The Friday I&E and Mini Corps contests at the Riverside Convention Center/Clarion Hotel began the weekend for us drum corps enthusiasts. A special shout out goes to Bridgemen members and Bridgemen Alumni who went out to “represent” in competition. Yellow & black uniforms reminded the drum corps community that there's a lot of Bridgemen talent to enjoy. Congratulations to Bridgemen alumnus Jeff Prosperie who won DCA I&E snare. Snare Vic Kulinksi's performance in drag proved we'll do anything to entertain!

The majority of Bridgemen set out for the DCA Alumni Spectacular in Rochester, NY on Saturday morning and were blessed with beautiful weather. We arrived at our practice facilities and chatted to catch up with friends, then circled up for some motivation. Executive Director George Lavelle, Jr. wore his new “Bridgemen: max this thing out” shirt (courtesy of contra John Davis) and revved us up to make the most of our rehearsal. We worked hard during the day, driven to reach our potential and make the most of our last weekend together as the 2007 Bridgemen.

At rehearsal's end, George reminded us of the extraordinary contributions of our talented staff who all work together so well to put together a creative, entertaining show. A show that bowls over the crowd everywhere we go. Drill, drum, horn, and guard staff have collaborated over the past year to create a memorable show that has unfolded as our strongest Alumni corps year so far.

Next, George outlined some of the administration's plans for the 2008 Bridgemen and teased us with the possibilities being discussed. “I don't want to get into what we're playing next year because plans change,” George said. “I wouldn't want to give you the SHAFT in case we don't end up playing some of these songs. And I don't want to make a lot of BIG NOISE, if the songs get changed. You'll just have to be a BOOGIE WOOGIE BUGLE BOY and keep on practicing. Plus we'll be playing some new parade tunes so that we can make a TRIUMPHANT MARCH coming down Broadway!” He looked over and said “And there's Dennis (Delucia) over there giving me the evil eye!”

Afterward, we headed over to Carmestro's Restaurant in Hilton, NY for a night of great food, drink, and great company. After dinner, Sean Pierson stepped up to the microphone to emcee and cracked us up with his on-the-spot comedy, plus he introduced Marwan Saidi, Doug Kuenzel, and Ken Winter for our entertainment. We're a tough crowd, yet some of our own had us in stitches! Eileen Kutzler's delicious birthday cakes let us celebrate the birthdays of two of our own, John Richard and Jimmy Rosenthal. Plus birthday girl Kelly Baillagreen (aka ”Hypies wife”) also got in on the celebration.

Then we headed back to our digs for the night and arrived in the stunning lobby of the Doubletree Hotel. This Hilton-chain hotel made our stay in upstate NY a very... CIVILIZED experience. After we took possession of our hotel rooms, many of us partied in the lobby bar with our newfound friends in the Governaires and other drum corps veterans.

Sunday arrived: our big performance day. The early morning found us in the parking lot of the hotel making a drill runthrough of the show, to get our minds wrapped around the idea of playing and moving at the same time. What a crazy concept! But it's part of why we tolerate long commutes to rehearsals and shows. We're here to enjoy the company of friends, expertly handling our drum or horn or guard equipment, feeling the electricity we get when performing together, and knowing we're lighting the place up like a Christmas tree!

After arriving at Paetec Park in Rochester, we warmed up and prepared for our time on the field. We suited up, headed to the stadium, and heard the ending of Preston Scout House's show. We filed into the stadium and waited our turn to take the field. Soon the lovable Bridgemen were doing the “knock” and “shuffle,” letting the crowd know that masters of entertainment had arrived.

We set up our opening set and did our field warm-up. Afterward, Jim Jordan's countoff got us ready to begin the show when John Riccardi's God-awful two notes at the front sideline wrecked our opener. Referee George Ruse came out in zebra stripes to drop the flag, and was assisted by the show announcer who interpreted the referee's hand signals: the ref called a “False Start” and penalized the offending baritones five yards to put us into the opening set. Snare Vic Kulinski came forward to argue the call with the ref, only to get ejected from the field!

Did I tell you we love gags? That's part of what sets us apart from the crowd. Show Coordinator Dennis Delucia and the Bridgemen staff want everyone to see our playful side and show the audience a good time like no one else can.

The show REALLY got underway with the challenging “Ritual Fire Dance,” followed by the jazzy take on “My Favorite Things,” then the 27th Lancers tribute of “Danny Boy,” then our tounge-in-cheek “Bottle Dance,” then the funky classic “In The Stone,” capped by our traditional “William Tell” ending.

The crowd lavished us with love, applause, and a few standing ovations. There's nothing like feeling that connection between the audience and Bridgemen performers. To know we've won them over and they're looking forward to seeing us again next year!

We came off the field, heading toward the stadium's rear, where Director George Lavelle pulled us together and told us we'd reached deep inside ourselves and brought this show to the MAX to close our the season. A new fan nearby enthusiastically yelled “Bridgemen ROCK!” We smiled and enjoyed the moment. Jerry Baldauff faked an embarrassed tone of voice and yelled back, “Thanks Mom!” Our gags happen OFF the field too.

Next, a photographer snapped a portrait as a memento of our performers on September 2nd. The “formal” portrait captured our dignified side (as dignified as you CAN look in a yellow and black zoot suit!) while the “informal” portrait captured our goofball side.

Canadian Dan Moloney later told us his wife loved meeting all of us and explained, “She could always tell from the videos that the Bridgemen were a 'fun' band but now she knows why. It's the people! She says hi to all and thanks for the hospitality. And it's OK with her if I march another year - at least another year!”

We ended the season satisfied that we'd achieved our goal of improving our show with each outing. From our first show to our last, we kept getting better and became seasoned performers by summer's end.

We're proud to wear yellow & black because this is a fulfilling family experience for us. We're proud of our ability to light up a crowd and get in on the rush that comes from turning on a crowd. We're blazing a trail as a new experience in the activity: an exhibition corps that is as entertaining as corps that compete. We're popular because our performers go out on the field and give their all to “sell our show.” We're Bobby Hoffman's legacy because we bring a fun-loving attitude to the field. “The Bananas” are crowd favorites because we show an audience a great time and have a great time.

To that end, we look forward to kicking the Bridgemen experience up another level in 2008. Each year is better than the last: our ranks grow, the show becomes more demanding, and we make more fans. Next year will allow us to cover new ground and have a blast along the way!

Open House for the new season kicks off on Saturday, November 17th at noon at St. Andrew (4th & Broadway in Bayonne, NJ), followed by our first rehearsal. We look forward to the return of our experienced veterans and future members out for an adrenaline rush as we gear up for the next great Bridgemen year.

We hope to see you on November 17th!

- Jim Reilly, baritone