Wednesday, April 26, 2006

Brass And Percussion 5-22-63

By Bill Stalzer and John Boutellier
DCN May 22, 1963 issue

An event that is really starting to take shape is the annual Loyalty Day Parade down Fifth Avenue.
This year's parade was by far the best in it's long history, with a line up of the MID ISLANDERS, COLONIALS of Whippany, N.J., GUN HILL POST #271, Bronx, N.Y., Keystone GRENADIERS, East Stroudsburg, Pa., SHORELINERS, Neptune, N.J., COMETS, MANHATTANAIRES, SAINTS, LAWMEN of State Island and the KNIGHTS of ST. GEORGE.

There were two fine units from ST. HELENA'S CADETS, and also sporting new uniforms were the PAULETTES. Sorry to see that they haven't got their horns yet....The WANDERERS made it to Yonkers for still another Loyalty Day parade, and were will received. The SKYLINERS were there and sounded great on "Miserlou".

Like to support an up and coming corps and circuit? Well, on June 23 at 2:00 p.m., the MIDSHIPMEN of the Bronx will sponsor their first contest. The corps competing will be from the new Liberty Assn. The site is the Mount Vernon Memorial Stadium, Mt. Vernon, N.Y.

Heard from Lee Hill and his OKLAHOMA CITY CADETS. They haven't got their music yet, but have a fine start with 28 horns, 9 drums, and 8 in the color guard..... it seems to be all over for the REILLY RAIDERS... MID ISLANDERS sounding the best in years and years.

St. Mary's NAUTICALS really pushing hard for M&M this year. They also have one of the sweetest horn lines in the city. ST. ROCCO'S ready to make the big step to the Tri-State Circuit. The LORETTO KNIGHTS are no more, and many of their horns are making the trip to SKYLINER land.

The Irwin KINGSMEN, who are better known as "Spirit Inc.", are still going strong. If you'll remember last year at this time, they had just lost 11 horns. But, instead of junking it all, they kept on going. Over the winter they have only picked up a few more members, but they have been working extra hard.

At a recent drill practice at windy Randall's Island, where the temperature was below fifty, they looked very good. At the time of this writing, they put on a six-hour practice. They plan to step off the line with 24-27 horns, 9 in the drum section, and a 16-girl color guard. Their music will be an off the line of "King of Kings," which will be followed by "Together," and Color Presentation of "Land of Milk and Honey."

The rest of their show will be "Let Me Entertain You," (and they will) "Loney Bull," "Zing Went The Strings of My Heart," and exit with "Dreams". Their concert will be "Night Train". On June 8th, they will sponsor their own contest at Gaelic Park. This will be one of eight contests this year at the park. How about that, Mayor Wagner?

The WANDERERS will sponsor their contest on June 29th at New Rochelle High School. The competing corps that night will be AMBOY DUKES, CONN. YANKEES, JERSEY DEVILS, CRITERIONS, VAGABONDS, and WHALERS


Ballentine Corps Parades In N.J.

Drum Corps News May 22, 1963 issue

The big attraction in the Loyalty Day Parade held at Asbury Park, N.J. was the first appearance of the much-talked-about BALLENTINE BREWER Corps.

Carrying out the color theme of their uniforms, the Corps carries beautiful satin flags of red, black and white. Two of their numbers are "Mr. Ale Man" and "Flower Drum Song".

The Neptune Shoreliners won the Junior part of the competition. Pt. Pleasant Pointers outscored the Livingston Hilltoppers to take second. Also in attendance were the Asbury Park Hurricanes, the Eatontown Jersey Rangers and the Middletown Coppertones.

Thomas Barrett
Asbury Park, N.J.