A salute to historic performances from 1979, 89,
and 99 on the eve of WGI'09
Almost as good as an OnDemand DVD -- but not quite -- here's the second set of nine performances, on the 9's, that this year's units and shows have to reference from their same year in the decade. Again, former reportage from Field&Floor is in quotation marks.
18. Monacan High School, 1999, Land of Make Believe
" ... a breath of fresh performing air so needed ...."
17. Skylarks, 1979, Instant Replay
Year two for what was, then, Color Guard Olympics, brought out the populist entertainment in a lot of units; including the soon-to-be champion Skylarks.
16. Seattle Imperials, 1979, Pines of Rome
The musical playlist available for color guard is endless; however the musical playlist that is often in effect can be surprisingly shallow. Witness, thirty years after this moving show, this glorious symphonic work, all over again.
15. Quasar, 1979, Come Sail Away
Letting go ... of old ways, of historic idioms, is often so very hard to do. But Quasar did it early, and often.
14. Avilaros, 1999, History Repeating
"The year's *IT* guard, because of its attractive and confident performers."
13. St. Anthony's Imperials, 1979, Candide
Twenty-year bookends, the next two shows are among plenty of other versions of this fine overture that would likely appear on similar lists for other year numbers. This one, at least, was the first.
12. Aimachi, 1999, Candide
"Would that we could all see every show, every unit, every performer, with the collective wonder and anticipation that we shared when our Japanese neighbors brought joy, energy, and spontenaity. Had a first-time viewer walked in they might have perceived a championship at hand. It was, in the year's finest finale. No, it was not in the streamers; the year's best finale was in the smiles on the faces of every member of Aimachi ... and on the faces of every member of the audience."
11. Chimeras, 1999, Time to Say Goodbye
"Everyone was in love with this show's message. I was in love with the performers who pulled it off."
10. San Jose Raiders, 1989, Patty Hearst
And at the top of this second third is the show that gave new life and dimension to the idiom -- as well as new life for designers -- not to mention half the name, if not reason, for this blog.
TOMORROW: My nine favorite shows of the 9's, go to the 9's!
