
• That K-Pop dance!
• Those wacky bushy tails!
• Where did that little girl come from?!

• 1999 "Rhythms...at the Edge of Time" -- 1st place (tie with SCV)
• This is the year that the lights went out in the stadium during BD's performance at Precision West.  They're so good that they kept going anyway.  I wasn't there, but there is video evidence!  I think Bro was at that show.  What a cool moment to witness.

• 2006 "The Godfather: Part BLUE" -- 3rd place
• The thing that I don't like about this show is the recorded bits of talking, and it almost didn't make this list, but I do enjoy the music.  Dude, we get that it's Godfather.  We don't need dialogue.  My favorite formation is of the gun firing a bullet.  Also: horse head flags.

I do love the talent that BD brings to the field.  I respect the heck out of the performers and the staff.  I look forward to seeing at least 20 more years of BD, even if they do win 10 more times.  :)

Of course, I could not have a tribute to BD without including a piece from their very first win, in 1976:  "Legend of the One-Eyed Sailor".  Love that drum major!

Next up: The Crest

Vive Le Vanguard!

I'm starting to write this post on what would have been SCV Family Day, but it's almost midnight so it will have to wait to be completed, much like other drum corps weeks when I'm way too tired to write for a day or so.

I took a look at my old blog posts and saw that the first Family Day I ever attended was in 2013, the year of SCV's "Les Miserables" show, so hey, I'm going to write about that!

My favorite musical is "Les Miserables", and it is also Bro's.  When SCV announced that their 2013 show would be based on Les Miz, we were very excited.  We wanted to see the show as much as possible, and when Bro realized that SCV would not be touring to So Cal, he decided that we were going to see them in Northern California.

I'm sure glad we went.

Blog from my first viewing of the show, at DCI West:

SANTA CLARA VANGUARD

Repertoire: "Les Miserables" -- Look Down, At the End of the Day, On My Own, Castle on a Cloud, One Day More, I Dreamed a Dream, Attack on Rue Plummet, Red and Black, Bring Him Home, Do You Hear the People Sing? (All from Les Misèrables) by Claude-Michel Schönberg w/lyrics by Alain Boublil and Jean-Marc Natel (French lyrics) & Herbert Kretzmer (English adaptation)

I've been eagerly anticipating this show ever since it was announced several months ago.  I mean, come on!  My favorite drum corps performing my favorite musical?!  I saw their uniforms online the week before, and I already knew that I would not be disappointed.  Their uniforms were the most beautiful of the evening.  When they got on the field, I got excited.  Then when they played the first notes of "Look Down", the tears started welling up in my eyes.  They never stopped tearing as I heard each song played.  I'm tearing up now as I type this, that's how powerful the emotions are that are brought forth.  Bro and V told me later that they had the same reaction.  The musical arrangements are beautifully done.  "At The End of the Day" is so awesome, and they even incorporated "One Day More" at the same pace, which really sounded cool.  I can't believe that they so prominently showcased "Attack on Rue Plummet", because nobody ever does that song when they play Les Miz medleys.  Wow.  They do a formation of the word "VAN" and the CG is next to them in a circle.  Get it?  "Van-Guard"!  Fleur de Lis flags!  YAY!  Nice French-ish flag at the end.  The show is not done yet.  I'm going to be bawling at Finals.  Standing ovation, and not just from me.

Here is the percussion ensemble doing a full run-through of the show, before DCI West.  They were already AMAZING at the start of the season!

Blog from my 2nd viewing, at the Moonlight Classic:

SANTA CLARA VANGUARD
What I love is the way that the songs end, like "At the End of the Day".  It's done at half time, and it's just different and cool.  Even the flags do it!  The "Bring Him Home" solo was perfect.  I heard little notes down the scale while their horns were in the backfield during that song.  Oh, the red and black flags have fleur de lis, too!  It's no wonder that I love this show so much.

Snares during Do You Hear the People Sing

Encore
SCV!  Yay!  
Bro and I walked to where we wouldn't have people standing in front of us, and got seats in the front stands.

• Wishing You Were Somehow Here Again
• Les Miserables
• Send in the Clowns

  

  Send In The Clowns

I never noticed before that they play "On My Own" during "Do You Hear the People Sing".  Bro said that they actually play all of the songs at once.  That is too damn cool.  I liked seeing the expression on their faces, and I got to actually watch the cymbal players, who also had great expressions.  I'm usually so busy watching everything else in the show that I forget to look for the awesome cymbal line.  Do you think I was happy?  Yes, I was.  :)  So was Bro.  There was much happiness around us.

But Ryan T told the leaders to get onto the field before Clowns started, which meant that they were walking behind SCV during that song.  Irritating.

Blog from Pacific Procession / SCV Family Day

SANTA CLARA VANGUARD
SCV staff sat in front of us (they had reserved seats), and one of them had a mic recorder.  The corps was still of during "Do You Hear the People Sing", which they worked on earlier in the day.  I love that soprano/mellophone duet during "One Day More"!   I want to have one of each of those fleur-de-lis flags in my house.

  

SCV DM Salute

This video of the full show in rehearsal was taken at Santa Clara High School, which is SCV's home base, and the site for SCV Family Day.  I am not sure if this video was from Family Day, but if it was, we were sitting nearby.

I had tears in my eyes again as I heard the first notes of "Bring Him Home".

Here is the hornline warming up with their opener halfway through the season.

Do you miss the head cams?  Here's one from a mello soloist during rehearsal.

This time I got teary during "One Day More".

Blog from Prelims:

SANTA CLARA VANGUARD -- 95.5*
I'm all verklempt.  Dude with the great yell voice is a Vanguard fan.  So he yelled for them.  Yay!  Pretty screens, and I like what goes on behind them.  The corps is behind the screens during the "Bring Him Home" solo, and then later, different flags are tossed from behind one screen to another, and it flows nicely with the music.  The big fleur-de-lis flags are there only for a moment.  I want one!  I yelled "Vanguard" because I saw all of the other fans getting ready during "I Dreamed A Dream".  A tear formed in the corner of my eye, and my eyes were kind of stinging with tears during the show because I had been anticipating this show all night and there it was!  Beautiful job, Vanguard!

Vanguard Shield

Blog from Semifinals:

SANTA CLARA VANGUARD -- 96.5*

As soon as they took the field, there was so much screaming that my ears were ringing.  We took pictures with the sign that the people seated behind us had made, and everyone made sure that we knew when to yell "VANGUARD!"  I was crying by the end of the first minute of the show.  I think that the corps felt us all supporting them (how could they not?  We were LOUD), and kicked it up a notch.  Awesome crowd response to just about everything possible, and we stood a few times during the show.  The "Bring Him Home" solo was brilliant, and the flags during "Do You Hear the People Sing" were incredibly effective.  By the end of the show, I was a hot drum corps mess of tears.

The Elusive Big Ass Flag

This video is a snippet of the official DCI video from Finals night.  

Seriously, can I possibly watch this thing without tears?  I think not!  This time it happened at the company front.

This is the show with audio overlay of the field percussion judge.  I love hearing the judges' tapes!  Especially when they're loving my corps.  :)   

• "Wow, wow, wow! ... Wow." 
•  "Yeah, man, tears coming out of the eyes.  Tears welling up in my eyes!"  (See, I'm not the only one that cries.)  
• "That snare section was frickin' ON!"  
• "You are musicians and artists."

Blog from Finals:

SCV

Get it?  "Van"-GUARD (color guard)

Out.F*c*ing.Standing. OK, lots of tears and sniffling around us.   Also lots of people saying "Oh, my God!" after the first standing ovation.  I loved seeing all of the people standing in the stadium on the big screen in the middle of the show.  INCREDIBLE!  V forgot to look for the really cool flag tosses behind the screens because she was busy looking at the corps on the field.  I so didn't want that to be the last time to see this show.  It's become my favorite SCV show ever. I have tears in my eyes as I type this 2 weeks later.  TWO WEEKS.  OK, let me go on now.

SCV Shield

Score:  4) 96.85 -- SANTA CLARA VANGUARD

Thank you to all of the corps for a great year of competition!  To Vanguard, congratulations to SCVC for a terrific win, and to the A-corps, I will love this show forever.  Thank you for making it a reality!

Vive Le Vanguard!

Journey to a Harmonic Past

Happy Father's Day, all of you dads out there!

Today, my family had a (socially distant) gathering, and I asked Bro and V what was their favorite non-Vanguard show.  Bro had a list of shows that he needed to choose from.  V couldn't even begin to think, but agreed with one of Bro's choices:  "Harmonic Journey" by the 2003 Phantom Regiment.

I was not blogging yet back then, but I do remember that season.  Phregiment made a trip to California, much to our delight, and I remember feeling joy hearing their arrangement of Pachelbel's "Canon in D".  

This was the year that we took Rudy to his first DCI competition.  Before Phregiment's show was over, Rudy was in absolute tears.  I loved that he enjoyed the activity so much, and he has joined us every year since then.  Whenever I see him wearing his Phregiment visor, I think of that weekend.  

By the time we got to Finals in Orlando, the show had become a favorite of many, many people.  It is certainly one of my top 3 favorite Phregiment shows, and I cherish my Harmonic Journey shirt from that year, whether or not fits me anymore.

We remember the ending of this show, and Bro can tell you what happens in every part of the video below, even when he's not watching it or hearing the music at the moment.  He was spot on when he was talking about it today.




Here is a video of one of the alumni from that corps year, which is a bunch of still photos with the music from the semifinals recording, dedicated to the rest of the corps.  I love the map he shows at the beginning, showing the tour route.  There we are!

Here is video of the full show.  Check out its simplicity and the beauty.

Phregiment earned 4th place that year at DCI Finals in Orlando, with a score of 94.75.  

Some of my photos from that week:

Quarterfinals Night: End of show

Semifinals Night:  Drum Major Salute

Semifinals Night:  Getting the baton

Semifinals night:  Traditional color guard for Phregiment
at the back stands

Finals Night: just before the leap

I don't know how this was 17 years ago, but drum corps sure has added a lot more props since then!

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