DVD Spotlight of the Week: 1982 Sky Ryders

The show opened with “Faces,” the final track on the Earth, Wind & Fire album of the same name. From the beginning, it was apparent how solid the horn line was, with a volume that made fans take notice. The 10 rifles were prominently featured up front, as they so often were throughout the show. One of the corps’ characteristic moves came at the end of the opener, when five rifles sequentially leapfrogged over the five other rifles a few feet in front of them, then caught the rifles thrown by those in front. “Quein Sabe” (“Who Knows”) from “Cuban Fire!” was one of the selections in the suite written by Johnny Richards for the Stan Kenton Orchestra. The suite, recorded in 1956, was perfectly suited for drum corps with its heavy emphasis on Latin percussion. (The original recording required six percussionists, quite unheard of for a jazz band.) This work served as the corps’ concert standstill number and allowed the soprano buglers to enjoy some screaming moments. It’s unfortunate that with other selections from “Cuban Fire!” having enjoyed much success on the field, this particular movement is often overlooked. The Richards piece segued into a segment from “La Virgin de la Macarena,” a traditional Paso Doble popularized at Mexican bullfights. Six soprano buglers came to the center front of the field and played a short double-tonguing feature that remains one of the favorite such features among long-time corps fans. A short drum solo featured the rifles spinning two rifles while members of the flag line spun a single rifle between the legs or the regular rifle bearers. “Come in From the Rain” was a tender pop song ballad co-written by Melissa Manchester and Carole Bayer Sager. For a few more years, it was still customary for corps to play such ballads as closers, and many fans wouldn’t mind if it became a custom once again. After evolving into a brief build into “Over the Rainbow” from “The Wizard of Oz,” a 10-yard-wide rainbow set fanned open up across the back of the field. In the era before massive theatrical sets, this was a dramatic visual. Dozens of party balloons, hidden until the last moments of the show, were released to accompany one larger hot air balloon that represented Dorothy’s journey to and from the magical kingdom. And, perhaps, it represented Sky Ryders’ successful crossing of the rainbow into Finals. For this week only, you can save on the Legacy Collection DVD that contains this complete Sky Ryders performance, along with all finalists from the 1982 DCI World Championships. Buy the 1982 Legacy Collection DVD. (Available this week only for $28. Regular price: $35.)