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neonvincentToday, I'm posting the one video performance from 1979 I can find. Unlike the ones I've embedded before, this one does not have me on the field. Instead, it's my first year as head flag instructor, so I'm up in the stands, although I'm not in the press box with the camera crew. Instead, I'm standing in the band's seats well to their left. Speaking of the camera crew, they're always in the press box, even when it's on the away side. That's why most of the videos I've posted have the band playing away. The exception was the USC game, when UCLA sat on the press box side at the L.A. Coliseum. Here, the press box is on the away side, so the band is playing to it.
As for the theme, it's the energy crisis of 1979, when regular first passed $1.00 per gallon. That's why the band is forming a wind-up car with the flags as the key. Readers of mine who know drum corps will recognize that they are doing the 1978 27th Lancers drum solo drill, a rotating square to rhombus to line and back. It's also why the band plays "Running on Empty" by Jackson Brown while spelling first GAS? then GA$.
Speaking of drum corps, this is the first year the videos show the band transitioning to corps style. The drum line is marching as a separate unit, both the drum line and drum major are wearing Aussie hats with plumes, and one of the French Horn squads is marching mellophones. The pregame show displayed even more drum corps elements, but unfortunately no videos of those have been posted. The two videos from 1980 that I plan on posting on Christmas and Boxing Day will show the band even farther along the change.
As for the routine, it's OK, but I made a mistake putting the two best squads on the viewer's left. That meant they were clean while the flags on the viewer's right, which had less talent and weaker leadership, made most of the mistakes. Sigh. Live and learn. I didn't make that mistake the next year.
What's more noteworthy is that one of the Song Girls on the field later became Miss U.S.A. and runner-up to Miss Universe. She's one of the two in the center during the last song.
Now, UCLA vs. Stanford halftime from 1979.
As for tomorrow, the show from 1980 I plan on posting is a memorable one for both good and bad reasons.
As for the theme, it's the energy crisis of 1979, when regular first passed $1.00 per gallon. That's why the band is forming a wind-up car with the flags as the key. Readers of mine who know drum corps will recognize that they are doing the 1978 27th Lancers drum solo drill, a rotating square to rhombus to line and back. It's also why the band plays "Running on Empty" by Jackson Brown while spelling first GAS? then GA$.
Speaking of drum corps, this is the first year the videos show the band transitioning to corps style. The drum line is marching as a separate unit, both the drum line and drum major are wearing Aussie hats with plumes, and one of the French Horn squads is marching mellophones. The pregame show displayed even more drum corps elements, but unfortunately no videos of those have been posted. The two videos from 1980 that I plan on posting on Christmas and Boxing Day will show the band even farther along the change.
As for the routine, it's OK, but I made a mistake putting the two best squads on the viewer's left. That meant they were clean while the flags on the viewer's right, which had less talent and weaker leadership, made most of the mistakes. Sigh. Live and learn. I didn't make that mistake the next year.
What's more noteworthy is that one of the Song Girls on the field later became Miss U.S.A. and runner-up to Miss Universe. She's one of the two in the center during the last song.
Now, UCLA vs. Stanford halftime from 1979.
As for tomorrow, the show from 1980 I plan on posting is a memorable one for both good and bad reasons.
