Allentown: Let's Do the Time Warp Again
July 8, 2007

That was 1977. And thirty years later, the Bridgemen have triumphed again in Allentown. No scores this time, but the 30-, 40-, and 50-something-year-olds that make up the bulk of the corps (along with a sprinkling of youth) understand how to entertain a crowd as well as the corps did in '77.

The weekend started early Saturday morning on a rehearsal field by Newark Bay in Bayonne. It was hot - surprising since the wind off the bay is often cold and intense, even in the summer. Instead, we rehearsed in the sub-tropical paradise that is Bayonne while watching the leviathan container ships burp their way upstream and into their berths. From the start, there was an excitement and intensity that was generated by the members themselves. We wanted to improve on our previous performance. No false hype or speechifying by the staff was necessary.

In corps, as in most activities, one's best performance is rarely as good as one's best rehearsal. At our first show, the Tournament of Stars (TOS), we were like any corps on their first night out. The music and drill, recent changes to the show, wondering if the iron had been left on, pondering the nature of dark matter all swirling through our tie-dyed-scarf-encrusted heads as we took the field. Oops. A little close together there at the end of the opener! Oops again: did I just see a bunch of horns come up four counts early in “Danny Boy?” I'm pretty sure the iron is off.

The last run-through before TOS had been very good. The TOS performance? It was all right. Of course, the mellophones sent the crowd into a paroxysmal frenzy with their stratospheric opening statement in “Ritual Fire Dance.” Overall, however, we knew we could do better, and we were determined to do so in Allentown.

The Saturday rehearsal was intense from its start at 9:30 until 4:30, when many members jumped in their cars and headed to Allentown to catch the first night's show. In addition to locking in what we had previously learned, we also had to add the shtick for which the Bridgemen are known. “Shtick” is not used here as a pejorative. The gags have always been an integral part of the show, used to draw the audience in and to telegraph the message that we don't take ourselves too seriously (except for the lead baritones on occasion). We're here to play some nice music, march a little drill, and entertain the crowd as much as we can. No lofty vision statements required - this I believe.

The biggest change on Saturday was the addition of the “Bottle Dance.“ Unlike “Danny Boy,” our homage to the 27th Lancers, which we play without irony or gushy sentimentalism, the “Bottle Dance“ is pure parody. Even when performing a parody, the humor of the Bridgemen is never mean-spirited. Imitation, after all, is the sincerest form of flattery. For anyone who sees it differently, Director George Lavelle has requested that all complaints be addressed to program coordinator Dennis DeLucia!

Sunday was.... hot. We only rehearsed for a couple of hours, but the corps' amplified work ethic was again on display. The weekend's rehearsals represent the hardest work and greatest productivity that the corps has achieved since its rebirth two years ago. We were privileged to have a practice field in the beautiful, green countryside near Bethlehem, about twenty minutes from Allentown. Baritone member Eileen Kutzler graciously secured the site which is located at the Country Meadows retirement community where she works. A portion of the campus is a nursing home, which is right next to the lawn where we rehearsed. One had to wonder how much consternation we were causing; who wants to hear a percussion warm-up outside his window on a Sunday morning!?

The photo at right demonstrates “The Changing Demographics of Drum Corps!”

For those who marched in Allentown in the past, the area around the stadium is full of memories. The park has only grown more beautiful over time, but it is most beautiful when there are corps warming up as far as the eye can see. The stadium itself is like a favored, elderly great aunt. You love to see her, but her best days are clearly behind her!

As we approach the stadium gates, we quietly hum the corps song. A lyric erupts now and then... “We are the worst!” Then, “We hail from old Bayonne!” It would be a violation of noblesse oblige to reveal more of the words, but suffice to say, the song would muster at least a PG-13 rating if sung aloud. Subtle we are not.

Performing at a show in sunshine is not what most corps members prefer. In part, it generally means your corps is near the bottom of the pack that is appearing that night. Also, there is a certain sparkle that accompanies a nighttime performance. So, there were a few concerns about the “energy” we could generate with what might be a small audience (when compared with our end-of-show audience last year). As it turned out, such concerns were unfounded. The audience was large, the energy was great, and the coats are eye-popping in natural light. The sun was shining in our faces, but that's not a problem for a corps that routinely wears sunglasses regardless of the time.

The Bridgmen Shuffle is like the Texas Two-Step -- ridiculously easy in concept, but somewhat trickier in execution. After two years we are finally able to execute it well enough that it is at least recognizable. We broke into 16 counts of the shuffle while entering the track, and the crowd immediately responded. It was our first collective announcement that the Bridgemen are in the house! Don't expect us to shuffle through an extended drum solo anytime soon, however. A little secret is that those who could shuffle well were placed around the perimeter of the corps block to mask error, not unlike the way the coats mercifully mask our middle-aged bodies.

For many in the audience the highlight of our show was “Danny Boy.” There are probably many reasons why this simple song generated such a long, intense ovation. First, a corps that managed to struggle back from the dead and then go on to pay tribute to its fiercest competitor is a sterling example of the better side of drum corps culture. Second, arranger Larry Kerchner managed to take a very familiar piece and create a uniquely Bridgemen take on it; we did, however, preserve the “tag” ending that the Lancers used to end both “Danny Boy” and “Folk Song Suite” in their '79 and '80 shows.

Overall, the show rocked the house -- a mutual love-fest between corps and audience. Just one problem... the time! We did go long. For that, we can only apologize to Pioneer who had to stand at the gate for extra minutes. In our defense, we did work to fit everything into the time allotted. Unfortunately, when you've just made a number of changes and are marching only your second show of the season, the best made plans can go awry. On Saturday, we clocked the show as giving us around a half minute to get off the field -- tight, but doable. However, we failed to anticipate the length of the multiple standing ovations.

For the members and staff of the Bridgemen, the 2007 Allentown show was a smashing success. Above all else, we had a lot of fun on that field, and we connected with our audience. Just like 1977.

- Rick Hagey, Mellophone

See more photos of The Bridgemen's Allentown rehearsal & performances at John Nadrowski's Bridgemen Tribute site
and at Jackie Fritsche's Flickr site.
View a screen capture of DCI's Allentown publicity featuring the Bridgemen (385 KB - a third of a MB).

Epilogue
Canadian Dan Moloney (Bridgemen and Preston Scout House alumnus) posted this story on the Bridgemen forums (after Allentown weekend) on July 16th.

*BMO = Baritone Marching Organization

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