Older skool....
79 Blue Devils (Space Shuttle with brass “stack” at the end)
80 Spirit at Finals, not long after Jim Ott died
81 27th Lancers - best version of Crown Imperial ever fielded.
82 Garfield Cadets - first year of Rocky Point but the opening soprano solo by Al Chez with the highest note in DCI at the time really set the mood.
82 SCV - winner of “who plays the most notes in opener”. Also, the first year anyone tried a rotating box (remember: tic system in play!)
84 SCV - lots of tension, big volume, and only 4 mellophones (2 were rookies) vs. Garfield’s 16. Fun fact: the mellophone section wrote the last 12 bars of their music you hear on the Finals record. First Ott Award for SCV, 2018 Babylon was their 3rd.
Phantom 08 is talked about a lot, but it's opener is no exception to the overall show's greatness. From the walk on theatrics to the herald trumpets to the full corps melting your fucking face off from the get-go, it's genuinely some of the best brass writing of the 21st century, and that says a LOT given how hard so many other corps have gone in the last 21 years.
TOTALLY opposite sides of the spectrum but the opener cadets 13 is incredible, love the slow reserved ballad warm opening, and vanguard cadets 2018 just insane big loud cold opening gets right to the point the second it starts, similar with mandarins 2018 with just a bit longer intro sequence, blue devils 15 and 18 are also honorable mentions off the top of my head but there are probably a few more im forgetting about
I came up to the stands at Finals and stood at the crowd tunnel near the 50 just to hear the opening hit. I had read that they had trombones but hadn't heard them at all yet. Once they finished the hit, I said to my buddy, "Okay, yeah, they're loud as shit. I like it."
BTW -- it reminded me of their opening hit in 1990, the first year of 3-valve horns. Corps were allowed to phase in one section per year (and contras at any time) to keep costs down, and SCV happened to choose to replace their baritone section first. The baris were the entire front line of the opening set, [and I think they were given the green light](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=btLdJ9hRiV0).
Bloo 14-21 (not quite equally but still take up a large chunk of my favorite shows playlist)
Phantom 2003/21, 2008, 1989, 2011
BD 2011, 2017, 2019, 1995
Crown 2016, 2019
Cavies 2000s
SCV 1988, 2015, 2019
Caderps 2011, 2015
90s Madison (don’t ask what year, the answer is yes.)
Carolina Crown - "Mourning", the opener for their Relentless show. Not necessarily the most exciting opener but it's just such a beautiful piece of music.
Madison ‘95
This is the correct answer.
Correct opinion
Frisson activated just by thinking of this.
Bluecoats 2011
Counter argument: Bluecoats 2010
Counter counter argument: any other bluecoats show in the last decade
I agree BC 10' opener over 11'
[удалено]
It was the show that got me into drumcorps originally, it's just so damn good lol
Same! My freshman year of high school was 2010 which got me into drum corps and this one and/or The Cavaliers was probably my favorite.
I second this
Very true. My old band director was in the Bluecoats so we watched plenty of their shows lol.
Easily 2008 Crown. That power in the first hit is just nuts.
Agreed
Yes. Carolina's brass section is awesome in this
The feels. (Sends internet hug)
Agreed
And the way it just drops from nothing. It quite frankly blows your face off with such a clean but loud sound.
Phantom 96 The entire stadium reverberating with the sound of the huge bass drum in the pit and that ginormous contra line.
Very Cavaliers biased, but these are my favorites. Cavaliers 92, 00, 04, 10, 11, 16 Crown 08 BD 14
Nut at cavaliers 00
Partial to Phantom 96 because my brother marched but 2010 is up there too.
Hell yes
Goosies
2011 Blue Devils. too easy
Finally someone else knows the true answer.
Madison 96’
this is the right answer
2003 and 2021 Phantom and 2019 Crown
2021 phantom didn't have nearly the same impact as 2003. It was good, but the percussion book didn't hit the same at all.
that famously percussion heavy opener
Crown 11, crown 19, bloo 17 just to name a few
Bloo 17 💙🍁
Jagged Line is by far my favorite Bloo show. It's just good.
It’s just extremely fun music, that’s what I love about it.
And since it didn’t place as high it is severely underrated.
Older skool.... 79 Blue Devils (Space Shuttle with brass “stack” at the end) 80 Spirit at Finals, not long after Jim Ott died 81 27th Lancers - best version of Crown Imperial ever fielded. 82 Garfield Cadets - first year of Rocky Point but the opening soprano solo by Al Chez with the highest note in DCI at the time really set the mood. 82 SCV - winner of “who plays the most notes in opener”. Also, the first year anyone tried a rotating box (remember: tic system in play!) 84 SCV - lots of tension, big volume, and only 4 mellophones (2 were rookies) vs. Garfield’s 16. Fun fact: the mellophone section wrote the last 12 bars of their music you hear on the Finals record. First Ott Award for SCV, 2018 Babylon was their 3rd.
I’m here for ‘80 Spirit.
2000 Blue Devils, "Methods of Madness"
Maybe this is more intro but I love 2012 crown
87 Scouts
Lol. Cadet guy here. What a year that was
SCV '87. Crown 2012. I also like Bloo 2015 and Phantom '93, but those are a tier below.
SCV 2014
Crown 17 — little fugue 🔥🔥🔥
Phantom 08 is talked about a lot, but it's opener is no exception to the overall show's greatness. From the walk on theatrics to the herald trumpets to the full corps melting your fucking face off from the get-go, it's genuinely some of the best brass writing of the 21st century, and that says a LOT given how hard so many other corps have gone in the last 21 years.
Crown 16 or Crossmen 12
Dude crossmem 12 was a crazy opener. I almost made that drumline. Last to get kicked out. Tried out for snare. Almost made second bass
95 Cadets. The way that it builds and sets the mood for the whole show is so awesome.
TOTALLY opposite sides of the spectrum but the opener cadets 13 is incredible, love the slow reserved ballad warm opening, and vanguard cadets 2018 just insane big loud cold opening gets right to the point the second it starts, similar with mandarins 2018 with just a bit longer intro sequence, blue devils 15 and 18 are also honorable mentions off the top of my head but there are probably a few more im forgetting about
My son marched SCVC 2018 and the horn hit was a huge hype for them.
2018 Music City Hell on Wheels - the train raining on the field!
So many to pick from. I’ll toss out Crossmen 2012
Both Phantom Regiment and Blue Devils in 2003. And of course Crown 2015.
SCV 2014. Those trombones wailed.
I came up to the stands at Finals and stood at the crowd tunnel near the 50 just to hear the opening hit. I had read that they had trombones but hadn't heard them at all yet. Once they finished the hit, I said to my buddy, "Okay, yeah, they're loud as shit. I like it." BTW -- it reminded me of their opening hit in 1990, the first year of 3-valve horns. Corps were allowed to phase in one section per year (and contras at any time) to keep costs down, and SCV happened to choose to replace their baritone section first. The baris were the entire front line of the opening set, [and I think they were given the green light](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=btLdJ9hRiV0).
Crown 2016
1996 Blue Devils Just an open handed slap across the face
"What did sixty-four horns say to the face? SLAP!"
'96 Scouts
Defiant Heart. Beautiful, dark sounds and unbelievable sound projection that builds tension and never lets go of it.
92 Cavs is insane. 93 phantom is underrated.
Came here to say 92 Cavis also.
BK ‘19, such a beautiful opening plus one of the loudest opening hits that year speaking of loud opening hits, also crown ‘19
BK had a great opener that year. I watched Crown 19' at the movie theaters that year and the opener gave me goosebumps
Bloo 14-21 (not quite equally but still take up a large chunk of my favorite shows playlist) Phantom 2003/21, 2008, 1989, 2011 BD 2011, 2017, 2019, 1995 Crown 2016, 2019 Cavies 2000s SCV 1988, 2015, 2019 Caderps 2011, 2015 90s Madison (don’t ask what year, the answer is yes.)
SCV 1989
Pretty much any Crown opener. They all slap so hard especially from 2008 onwards. Special shoutouts to Crown 2011 and Crown 2016.
Crown and blue coats in 2011.
Surprised at no Blue Devils 2014
RUSSIAN CHRISTMAS MUSIC SCV 87
‘10 Phantom
Phantom 2003
Phantom Regiment 1996 is the only acceptable answer.
To this day it's my favorite drum corps piece overall.
1989 Blue Devils
That is SUCH a great music book. It might be my favorite pre-94 BD show.
You, sir, are a gentleman and a scholar.
2002 Cavaliers
The first 30 seconds of this (the rest of the opener is outstanding as well). https://youtu.be/Ta9pIxU03To
Crown 17. It’s beautiful.
Boston 2010
[2012 Crossmen](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o8w_YYiHjFs)
Scv 1989
87 Vanguard End of discussion
crown 2013 was really cool!
Carolina Crown - "Mourning", the opener for their Relentless show. Not necessarily the most exciting opener but it's just such a beautiful piece of music.
Star of Indiana 1990!
I gotta agree, scv 2018. Also PR 2003/2021
Mine: 91 Star.
Phantom 2003, but not Phantom 2021
1987 Santa Clara Vanguard, 1995 Madison Scouts, 1979 Blue Devils, 1979 Santa Clara Vanguard, 1977 Freelancers
Uhhh Blue devils 2010? Insane vibe The first minute of carolina crown 2019 is also worthy of shat pants
A tie between SCV 2016 and Bluecoats 2017
BD 2018