DCI 1980 - The Blue Devils - 'La Suerte de Los Tontos'

The Devs concert number, 'La Suerte de Los Tontos'

[@a13ltb]

Back in the day, every Corps performed a 'Concert' Number, where they stood still and played, just for one number, this was the Devils Concert number in 1980.

[@sbyrstall]

BD still does this. Just look how they've always stood still during the more technical music phrases.

[@mrbear1302]

@@sbyrstall Preach!

[@Crash8686]

Park and Bark!

[@DennisJohnsonDrummer]

@@sbyrstall And they still win.

[@La_Bigmama]

Doing this for this piece makes sense, imagine trying to march in 6/8

[@ThePhilby001]

I was there that night in 1980. I grew up in Birmingham and Blue Devils were at Huffman High School to live/train/prepare for the week. I remember the whole show by heart. They stayed at our high school and we practiced together and learned from them. This clip was from Saturday night of the finals, it was August in Birmingham and it crazy hot and sticky that night. The show from all the corps were glorious but at the end the BD's got it done. It was a very special performance one that I remember to this day almost 40 years later. As they say.."Good Times" :)

[@Nigelrathbone1]

Funny I don't remember practicing with Huffman HS band members. But I def remember the school. Only place on tour where we could get hot showers.

[@thomasnanni1193]

Simply the best of times!!!!

[@mikegooch11]

I was in the audience at this show. I used to swear the Blue Devils even blinked their eyes at the same time!!

[@robbob100]

The baritone soloist is Dave Charlton, from Kitchener Ontario Canada !!!!!

[@stevenaleman7454]

Being a Garfield Cadets snare drummer back then, this show by BD was my favorite as a kid because they demonstrated precision at the highest level that I couldn’t believe…I wish there were videos of the drumline rehearsing this show on KZbin…great video of a great corps.✌️😎🔥🥁

[@Jamler3]

I was with Bridgemen... took High Drums in '80 - Think that was the only caption head BD didn't win. They were truly the Gold Standard back then. We all loved when they'd travel to NJ, especially down Ave A in Bayoone

[@stevenaleman7454]

@@Jamler3 love the Bayonne Bridgemen drumlines of the early ‘80s…2 of the snares I marched with in ‘79, joined the Bridgemen snare line…and it was a great experience to see them on the field during retreat at Finals in ‘80 & ‘81….😎🥁

[@curtnichols]

One of my favorite BD pieces. Tighter than Kenton's and spread from 20 to 20. Lovely and electric. Curt Contrabass, Madison Scouts 1979-1981

[@jeffk1482]

DAYUMMM!!! Still BAD-ASS after all these years!!! Is it just me, or has DCI lost some of the balls-to-the-wall raw excitement it used to have???

[@jeffk1482]

pearlsnaredrummer77 I think you nailed it.

[@michaelvincent7115]

I think it’s like anything else some ppl love the evolution others dont

[@sbyrstall]

@@michaelvincent7115 this wasn't an "evolution" but a sudden change.

[@jerihostrop1293]

Hey nothing better than old School, from Jeri Hostrop 71 thru 73 go Kingsmen

[@chrispettus2532]

Part of the problem is with the switch to B-flat horns, they standardized on medium large born horns, like most high school and college bands have and most studio musicians of the current era have. They should standardize on extra large bore horns, the same bore size as the G horns. It would make a huge difference in sound production. Extra large bore horns make more sense for this genre which performs almost exclusively in large outdoor venues.

[@culturalconfederacy]

This song is by Stan Kenton from the album Cuban Fire. Roughly translated the title means Fortune of Fools. Cuban Fire was a ballet suite written by Kenton and Co. for Grace Kelly and the Prince of Monaco.

[@Crash8686]

Yeah, baby! Park and Bark.

[@vlee88]

Spirit of Atlanta marched septo-toms (7 drums!) in the late 70s, albeit without bottom hardware. The Blue Devils marched the famous North Drum tri-toms, with curved fiberglass shells. I lifted them once. They weren't particularly light.

[@jameskearney4100]

My high school bought those. I marched Spirit in 1979.

[@DennisJohnsonDrummer]

@@jameskearney4100 Cool. I marched Spirit in 1980.

[@jameskearney4100]

@@DennisJohnsonDrummer Must have been bad when Jim passed. God bless him!!!

[@ABookShelf]

Ah back when G bugles were still a thing

[@bwilliams463]

Interesting arrangement. I played bass trombone in my college jazz band when we did the original version.

[@Achilles3588]

Ah the old park and bark...outstanding.

[@americanspirit8932]

In my opinion, DCI has turn the activity into a marching band competition. We no longer have real drum and bugle Corp. Marching bands, or good for high school and college activities. Drum and bugle Corp will use for competition and parades, plus exhibitions from time to time, for special events. Dcis has priced thousands of drum and bugle Corp right out of the activity altogether. I've been in drum and bugle Corps since the mid-50s, but today I do not follow the activity because I am not crazy about marching bands. Today is February 22 2022. Former member of the Long Island Sunrisers 1964 through 1968.

[@Wahl95]

@Kevin Mullen I can only imagine how fired up you'd get at a DCI show if someone said a word about drum corps going down the toilet.

[@DennisJohnsonDrummer]

Loved this tune, even though we were competing against them! Spirit of Atlanta Snare 1980

[@michaell.8938]

No bullshit electronics needed back then. No PA systems.

[@vlee88]

It is a Brazilian samba triple shaker. The three tubes were coming look and and duct taped together by the end of the season. The bells player has a mambo cowbell.

[@adorakraynik2943]

Just to put in my opinion. I think old Blue Devils is better than new. Every other corps, I think was cool and amazing in their own special way during each generation. But old BD is definitely more amazing to me than new BD. I think new Crown is better than Old. And Cadets have been wowing in a different way every decade

[@leoarevalo6786]

Cadets gone

[@jimgreen9059]

Yes, in my experience as a fan back then, sometimes a stationary song was performed--not often, but it did happen.

[@arlentraster382]

Sprit of Santafe Springs did this 1993 good times!

[@scottscottsdale7868]

I marched on a lower level Corp that weekend. BD was great. But the girls in the Bridgemen color guard were something else.

[@HeWhoHasRisen3500]

I was There, now that I've seen This.

[@scottscottsdale7868]

No one can tell me this was not the best Corp ever.

[@nubass50]

I tried to be more diplomatic than shooster11, but I don't think my explanations worked. Maybe if Kevin marched during the '70's-'80's he may have a different perspective. I tried to be open minded; I still have respect for the activity, but drum corps is losing it's uniqueness. ((dancing, props, amps, pit, woodwinds, Bb horns) minus (G horns, M&M, color presentation, OTL, Exit)) equals band. Woodwinds are the missing piece of the equation. That's what DCI has done to corps.

[@sbyrstall]

Turned them into marching band.

[@steviem8466]

Real D&BC!!

[@ryant8424]

May not have been Floats drum line, but man they were still bad ass!

[@DennisJohnsonDrummer]

Rick Odello I think. Float's line that year tied for the Sanford with Bridgemen and beat Blue Devils in all categories. Just sayin.'

[@nubass50]

Anything activity that keeps our young folks constructive and off the streets is a good thing. Most of the alumni support those activities. But a lot of the alumni feel that DCI has gone a long way towards destroying an activity that was instrumental for young folks nationwide (no innercity corps).With G horns you don't need amps and a 80 person hornline,and they have a unique sound from Bb horns;the old Madison corps were a fine example of this. Everybody marched (no pit). Only need woodwinds..

[@sbyrstall]

This isn't true anymore. Now it's a white-collar sport, unlike back in the days where the kids literally came off the streets. I know a corps director who was told by a judge to march in a corps or spend a few days in jail.

[@nubass50]

I think what shooster11 is trying to say (in his elegant fashion) is that drum corp is one step from being classified as a band, and if the Cadets director has it's way, woodwinds and flutes will complete this change. The sound is softer with the Bb horns that they are now using, so the unique corp sound is not there anymore. ''Have great respect for the effort that folks put into the show, but for those of us that marched in the '70's - '80's, the pit and amps are unnecessary.

[@sbyrstall]

The horns, today, sound tinny. Hard on the ears.

[@owtmelk]

Holy crap. My high school is playing an edited version of this, and I'm so glad my director took out the glissando at the end.

[@bryancook3233]

Don't be a wuss... It's only a dubba A.

[@ms-mo8hl]

I think it should be mandatory for all corps next year to use streamers so they understand how bad the drag was and the pain in the butt it was to use streamers on equiptment

[@nubass50]

imagine what BD or Carolina would sound like with G horns rather than the Bb horns that are being used now?

[@popeyesailor9571]

BD would play lots of notes clean but Clown would play a safe book and claim they are the better line. Never changes.

[@veronicazamora279]

I. Have. The. Cd

[@molecular360]

I never said I didn't respect the people who marched back then. But it's kind of sad when the alumni that shared the same blood, sweat, and tears on the same fields as today are wining. The funny thing is that you never see an alumni from the 70s or 80s complaining when you go to a live show. They are having the time of their lives. It's the trolls on KZbin that are too afraid to show their face. I respect what y'all did then, so if y'all could respect what we do, then that would be fantastic.

[@wilsonbedoya1184]

theres a studio version of this... cant find it

[@victorlee8930]

"State of the Art": 1980 Blue Devils and Santa Clara Vanguard, recorded at the Concord Pavilion (SCV's plays "Caravan" instead of "Evita"): kzbin.info/www/bejne/hGTdlYl9pNGZiqs

[@wilsonbedoya1184]

@@victorlee8930 thats exactly the one i was looking for. Thank you!

[@jlenin9418]

1980 was kind of a "Off Year". As for the Old School Vs. New School, I don't like the modern BD at all. To me, it seems like the same old shit every year....actually that applies to all corps these days. For some reason I kind of like Phantom and Garfield these days but I can really do without all of it. I haven't been to a show since probably 1991 and really don't care about going...just watch on YT

[@pauletteinboston6894]

1980 was an "off" year??? Are you kidding me????

[@chale1108]

+J Lenin 1980 was by no means an "off year". 4 corps vying for the title. SCV in 7th with a show that defined the next generation of marching programs. It was a very, very good year. We should all be so lucky to enjoy such an off year. The Bridgemen alone made this a very good year.

[@DennisJohnsonDrummer]

And all along I thought I played snare at Spirit during an "ON" year. Some really great shows that year with a 4-way race for the top spot. All top 4 were within a point of each other with Bridgemen and Spirit tied for top drums and BD taking top horns with Spirit in second. 27th had a great show and also could have won. Great memories!

[@woodsman335]

I marched two smaller corps in 1982 and 83. I miss the old style music and shows for sure. So many great solos and drama back in the day. Now, to me, it's just a bunch a fast marching, blasting over here then blasting over there, no real entertaining music being played and not much fun for me personally. I will say, however, I think talent nowadays has to be high, due to the fast pace of the music and drill. On the otherhand again, if the show isnt entertaining then I expect drum corps will loose a large group of older fans whom would otherwise attend. I'm in that group, although I attend one show per year here in Birmingham, Alabama; place of the 1979 and 1980 DCI championships I might add.

[@woodsman335]

I hear ya. Same ol thing every year. I agree. It's like country music. The words in the song may be different from song to song, but it all sounds the same, regardless of the artist.

[@TheBandMan]

1:36 it takes two sopranos to equal the bari solo...

[@jhector1234]

Grab the popcorn

[@evansaccount1548]

1:19

[@gamertooth17]

what is that that the marimba player is playing? the xylophonist is playing castanets, and the vibes player tambourine. i've never seen a shaker like that before.

[@crazysteve9390]

Is this some kind of encore, or did they really not move for an entire song in their show?

[@gamertooth17]

Ah.

[@Mrtellitlikeitis]

3rd best show that night. East should have won

[@GD37MW]

Who has all this video?

[@cpchicklette952]

was the guard spinning batons??

[@kennethcoultas2392]

No. BD had a very unique style of rifles. It was somewhat like a two by four with a metal pipe to represent the gun barrel. They were very difficult to spin compared to the rifles that most other guards were spinning at the time.

[@sebastopolgoose9477]

@@kennethcoultas2392 dang I split my face open with my king rifle one time I couldn’t imagine what one of those woulda done 😂

[@gamertooth17]

did they weigh more than North Drums? :o

[@MichaelBerrios]

Croutons!!!! GO PETE!!!!

[@jeffk1482]

LOL - so, YOU still like the old-school DCI too huh??? Hi Mike!

[@a13ltb]

Me :)),

[@hughdunbar9823]

Who were the soprano soloists here? Anyone know?

[@victorlee8930]

Pete Burnejko and Doug Huras, if I remember correctly.

[@hughdunbar9823]

@@victorlee8930 That's why I was asking, Doug taught me in '82/'83 in Dutchboy, a local from Kitchener like me. (I ended up in Garfield though, once I heard '82 Garfield I was hooked.

[@Nigelrathbone1]

Larry Dastrup played the sop. solo in Ya Gotta Try(Opener), the duet in Dindi and Pegasus with Pete Burnjeko and the long lip trill leading into the gate turns at the end of the Dindi. Pete also traded solos with Doug Huras in Suerte de los Tontos. Pete Burneko was the soloist at the end of Pegasus who made his horn sound like a whinnying horse at the end of it. Pete played so many solos it seemed like he was always sitting out while the rest of the hornline rehearsed drill for that section of the show.

[@cynthiacrowe8499]

@@Nigelrathbone1 Larrie

[@inoobtubeyou]

my HS band is doing this but they added a drum break :D

[@someperson79]

I could give you my opinion but you wouldn't believe me. Ha.

[@nubass50]

Hello shooster11; I tried to explain your stance diplomatically, it didn't work (lol). you can check my later comments. Peace.

[@molecular360]

Well guess what? It's not going to change no matter how bad you want it to. It is what it is and dude there won't be woodwinds. Come on. If the activity didn't grow, it would just fade to nothing and would've disappeared years ago. Why do I even bother though? You're going to reply back and try to prove your point that Drum Corps sucks now etc.. Believe what you want, but it's still such a wonderful and fantastic activity. So go cry about it to someone else. Love the past and grow to the future.

[@darbaaron]

ahhh no

[@rippedgenes]

I've never seen this before but the song brought to mind the Salem Argonauts in '84.

[@steviem8466]

rippedgenes La Suerte de las tontos _ Stan Kenton !!!

[@rippedgenes]

Stephen Marck Thanks Stephan but what I was getting at was that I hadn't seen this Blue Devils performance before. I believe that Salem Argos did it or a version of it in around '84 but I do appreciate you trying to be helpful.