FAQ Frequently Asked Questions! What is drum corps? The phrase drum corps is short for drum & bugle corps. Members in the top competetive corps are performers in non-profit organizations who compete against other drum corps in summer shows put on at football stadiums. Corps travel from different parts of the country and Canada to compete for top honors at individual shows and championships. Most corps also go out in exhibition performances for the community, like parades, while many smaller corps only perform in parades and standstill exhibitions. Show performances are choreographed movement, in sync with selected music. Each corps has a style it has chosen: for some it can be a style that's centered around a musical style: symphonic, jazz, rock, pop, etc. For others it may be an ethnic theme that sets them apart; for example the Hawthorne Caballeros have a latin show style, while The Pioneers have an Irish-themed show. There are three sections within a performing drum & bugle corps: horns, drums, and color guard. The horn section (brass) plays three-valve instruments in different voices - high voices (soprano/trumpet), midrange (mellophones), down to low voices (baritones/trombones and contra bass/tuba). The drum section also has several voices from high (snares) to low (bass), with additional voices provided by quads, cymbals, and xylophones. The Color guard section performs with flags, sabres, and other equipment; they often provide dance movement on the field to further project the musical mood of the pieces performed by the horns and drums. These three sections perform in a uniform or costume that is part of their visual identity. The complete field show takes about 12 minutes to perform. To someone unfamiliar with the activity, a drum corps may look much like a marching band because both carry instruments while performing a choreographed show on a football field. Both activities have influenced each other, with many members participating in both and many instructors teaching both. But marching bands have voices (woodwinds, like saxophones and flutes) that drum corps do not, and have a history apart from each other originally. Drum corps evolved from its roots in drum & fife corps, a European military tradition passed down to our country's founding fathers. In time, fifes gave way to horns. Most drum corps were originally formed by Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) posts, by the Catholic Youth Organization (CYO), by the Police Athletic League (PAL), and by Churches looking for a youth activity for its community. Decades ago, corps championships were sponsored by the VFW and CYO organizations. With many corps folding and sponsorship drying up during economic hard times, the activity needed ways to find a new fan base. The activity would discover that trailblazers like the Bridgemen held some answers for how to survive the drought. Enter Bobby Hoffman. Beginning in 1976, the Bridgemen became one of the most influential in changing the look, style, and sound within the drum corps activity. Though our efforts were often met with resistance from participants, judges, and fans alike, many had to admit that we were a catalyst for change in an activity that needed new ideas to remake itself. Bobby wanted to make drum corps more accessible to the fans and he brought his love of Broadway-style entertainment to the field. Our shows were suddenly more imaginative, colorful, fun, and outrageous at a time when other corps were holding on to the past. A new day had arrived and afterwards, the activity would never be the same. In the present day, the activity has evolved to where military style movement, music, and uniforms have given way to a performance style that is modern and fluid. No more marching in place, snap turns, or John Philip Sousa charts. And the Bridgemen played a big part in this makeover. Who are the Bridgemen? The Bridgemen began as a musical entertainment group, emulating the style of other drum & bugle corps to compete in the same arena. Decades ago, corps had a military style to them and the Bridgemen followed suit for many years. But the Bridgemen always wanted to do things a little differently and challenged its members to try new things, despite the initial resistance we would meet in the activity. The corps began under the sponsorship of St. AndrewÕs Parish in Bayonne, NJ comprised of neighborhood kids, younger than 21 years of age. These youths were determined to be noticed in the activity, and with the guidance of strong instructors, began to make a name for themselves with challenging shows. In the St. Andrew's era, perhaps the most memorable uniform is the gold shako and light yellow jackets that the corps performed in. Our colors of yellow, black, white, and gold would stay the course through all our later incarnations. The Bridgemen in the early 1970s became synonymous with our difficult triple-tonguing work from the hornline. But as membership began to wane in the mid 1970s, the corps leadership decided it was time to take a gamble by bringing in some new talent. Bobby Hoffman came in to remake our image and attempt to revitalize the organization. Little did he know that his efforts would remake the activity as a whole. 1976 saw the first year that the Bridgemen would enter the drum corps field in competition wearing long, yellow coats and floppy hats with colorful bandanas/hat scarves. Our movement was fluid, without the snap turns people were accustomed to. Shows were more outrageous and daring than other corps had attemped. Suddenly the status quo had been challenged and we were met with resistance, even anger from some. But there were enough new fans and judges on our side to allow this rebellious unit to move forward to some degree of acceptance. In the years to come, we would be recognized as a beloved innovator in the drum corps community, coming within striking distance of winning more than one championship! Bobby Hoffman's creative genius was matched by the additional talent of Dennis Delucia (our drum arranger and instructor, who would lead the drumline to 3 first place titles) and Larry Kerchner (our horn arranger and instructor, who would lead the hornline to many high placings). These three creative leaders broke open the possibilities of what could be achieved on the field. Our color guard wore black coats that provided a sexy, mystique for our girls. The color guard wasn't content to just do flag or sabre work, they danced through large portions of the program, often WHILE doing flag and sabre work! While this has become common today, this was a benchmark in visual entertainment back then. We played diverse styles of music in the yellow coats era, which is still true to this day. We were a little mix of Broadway, funk, pop, circus, and classical all rolled into one. What all these songs had in common was that they were accessible, fun pieces for players and audiences alike. We were never content to do what everyone else was doing. We were determined to create memorable, imaginative shows that stood out from the crowd, no matter the consequences. The Bridgemen of the new era carry on the tradition of entertaining the crowd and showing the audience how much fun we're having! We will continue to challenge ourselves to push the envelope and bring new innovations to the activity as a whole. We have the tenacity to rebuild ourselves into a group that will be fun to be a part of, fun to watch, and fun to see what we can get away with! Where can I send photos of the Bridgemen? We love to see photos of our junior corps days and of the new era. We're interested in seeing photos of performances, rehearsals, and veterans having fun. Please send scans of Bridgemen photos to Kevin Serfass to add to our Multimedia gallery. Thanks! Back to Corps page