CLICK THE ABOVE CREDIT CARD TO GET THE NEW

BRIDGEMEN CREDIT CARD!



BRIDGEMEN SHOWS Galleries

BRIDGEMEN DCA CHAMPIONSHIP ROCHESTER NY 9-6-09 :

BRIDGEMEN DCA CHAMPIONSHIP ROCHESTER NY 9-6-09

BRIDGEMEN @ CT HURRICANES FANFARE 2009 :

BRIDGEMEN @ CT HURRICANES FANFARE 2009

BRIDGEMEN GIANTS STADIUM 8-2-09 :

BRIDGEMEN GIANTS STADIUM 8-2-09

BRIDGEMEN DCI EAST ALLENTOWN PA 8-1-09 :

BRIDGEMEN DCI EAST ALLENTOWN PA 8-1-09

BRIDGEMEN COUNTRY MEADOWS 8-1-09 :

BRIDGEMEN COUNTRY MEADOWS 8-1-09

BRIDGEMEN TOS 2009 : All week the weather reports were Monday thru Friday rain, but the weekend was going to be sunny & in the mid 70’s! Then comes Friday & the weather for Saturday, June 13th, the date for the Tournament of Stars calls for RAIN! OH NO! Not AGAIN! Saturday comes & it is cloudy & dreary! The Bridgemen take the field at Historic Veterans Stadium for TOS Show Day Rehearsal like it is a sunny day! Blinded by HYPE, the Bridgemen take the field & begin to fine tune their 2009 Tournament Of Stars show that kicks off the 2009 Drum Corps Season! All though dark skies are above, the bright sounds of the 2009 Bridgemen, complete with kazoos, mega-phones, along with bugles & drums & charts of Drum Corps Hall of Famers begin to take life! No lunch, no breaks, just an occasional Gush & Go! Right up to the first of the final two run-throughs the rain stays on the side-lines! Before the second & final run-through mother nature chimes in with a more than simple drizzle, sending the Bridgemen under the stands to see just how much mother nature wants to show her un-welcomed face! So much for a second final run-thru! Rehearsal is declared over, details of the return for the show are given & it’s off to the many options of getting a courtesy massage, getting something to eat from the much appreciated JerseySurf food truck, checking out all the new items at the souvie stand, or just catching up with fellow Bridgemen or slowly entering drum corps friends/fans/show performers! Mother Nature was kinder that she was last year, she stayed around just enough to let everyone know she was going to leave, but at her own pace! A drizzle here & there & off she went realizing that all drum corps were performing as if there was nothing but a show to do! Hats off to the ground crew in their effort to keep the field as dry & safe as humanly possible! As the last Corps marched off the field, in the background the familiar sounds of Billy T cut through the night air to let the crowd know that the Bridgemen were coming! The police sirens & flashing lights were followed by the sea of yellow coming down the most famous hill in Bridgemen Land! Paul Revere would have been upstaged by the call heard in the stands, “The Bridgemen Are Coming, The Bridgemen Are Coming!” The 2009 Bridgemen once again were coming in a tightly compacted formation down the 50 yard line ready to once again perform the SHOW THAT NEVER ENDS! Some for the first time, others for once again doing it with memories of THEIR first time from the 60’s, 70’s, 80’s or 2K’s! The show was in honor of their fallen drum major, Jerry Morecraft! The Bridgemen were rewarded with standing ovations, shout outs & general fan infected HYPE from their fans after each song. After their show & keeping in tune with their noted line, THE SHOW THAT NEVER ENDS, performing corps of the Tournament of Stars once again entered the field to stand side by side with the Bridgemen to play Larry Kerchners version of TAPS, acknowledging & honoring in drum corps family unison the passing of a fellow drum corps brother & former Bridgemen Drum Major, Jerry Morecraft. A dry eye was not found anywhere! The show was not ended but over for now! The drum corps season has just begun! HYPE to all……………HYPE! It’s a Bridgemen thing!

BRIDGEMEN TOS 2009

BRIDGEMEN TOS PERFORMERS 2009 :

BRIDGEMEN TOS PERFORMERS 2009

BRIDGEMEN MASONS WHEELCHAIR OLYMPICS NORTH BRUNSWICK NJ 6-7-09 :

BRIDGEMEN MASONS WHEELCHAIR OLYMPICS NORTH BRUNSWICK NJ 6-7-09

BRIDGEMEN @ YANKEE REBELS DIXIE STINGER BALTIMORE MD 4-4-09 : IT WAS APRIL 4 2009, THE FIRST TIME THE BRIDGEMEN PERFORMED AT THE YANKEE REBELS DIXIE STINGER SHOW IN BALTIMORE! IT WAS ALSO THE BRIDGEMENS FIRST PUBLIC APPEARANCE OF THE 2009 SEASON! A VERY WINDY DAY, TOO WINDY TO REHEARSE OUTDOORS. AFTER WAITING THEIR TURN, THE BRIDGEMEN ENTERED THE GYM AND BEGAN TO REHEARSE, BY THE TIME THEY WERE HALF WAY INTO BIG NOISE FROM WINETKA, THEY WERE SHOWERED BY BADMITON BIRDIES RAINING DOWN ON THEM THAT HAVE BEEN STUCK UP IN THE STEEL SUPPORTS HIGH UP IN THE CEILING OF THE GYM FOR WHO KNOWS HOW LONG. THE POWER OF THE HYPE HAS NO BOUNDS! THIS BIRDIE BOMBARDEMENT CONTINUED THROUGHOUT THE REHEARSAL! THEN IT WAS OFF TO STAGE TIME, DURING STAGE TIME, DRUM CORPS FANS CAME UP TO ME TO TELL ME "YOU HAVE SOME DRUM CORPS THERE!" "THATS WHAT DRUM CORPS IS ALL ABOUT!" & "I AM SO GLAD YOU GUYS ARE BACK!": AFTER REHEARSAL, THERE WAS SOME QUALITY, HOME MADE FOOD TO BE CONSUMED WHILE MAKING SOME NEW FRIENDSHIPS AS WELL AS SEEING OLD DRUM CORPS FRIENDS! THE YANKEE REBELS REALLY KNOW HOW TO PUT A SHOW TOGETHER! GOOD FOOD, NO HASSELS & A COMFORTABLE, FRIENDLY ENVIRONMENT! AFTER AN INTRODUCTION THAT WAS HISTORICALLY ACCURATE AS WELL AS SPOKEN FROM ACTUALLY BEING THERE, THE CURTAINS OPENED UP TO THE FAMILIAR APPLAUSE THE BRIDGEMEN STRIVE FOR! THE SHOW WENT OFF WITH FANS SCREAMING FOR AN ON CHORE AND THE BRIDGEMEN RECIPROCATED WITH THEIR TRADITIONAL RENDITION OF WILLIAM TELL (BILLY T) APPLAUSE COULD STILL BE HEARD AS THE BRIDGEMEN LEFT THE HOUSE! OUTSIDE THE BUILDING THE CUSTOMARY PROPS BY DIRECTOR GEORGE LAVELLE WAS GIVEN TO THE OVER HYPED BRIDGEMEN TO BRING THEM BACK DOWN TO EARTH AFTER AN UNBELIEVEABLE SEASON OPENING PERFORMANCE! AT THE END OF THE TRADITIONAL GROUP GATHERING A FAN, INTERUPTED THE CLOSING, ASKING TO ADDRESS THE CORPS & JUST WANTED TO LET US KNOW THAT HE WAS A LONG TIME DRUM CORPS FAN & NEVER HAS ANY DRUM CORPS GIVEN HIM GOOSE BUMPS UNTIL TONIGHTS BRIDGEMEN PERFORMANCE! HYPE!...............ITS A BRIDGEMEN THING.

BRIDGEMEN @ YANKEE REBELS DIXIE STINGER BALTIMORE MD 4-4-09

BRIDGEMEN DRUM CLINIC SCOTCH PLAINS NJ 2-7-09 :

BRIDGEMEN DRUM CLINIC SCOTCH PLAINS NJ 2-7-09

BRIDGEMEN at HOLY FAMILY CABERET 11-15-08 :

BRIDGEMEN at HOLY FAMILY CABERET 11-15-08

BRIDGEMEN COMMAND PERFORMANCE AT THE VENICE & AFTER PARTY 10-12-08 :

BRIDGEMEN COMMAND PERFORMANCE AT THE VENICE & AFTER PARTY 10-12-08

BRIDGEMEN DCA ROCHESTER NY 8-31-08 : THE LONG,LONG RIDE TO ROCHESTER SEEMS TO GET A LITTLE EASIER EACH YEAR! IT'S STILL LONG, BUT WORTH THE BIG PAYOFF! THE WEATHER THIS YEAR FOR THE SATURDAY REHEARSAL & THE SUNDAY SHOW, COULD NOT HAVE BEEN CUSTOM ORDERED ANY FINER! THE THEME FOR THE LAST REHEARSAL WAS "CRAZIEST T-SHIRT SAYING." THE OVERALL REHEARSAL MOOD WAS HAPPY & FUN WHILE STILL GETTING THE WORK DONE! DIRECTOR, GEORGE LAVELLE SAID IT WAS THE BEST REHEARSAL TO DATE, WHICH WILL LEAD US TO THE BEST SHOW EVER! HE WAS RIGHT! IT WAS & IT DID! CARMESTROS RESTAURANT,HILTON NY, WAS ONCE AGAIN THE POST REHEARSAL SITE FOR FOOD & FUN! THE TALENT SHOW THIS YEAR WAS PRECEDED BY THE NEWLY FORMED, SOCIAL COMMITTEES LONG LIST OF AWARDS GIVEN OUT TO THE BRIDGEMEN WHO THROUGHOUT THE YEAR UNKNOWINGLY WORKED VERY HARD TO EARN! THE SOCIAL COMMITTEES FINALE WAS A SLIDE SHOW OF OVER 300 PHOTOS THAT COVERED THIS ENTIRE, AMAZING YEAR IN BRIDGEMENLAND! IT WAS MET WITH SMILES,LAUGHS,OHH'S & AHH'S! PARTY OVER,TIME FOR BED I DON'T THINK SO! THE DOUBLETREE HOTEL BAR WAS IN DIRE NEED FOR A REDUCTION IN STOCK! THE BRIDGEMEN OBLIGED UNTIL WAY BEYOND CLOSING TIME OF SAID BAR! SUNDAY, 8:30AM, THE TRADITIONAL PARKING LOT RUN THROUGH VOID OF INSTRUMENTS, MUCH TO THE PLEASURE OF SLEEPING HOTEL GUESTS & HUNG OVER BRIDGEMEN WENT AS WELL AS THE WEATHER IT WAS PERFORMED IN! PAETEK PARK THROTTLED UP THE EXCITEMENT LEVER BEFORE THE BRIDGEMEN SET FOOT ON THE FIELD! A CRESCENDO OF GREAT MUSIC,GAGS,SURPRISES (SEE IF YOU CAN FIND WHAT INSTRUMENT THE DIRECTOR WAS PLAYING....DID YOU MISS THE PHOTOGRAPHER IN UNIFORM WITH A HORN?) ENTERTAINMENT WAS REWARDED WITH APPLAUSE,CHEERS,SCREAMS & STANDING OVATIONS! 2009 IS RIGHT AROUND THE CORNER FOR THE SHOW THAT NEVER ENDS! MAY THE HYPE BE WITH YOU..............JOHN

BRIDGEMEN DCA ROCHESTER NY 8-31-08

DOUBLE TREE HOTEL ROCHESTER NY : WHEN IN ROCHESTER, THE BRIDGEMEN STAY AT THE DOUBLETREE HOTEL!

DOUBLE TREE HOTEL ROCHESTER NY

BRIDGEMEN DCI EAST ALLENTOWN PA 8-2-08 :

BRIDGEMEN DCI EAST ALLENTOWN PA 8-2-08

COUNTRY MEADOWS STANDSTILL BETHLEMLEHAM PA 8-2-08 :

COUNTRY MEADOWS STANDSTILL BETHLEMLEHAM PA 8-2-08

BRIDGEMEN CABS SHOW 7-12-08 CLIFTON NJ :

BRIDGEMEN CABS SHOW 7-12-08 CLIFTON NJ

BRIDGEMEN CADETS SHOW MUSIC IN MOTION CLIFTON NJ 7-5-08 : AFTER A WET, SOGGY, HOT & STICKY REHEARSAL DOWN AT VETERANS STADIUM, WE WERE OFF TO CLIFTON NEW JERSEY FOR THE CADETS SHOW! CLOUDS AND ON AGAIN OFF AGAIN RAIN FOLLOWED US ALL THE WAY THERE! WE STILL AT THAT POINT IN TIME HAVE NOT PERFORMED OUR FIELD SHOW DUE TO THE RAIN OUT AT OUR HOME SHOW, TOURNAMENT OF STARS IN JUNE, SO WE WERE LOOKING FORWARD TO OUR 2008 FIELD DEBUT AND DOES IT GET ANY BETTER? PLAN B IS A SELL OUT CADETS SHOW! AND WE HAD THE HONOR OF CLOSING SAID SHOW! WHAT A LEAD IN! UPON ARRIVAL THERE IS AN OMEN, THE STADIUM HAPPENS TO BE SOMEWHERE UNDER A RAINBOW AS YOU WILL SEE IN THIS GALLERIES PHOTOS WAITING FOR THE BRIDGEMEN TO COMPLETE THE THEME AS WE PERFORM OUR NEW BALLAD THAT INCLUDES "SOMEWHERE OVER THE RAINBOW", ARE YOU SURPRISED? WE'RE NOT! THERE IS NO ESCAPING BRIDGEMEN HYPE! I THINK MOTHER NATURE OWED US ONE ANYWAY FROM HER TOS FINALE! ENJOY THE PHOTOS, IF YOU WERE THERE, THEN IT ADDS TO YOUR MEMORY & IF YOU WEREN'T THEN IS BECOMES YOUR MEMORY! HYPE.............IT'S A BRIDGEMEN THING................JOHN.

BRIDGEMEN CADETS SHOW MUSIC IN MOTION CLIFTON NJ 7-5-08

BRIDGEMEN TOURNAMENT OF STARS 6-14-08 : AFTER A SIX HOUR REHEARSAL IN 90 DEGREE TEMPS AND THE THREAT OF RAIN IN THE FORECAST, THE SHOW BEGAN AT 6PM SHARP! THE CORPS IN ORDER OF THEIR PERFORMANCE WERE:SELDEN CADETS,SAINT RITAS,PARK CITY PRIDE,PRESTON SCOUT HOUSE BAND,BLESSED SAC,HAWTHORNE CABALLEROS ALUMNI,BUSHWACKERS,JERSEY SURF,BRIDGEMEN ALUMNI DRUM & BUGLE CORPS. INTERMISSION WAS SCHEDULED RIGHT AFTER SAC & THAT IS WHEN MOTHER NATURE TOOK THE CUE AND ROLLED IN SOME THUNDER & LIGHTNING FOLLOWED BY SOME TEMPERATURE COOLING, BLEACHER CLEARING AND VERY UN-WANTED RAIN! DRUM CORPS FANS BEING DRUM CORPS FANS, THEY JUST TOOK REFUGE UNDER THE PROTECTION OF THE GRANDSTAND WHERE THERE WAS PLENTY OF FOOD, SOUVIES & REST ROOMS! THEY PATIENTLY WAITED FOR MOTHER NATURES SHOW TO END! AFTER ABOUT 40 MINUTES THE RAIN SLOWED DOWN BUT THE LIGHTNING CONTINUED WHICH LED THE BAYONNE POLICE TO MAKE THE DECISION OF CALLING THE 50/50 AS NIGHT WAS FALLING, BEFORE DECLARING THE SHOW A RAIN OUT! THE BRIDGEMEN COMPLIED & AS THE 50/50 WAS OVER, THE RAIN STOPPED, JUST THEN, IN THE DISTANCE, THE WILLIAM TELL OVERTURE OR AS BRIDGEMEN FONDLY REFER TO IT AS "BILLY T" WAS HEARD! EVERYONE STOPPED IN THEIR TRACKS; HEADS SPUN IN THE DIRECTION OF THE SOUNDS & PEOPLE BEGAN SHOUTING "THE BRIDGEMEN ARE COMING, THE BRIDGEMEN ARE COMING!" THEY CERTAINLY WERE COMING & THEY USED "BILLY T" TO TELL EVERYONE TO STAY RIGHT THERE, THE BRIDGEMEN WERE NOT GOING TO DISAPPOINT WHAT HAS ALWAYS BEEN THE BRIDGEMENS NUMBER ONE CONCERN, THE FANS! THEY QUICKLY GOT INTO AN ENSEMBLE FORMATION AS THE CROWD FORMED IN FRONT OF THEM! THE POLICE UPON SEEING WHAT WAS ABOUT TO OCCUR SAID IT WAS OK TO DO ONLY ONE SONG! ONCE THE CROWD HEARD THAT, THEY CHANTED "DO THE WHOLE SHOW!" THEY OPENED WITH "BIG NOISE FROM WINNETKA" AND AS THE CROWD APPLAUDED AT THE END & THE POLICE WERE NOT OPENING THEIR TICKET BOOKS OR CALLING FOR THE PADDY WAGON, THE BRIDGEMEN QUICKLY BEGAN "MY FAVORITE THINGS" FOLLOWED BY "IN THE STONE" & ENDED WITH "BILLY T!" AS THE APPLAUSE AT THE END OF "BILLY T" MAXED OUT, MOTHER NATURE DECIDED TO CLOSE THE SHOW BY RAINING DOWN A TORRENTIAL DOWNPOUR THAT LOOKED LIKE SPAGHETTI FALLING FROM THE SKIES INSTEAD OF RAIN, THAT COULD NOT HAVE BEEN TIMED ANY BETTER! THERE WASN'T A DRY OR DISAPPOINTED FAN TO BE FOUND! WELCOME BACK MY FRIENDS, TO THE SHOW THAT NEVER ENDS AND MAY THE HYPE BE WITH YOU!....................JOHN

BRIDGEMEN TOURNAMENT OF STARS 6-14-08

TOS PERFORMERS 6-14-08 :

TOS PERFORMERS 6-14-08

BRIDGEMEN SERENADE IN BRASS HARRISBURG PA 4-12-08 :

BRIDGEMEN SERENADE IN BRASS HARRISBURG PA 4-12-08

BRIDGEMEN DRUMFEST 3-15-08 :

BRIDGEMEN DRUMFEST 3-15-08

BRIDGEMEN DRUM CLINIC SCOTCH PLAINS NJ 2-9-08 :

BRIDGEMEN DRUM CLINIC SCOTCH PLAINS NJ 2-9-08

BRIDGEMEN KINGSTON NY 8-12-07 :

BRIDGEMEN KINGSTON NY 8-12-07

BRIDGEMEN DCA ROCHESTER NY 9/2/07 :

BRIDGEMEN DCA ROCHESTER NY 9/2/07

BRIDGEMEN JerseySurf WILDWOOD SHOW 7-21-07 :

BRIDGEMEN JerseySurf WILDWOOD SHOW 7-21-07

BRIDGEMEN TOS PERFORMERS 6-23-07 : In Exhibition: Emerald Grenadears All-Girls Corps of Dover, NJ Sunrisers All-Age Corps of Rockland County, NY Park City Pride Alumni Corps of Bridgeport, CT Skyliners Alumni Corps of Garfield, NJ Blessed Sacrament Golden Knights Alumni Corps of Newark, NJ Caballeros Alumni Corps of Hawthorne, NJ Jersey Surf Junior Corps of Berlin, NJ Caballeros All-Age Corps of Hawthorne, NJ Buccaneers All-Age Corps of Reading, PA (current DCA Champions) and your host, The Bridgemen Alumni Corps of Bayonne, NJ!

BRIDGEMEN TOS PERFORMERS 6-23-07

BRIDGEMEN DCI-EAST ALLENTOWN 7-8-07 : posted by LancerLegend Friday, 12:37 AM As many folks know, The Bridgemen open the Sunday portion of DCI East. My words cannot due their performance any justice. There were some very funny moments and a few very serious moments. The funny parts - a horn player starting early and a sideline referee blowing a whistle and calling for a false start - 5 yards worth - and the entire corps moved backward. Watching a few "senior citizens" performing Santa Clara's Bottle Dance - that was fabulous. One of the more serious moments was when they played Danny Boy. I was told by a few friends marching in Bayonne, that there was some anxiety over the decision to play it. Several months ago, in a true sign of respect and admiration, Dennis DeLucia called George Bonfiglio, director of the 27th Lancers and DCI's first president. George was most appreciative of their conversation and gave Dennis - and Larry Kerchner - his blessing and appreciation. I had the honor of bringing George B to Allentown, and we witnessed this performance first hand on the track. It was a very moving tribute. At the conclusion, DM Jim Jordan stood on his podium, pointed directly to George B, and saluted him. Watching that gesture was very emotional for me. George B and his family gave me the opportunity to march with 27th. And when both corps were active, we loved chasing each other all over this country (and Canada) and competing and making life miserable for each other - it was competion at its finest. To Jim - my complete and sincere thanks for your respectful salute to George B. I have many fond memories of our rivalry, but that is one memory that bonds us forever. -------------------- The Maine BD FAN 27th Lancers 73,74,76,77,94 - Staff 80,81,82,83,94

BRIDGEMEN DCI-EAST ALLENTOWN 7-8-07

BRIDGEMEN PRE-DCI EAST ALLENTOWN 7-8-07 :

BRIDGEMEN PRE-DCI EAST ALLENTOWN 7-8-07

BRIDGEMEN AT COUNTRY MEADOWS RETIREMENT COMMUNITY 7-8-07 :

BRIDGEMEN AT COUNTRY MEADOWS RETIREMENT COMMUNITY 7-8-07

BRIDGEMEN TOS SHOW 6-23-07 :

BRIDGEMEN TOS SHOW 6-23-07

BRIDGEMEN FATHER JOHNS FAREWELL 6-24-07 : EIGHTEEN YEARS AGO, A PRIEST WITH A DARK CREWCUT AND A LOVE OF FIRETRUCKS ARRIVED AS OUR NEW PASTOR. NOW, IN 2007, WITH A CREWCUT JUST A LITTLE LIGHTER AND A GREATER LOVE FOR ALL EMERGENCY PERSONNEL AND HIS PARISHIONERS, FATHER JOHN DOHERTY WILL RETIRE ON JUNE 30th. (from church bulletin) NOT TO MENTION A LOVE FOR DRUM CORPS, PARTICULARLY THE BRIDGEMEN, SO WE DID WHAT BRIDGEMEN DO, THE UN-EXPECTED! WE GATHERED AT HENRY HARRIS SCHOOL YARD SO THAT HE WOULDN'T HEAR US WARM UP. AFTER A 3 HOUR REHEARSAL THE PREVIOUS FRIDAY, A 7 HOUR REHEARSAL SATURDAY & THEN OF COURSE, FOLLOWED BY OUR SHOW, THE TOURNAMENT OF STARS, THE 10 AM GATHERING ON SUNDAY MORNING SHOWED THAT THERE IS STILL HYPE TO GO AROUND! AND HEY, WE FIGURED IF WE GOTTA BE UP EARLY, WE MIGHT AS WELL MAKE SURE THE SPONSOR OF THE TOS, BCB BANKS PRESIDENT & CEO & FORMER MARCHING MEMBER DONALD MINDIAK SHOULD BE THERE ALSO, RIGHT! (he came on his own I think) SO AFTER WARM UPS, WE QUIETLY IN SOMEWHAT ORDER, HEAD TO SAINT ANDREWS CHURCH TO BE THERE WHEN A PARTING FRIEND OPENS THE DOORS AFTER HIS MASS OF APPRECIATION. NOW THERES SOMETHING YOU DON'T SEE EVERY DAY, BRIDGEMEN ON A SUNDAY MORNING IN FULL UNIFORM INVADING BERGEN POINT SIDEWALKS & STREETS. MORE TURNING HEADS FROM THE LOCALS & OF COURSE STOPPING TRAFFIC WITH THE ASSISTANCE OF BAYONNES FINEST. SO THERE WE STAND IN AN ARC IN FRONT OF THE CHURCH DOORS, COLOR GUARD ON THE LAWN OF THE RECTORY, THE SUN SHINING DOWN WATCHING THOSE DOORS, DID I MENTION THE SUN WAS BURNING, I MEAN SHINING DOWN? ONE THING WAS FOR SURE, WE WEREN'T LATE! WE WAITED & WAITED & WAITED & THEN WE HEAR FROM INSIDE THE CHURCH, SOMEONE SINGING WHAT ELSE? DANNY BOY, FATHERS FAVORITE! THAT WAS JUST BEFORE THE COMMUNION, FOR ALL YOU NON CATHOLICS, MASS IS ABOUT 3/4's OVER. SO BACK OUT IN THE SUN THERES THE BRIDGEMEN QUIETLY IN FORMATION & AS A FORMER DRUMMER I CAN ATTEST ITS NOT EASY FOR US TO BE QUIET, THEN FINALLY, A FAMILY WITH A CRYING BABY COMES OUT, GREAT! PEOPLE ARE STARTING TO COME OUT, IT WON'T BE LONG NOW, THE DOOR CLOSES & THE WOMEN UPON SEEING SOMETHING THAT WASN'T THERE WHEN SHE ENTERED THE CHURCH, THE BRIDGEMEN, SHE SAYS, "OH MASS IS ALMOST OVER, WE HAD TO LEAVE, I JUST COULDN'T KEEP HIM QUIET." OKAAAAY! NOW A CROWD IS QUIETLY GATHERING, (see, we ARE a good influence) ON BOTH SIDES OF THE CHURCH STEPS, FLOWING ALONG THE SIDEWALK & GUESS WHAT, NO, NOT ANOTHER CRYING BABY, THE TALL, HEAVY CENTER DOORS SLOWLY SWING OPEN AND THERE IS FATHER, NO, NOT FATHER JOHN & RIGHT BEHIND THERE IS ANOTHER PRIEST NOT FATHER, BUT THEN THERE WAS, ANOTHER PRIEST NOT FATHER JOHN! RIGHT BEHIND HIM WAS FATHER JOHN, SLOWLY WALKING OUT, TURNING SIDE TO SIDE WITH HIS BACK TO US, SHAKING HANDS, HUGGING HIS PARISHONERS & PICKING UP CHILDREN WITH A HUG. HE FINALLY PUTS THE LAST GIRL DOWN AS HE REACHES THE TOP STEP, PICKS HIS HEAD UP & SEES US! THE LOOK ON HIS FACE WAS WORTH THE WAIT, HOLDING BACK HIS EMOTIONS, OR AT LEAST TRYING TO, A SMILE BREAKS OUT THAT COULD HAVE SUPPORTED A BANANNA IN HIS MOUTH SIDEWAYS CORNER TO CORNER . HE STRETCHED BOTH HIS ARMS OUT SIDEWAYS AS IF TO SYMBOLICKLY HUG THE ENTIRE CORPS & CROWD. HE THEN SEES HIS GOD CHILD, PICKS HER UP AS WE BEGIN TO PLAY “DANNY BOY”, FOLLOWED BY “MY FAVORITE THINGS” FINISHING WITH “THE WILLIAM TELL OVERATURE” A RESOUNDING THUNDER OF APPLAUSE FROM THE CROWD & OF COURSE FATHER JOHN. AFTER THE FINAL NOTE OF “TELL”, GEORGE & NANCY THEN PRESENT FATHER WITH A PLAQUE & A PHOTOGRAPH OF THE CORPS, TAKEN WHERE IT ALL BEGAN 42 YEARS AGO, THIS PAST MEMORIAL DAY, ON THE STEPS OF SAINT ANDREWS SCHOOL BEFORE THE PARADE ,WITH WHO ELSE, FATHER JOHN! SOME PARTING PICS WITH OUR DRUM MAJORS JOHN RICHARD & JIM JORDAN & A PERFECT ENDING TO A PERFECT WEEKEND. AS WE LEAVE, THE SAME WAY WE CAME, ONE OF BAYONNES FINEST SAYS TO US, “THANK YOU.”, OBVIOUSLY JUST AS MOVED BY IT ALL AS WE ALL WERE. ONLY IN BAYONNE! FROM WHAT I HEAR, OUR CONCERT WAS ONE OF THE FEW SECRETS THAT WAS ABLE TO BE KEPT FROM FATHER JOHN & BY THE LOOK ON HIS FACE ITS OBVIOUS THAT’S TRUE. A FUNNY BACK STORY TO THIS: MY DAUGHTER JENNIFER, WHO HAS 2 CHILDREN OF HER OWN, IS ALSO TAKING CARE OF HER 9 & 14 YEAR OLD NIECE & 7 YEAR OLD NEPHEW WHILE THEIR MOTHER RECOUPS FROM AN ILLNESS, ALSO ATTENDED THE FESTIVITIES. THEY WERE WAITING AT MY HOUSE WHEN I RETURNED FROM FATHERS FAREWELL. I SAY TO 7 YEAR OLD TIMMY, “SO, HOW DID YOU LIKE IT?” TIMMY ANSWERS WITH A BEWILDERED LOOK ON HIS FACE,”AT MY CHURCH WE ONLY CLAP HANDS!” I GUESS HE THINKS WE DO THAT AFTER EVERY MASS AT SAINT ANDREWS! HYPE TO ALL FRIENDS & FANS WITH A SPECIAL “MAY THE HYPE FOREVER BE WITH YOU FATHER JOHN” BY JOHN NADROWSKI

BRIDGEMEN FATHER JOHNS FAREWELL 6-24-07

BRIDGEMEN SHOW/REHEARSAL READING,PA 5-12-07 PHOTOS by JOHN & KATIE NADROWSKI : YOU GUYS WERE AWESOME LAST NIGHT, DANNY BOY SOUNDED THE BEST IT EVER HAS, AND YOU ALL ACTUALLY "GROOVED" WITH STONE..... GREAT JOB, HERE IS THE FIRST REVIEW I FOUND ON DCP....John Matos Bridgemen, I think they're going to have to replace some of the mortar on the back wall of the auditorium. A more comfortable performance than Harrisburg, I thought. A little looser, more fun. What can I say? Ya gotta catch these guys this year! You'll enjoy it. "Danny Boy", ala 2-7, was very well done. BAYONNE MAY WANT TO REINFORCE THE STADIUM BEFORE JUNE 23.....

BRIDGEMEN SHOW/REHEARSAL READING,PA 5-12-07 PHOTOS by JOHN & KATIE NADROWSKI

BRIDGEMEN TOS SHOW 2006 : Tournament of Stars featured an emotional SLAP DOWN performance by The Bridgemen!!! June 10, 2006 In the days leading into the weekend, we talked among ourselves and on the forums, eager for the weekend to arrive! Some members and BOD members had trouble sleeping and felt some preshow jitters as we couldn't wait to take the field! No matter who arrived for the weekend tired, we were all overjoyed to find ourselves back in each other's company and eager to get this all underway. Saturday's rehearsal at Don Ahern Veteran's Stadium in Bayonne on June 10, 2006 began with us standing on this cherished field and waiting for rehearsal to finally begin. It was an unusually windy day and not as warm as you'd expect in early June. President John Riccardi addressed the corps and congratulated Executive Director George Lavelle, Jr. in his successful bid to relaunch the Bridgemen as an Alumni Corps and bring back something so important to present-day members, alumni, and fans. George went on to thank the initial nucleus of members who helped us realize the dream of creating a new chapter in the corps history: Nancy Ducharme, John Riccardi, Tom Kowalak, Ken Donovan, Debbie Kowalak, Gary Karpinski, and RuthAnn Cooper. John and George reminded us that to get a lot accomplished that day, we needed to turn the day into a lovefest and work WITH each other to the best of our capabilities. We began with a singing runthrough to shake out the cobwebs, then George broke down the show one set at a time. Slowly, the stands began to fill with fans and curious onlookers who'd waited for our show to arrive. We spent the first few hours going through our performance routines to help us memorize all we needed for the show that night. Our talented staff of Dennis Delucia, Jim Mallen, Pat Scollin, Ron Dolce, Larry Kerchner, Matt Krempasky, Matt Hurley, Claire Kronenfeld, George Lavelle, Bob Murray, and George Ruse put us through the paces that day. Missed you Bob Dubinski! The morning and afternoon raced by quickly and the stadium was emptied for our last run through of the day. With some new routines worked into the show, George wished to avoid spoiling the surprise for everyone in the stands. The show began around 6:00 with spirited performances by corps who were priveleged to open the drum corps season with a perfect temperature for performances in uniform. The stands filled up quickly and looked packed by 7:00. Before the show was over, the crowd would be treated to ten great corps: Emerald Grenadears Alumni, Blessed Sacrament Golden Knights Alumni, Yankee Rebels Alumni, Light Brigade, Park City Pride, Skyliners Alumni, Caballeros Alumni, Bushwackers Senior Corps, Jersey Surf .... and the return of The Bridgemen! After our dinner break, we met back at the equipment truck at 7:00, in black pants and white shirts, to get our uniform tops off the truck. Our horns, drums, and color guard peeled away to private spots to warm up and lock down our show routines. Our instructors were wise not to work us hard as they wanted us to preserve our energy for the show we were destined to unleash on a packed house. As we grew closer to show time, sectionals ended and we walked toward the stadium to meet up with each other on a side street, at the top of the hill near the back gate. The Bushwackers were nearing the end of their show and soon Jersey Surf took the field. We passed the time joking with each other and calming each other. Many of us were feeling preshow jitters and occasionally tearing up. We waited impatiently for the minutes to tick by. Director George Lavelle pulled us together to speak to us. “In 1976, Bobby Hoffman, brought the Bridgemen to this same hill before he unveiled a new chapter in the history of the Bridgemen. Little did he know that he'd change the activity as a whole! And here we are thirty years later, about to change the activity again. HOW AWESOME IS THAT!?” We cheered and embraced the moment in the countdown as George soon told us “ten minutes to go!” A fearless determination took hold to put on the show of our lives as we assembled together in our opening box at the top of the hill and waited. George commented “Other corps would march forward, but we're gonna STROLL forward. So start strolling!” After a few minutes, half way down the hill, Drum Major Jim Jordan led us through a few bars of “The William Tell Overture” aimed at the stadium as we gave the crowd a taste of the mayhem to come. Showtime finally arrived at 9:20 and a Bayonne police cruiser led the way down the hill with their lights whirling and showing the crowd that the main act had arrived. George Lavelle had engineered the moment with masterful precision to recapture that defining night in 1976 when the new Bridgemen made their entrance into this same stadium. Vince Downes later commented, “The minute you guys came through the back gate, the crowd went NUTS!” Our brand new yellow and black coats (faithful recreations of the banana coats) began making their way into the stadium as we glided forward doing the Bridgemen knock. The crowd was awestruck by the sheer numbers that kept coming through the back gates! We saw that the Jersey Surf had parked themselves to the side, still in uniform with equipment, and respectfully waited in formation to watch our performance. We looked around at each other to see friends in our beautiful new uniforms and saw our colorful bandanas swaying in the Bayonne breeze. As we made our way forward onto the field, the crowd began stomping their feet in the metal stands, causing a loud reverberation that echoed around the stadium. Many of us took in the moment and said “WOW!” The audience would soon get to see the much-anticipated return of the Bridgemen to the field. 2 Drum Majors, 65 horns, 32 drums, 28 color guard, and 7 honor guard took the field to usher in the new era of the Bridgemen. The stadium was PACKED and we saw hundreds more grinning faces (most wearing the uniforms of other corps) standing in front and to the sides eagerly waiting to see our show. Once we were set up and ready, Drum Majors Jim Jordan and John Richard saluted the crowd in their all-white uniforms and then Jim Jordan began the count off that launched the 2006 Bridgemen in exhibition. Snares began the show as the horns came up to unleash the dramatic opening chords of Pagliacci to grab the crowd's attention. The brass and percussion impact produced a level of volume they didn't expect as our color guard's rainbow flags spun and brought the show forward. Our solid box moved forward, evolving into smooth curves that cascaded forward to bring the dynamic impact closer! Our opening fanfare soon segued into Chuck Mangione's Land of Make Believe, a playful piece from our heyday that features an expressive soprano solo with color guard rifle girls circled up around him. The rifles maintained the circle as they fought the unusually strong winds that night, and gave their all to demonstrate what they were made of. The bouncy rhythms gave the crowd a taste of what endeared the junior corps Bridgemen to so many. The fine duet by Rob Hunter and Kevin McDermott, then the intense closing chords, reminded the crowd why they waited until night's end to see us. Next, we changed the mood with Larry Kerchner's well-loved arrangement of My Favorite Things. This isn't your father's version; Larry's arrangement expertly weaves in jazzy rhythms that takes this chart down a new road. The opening soprano chord soon brought forth the mysterious baritone melody, upbeat and unrelenting in its drive. The call-and-answer between both horns up front gave way to a 4/4 rhythm against a 6/4 rhythm that we masterfully played. The drums took over the melody and pounded out wonderfully complex and challenging parts that kept the crowd mesmerized for 16 measures; snares on roto toms, triples, bass drums and cymbals traded off rhythms to delight the crowd and showcase Dennis Delucia's new drum feature. The horns charged forward and pounded out our next statement at a volume level that was off the scales! After eight measures of impact, we quickly dropped down for a soft statement before beginning the power push that kept building to a climactic charge that set the stadium alight. Before the song was even over, the crowd's reaction was an absolute EXPLOSION of cheering and wild applause! At the end the horns slammed down our horns to port arms and yelled “Hype!” to soak in the crowd's approval. We next moved into the tragic strains of Summer of '42 which weaved in a new color into the show. Full show volume calmed into a soft, lush passage as the main melody took over to wash over the crowd. The alternately tragic and lovelorn parts intermingled at times to embody a time of passion between lovers that was beautiful, but could not last in a time of war. The piece ended hauntingly as the contras proclaimed the inevitable fate of this love story before a jazzy duet proclaimed the story's eternal appeal. Then we shifted gears again with a comedy segment. Let's just call it Bananas and let you experience it for the first time if you weren't there 06/10/06! Next, the bass drums gave us the opening beats of our classic In the Stone from Earth, Wind, & Fire (perhaps the song most associated with the original Bridgemen). This upbeat, joyful pop chart allows every section of the corps to grab the spotlight and put our talent on display. The percussion / battery laid down a grooving track that helps give the piece so much life. The sopranos engaged the crowd with some funky rhythms (played in fortsandos) while mellophone, baritone, and contra counter-melodies mesh for an amazing effect. The contras took over their feature as the brilliant flags of the color guard showed why only the Bridgemen can deliver the ultimate version of In the Stone. Choreographer Matt Hurley's girls continued to give a lively performance that surpassed their own expectations. The baritone feature next took over as the other sections took over the counter melodies. Mellophones threw down some funkadelic lines just before we arrived at the chart's loud closer. The crowd was already giving back all we were giving them as we fed off each other's enthusiasm. Our volume kept building as we gave our ALL and realized our show's end was quickly drawing near. Drained as we were, we still met the challenge of maxing out our closer, The William Tell Overture with all the emotion and energy we could muster. The crowd's eyes lit up as we brought back a classic song from our St. Andrew's days, complete with the sopranos quick tounging, before all other sections joined in to lay down the final charge. The crowd was already on its feet by this point and applauding wildly as we delivered the last of our show to them at full intensity! Horns, drum sticks, and guard equipment came down as we faced the crowd and smiled broadly at their antics! It was a VERY good day to a Bridgemen member. We ran off the field, waving to the crowd: pleased with ourselves for delivering a heartfelt, emotional performance. And also for making all Bridgemen who came before us proud. After a makeshift encore off the field of Battle Hymn of the Republic, we circled up around Director George Lavelle who thanked us for making this day so special in the history of the corps. All of our rehearsal and sacrifice had paid off as we came away from the experience thankful to have been a part of it. Friends, family, fans, and member of other corps were impressed by all they'd experienced and eagerly recounted the great time they'd had watching us perform for them. Afterward, many of us returned to the VFW Post that Glen Flora has welcomed us into. We recounted the day's events to each other and celebrated our good fortune that day. Plus the ultimate payoff we had in front of such a jubilant crowd. As the hours clicked by, some of us lamented the minor mistakes we'd made in the show. Then Brendon (mellophone) commented, “Yes but we SOLD the show.” Ain't that the truth? The consumate entertainers are back and the season's only begun! The Bridgemen Organization would like to thank everyone (on the Board, on staff, as members, and behind-the-scenes) who contributed to make this exciting night so memorable for everyone at Veteran's Stadium! See John Nadrowski's photos of the weekend on his Bridgemen Tribute site. And there's Jackie Fritsche's photos of Tournament of Stars at her flickr page. What does June 10th mean to you? Executive Director George Lavelle asked this question of the corps members on our Forums. He went on to say, “I wanted to see what all of you are feeling and thinking as the BIG DAY gets closer. It is coming around the corner and I wanted to hear what you folks are thinking!!!” Claire's reply may be the best at capturing the intensity of what was to come, looking back to a fateful night 30 years earlier. “Where to start??? On that evening in '76, I was the first person behing Bobby Hoffman to come down that hill and through that gate. I remember being nervous, excited, worrying what people would think, say, how would they react to the new look of the Bridgemen. I remember seeing the policemen directing traffic wondering who or what we were, the crowd looking a bit puzzled, the murmurs, the pointing, the gasping. The show began, the crowd was shocked, to say the least!!! By the time we got to A Chorus Line I think every person on the field was thinking, 'Wait 'til you see this!!' The uniforms came off, the guard was dancing, the smiles were electric and ..... the crowd was, by this time, in a frenzy, William Tell started, I think every person watching knew that this was history in the making, drum corps would never be the same!! “When it was over I remember thinking, 'Oh my God!! This is a feeling I will never in my life forget.' The exhilaration that I felt and knowing that it was shared by everyone else connected with the corps is something that will be with me forever. “What does June 10, 2006 mean to me????? I feel that I am blessed to be involved once again with this milestone in the corps history, in drum corps history!!!!! We are about to do what the Bridgemen have been known for, change the face of the things as they presently are. Yes, we are an Alumni corps, but not your everyday, run of the mill, white bread drum corps ...... We will not park and blow, we will not field a guard of possibly ten, we will not sling our drums and play in the old style, old time drum corps way .... Nope, not us .... Get ready world, here we come ...... AGAIN!!!!! And for those of you who didn't experience coming down that hill to the whispers and gasps, get ready for the thrill of a lifetime .... We will rock the stadium to its rafters!!! When that last note is played and you look out at the audience and see the delight in their faces and realize that you're the reason for it, you will think, 'Oh my God!!! This is something I will never forget!' Get ready, guys and gals, old-timers and newcomers, this is going to be something very special. When we take the field on June 10, I know that Ed Holmes, Fr. Donovan, Bobby Hoffman and all of the rest of our family in heaven will be smiling and hypin' right along with us!!!! Keep up the intensity, let's make this the best it can possibly be!!! Hype, Hype, Hype!!!!!” - Claire Kronenfeld Board of Directors, Bridgemen Organization President, Bridgemen Alumni Association A review from Triple Forte: OH MY GOD…..here we go folks……the hosts of the TOS 2006 Show….The Bayone Bridgemen: Like most drum corps shows you can usually see the next corps set to perform next lining up in the back or side of the field. It was obvious that the Bridgemen wanted to make a full corps entrance and wow the crowd. I watched about 7 Bridgemen pit members setup and run off the back side of the field. There is a street and side streets that are beyond the back sidline of the field which is visible from the stands. The first thing I saw were blinking strobe lights. It only took about a second to realize that the Bridgemen had a police escort and were going to come down the street and march in to the stadium. The police car finally turned off out of view and like a movie fade in I saw a sea of yellow and black. About 30 seconds later the sea of yellow and black continued to come in to view and then you could hear rumbling……rumbling from their drumline. People in the crowd started cheering loudly as the corps came onto the field. Truly a memorable moment……but the best was yet to come. The corps is BIG and are fully dressed from head to toe like the BB of the late 70’s and 80’s. They have about 60 horns, 30 + guard, 10 snare…….The show itself features GREAT Bridgemen classics and the highlights are two many to mention. I am told that the corps will be adding some more gimmicks as the season progresses. Their show was really awesome and there is no doubt in my mind that they are going to light up crowds at every performance. It was so INCREDIBLE to see them……I definitely felt like I was in a time machine. Thanks BB for a great night of drum corps. All of the corps did a great job and the show was extremely well run. Keep up the great work and believe me I cannot WAIT to see you again. Triple Forte

BRIDGEMEN TOS SHOW 2006

BRIDGEMEN-EMANON CG SHOW 3-31-07 :

BRIDGEMEN-EMANON CG SHOW 3-31-07

BRIDGEMEN TOS GUESTS 2006 :

BRIDGEMEN TOS GUESTS 2006

BRIDGEMEN WILDWOOD SHOW 2006 : What A Night!! July 15, 2006 Ahhh Wildwood: visions of the boardwalk, buffets, babes, beefcake and of course The Bridgemen. It's been 34 years (June 1972) since we left a permanent mark on the city by the sea. 1972 was our first State Championship, but certainly not our last. In those days, that was a big thing. There was Blue Rock, Sac, Garfield, Muchachos, Saints, Bon Bons and many other corps that always seemed to get in our way, but not in June of '72. Now, we're ready to make another statement, if we can get the sand and salt air off our minds. It was quite evident that the Margaritaville atmosphere permeated most of our noggins as we began our Saturday practice. Our astute leader spotted this lethargy immediately and brought us down to earth with a rousing, “Get your heads on straight!” pep talk. He pushed the right buttons at the right time. We were now focused on the task at hand and proceeded to practice with the intensity that has become synonomous with the 2006 version of the legendary corps from Bayonne. The weather held up and we were blessed with cloud cover which made our 4+ hour rehearsal very bearable and successful. We're ready for the show. As we gather and start to don our eye-catching coats around 9:00 PM, the Jersey Surf is getting ready to perform. The Surf passes our ranks and immediately the B'men populus begins to applaud and encourage our young friends from South Jersey. The intensity on their faces was apparent, but you could see by their eyes they are touched by the rousing welcome and support from their “old” pals from Bayonne. They were ready and we'll be next. Are we ready? We approach the field after a crowd-pleasing Surf performance and we're greeted by some very flattering words from the contest MC. Words are nice, but the proof is in the performance. The “look” is there, the Bridgemen are ready to perform. We take the field and our 3rd performance of the year brought the crowd to their feet and smiles on their faces. This is what an entertaining Drum Corps does: they give you goose bumps and make you happy. Mission accomplished? Hold your horses, not quite. Let's get the Surf out here and collaborate on a “blow your doors off“ version of Battle Hymn. As the young talented Drum Majors of the Surf take over, they expertly lead 120+ horns through a incredible, once in a lifetime runthrough of Battle Hymn Of The Republic. AWESOME! WHAT A NIGHT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! WHAT A YEAR !!!!!!!!!!! WHAT A CORPS!!!!!!!!!!!! Next: August 5, 2006, Allentown, Pennsylvania. Another town very familiar with the Bridgemen magic. Are we up to the task? I'll tell you what, “Don't bet against us!” - John Richard, Drum Major Wildwood Weekend Was A Lovefest With the Audience!! July 15, 2006 We were invited to participate in the Jersey Surf home show on their turf. After the respect they showed us at Bridgemen's Tournament of Stars show, we were eager to show their home crowd a good time! The Jersey Surf performed just before us in our home show (June 10, 2006) and then parked themselves in formation and uniforms (to the side) while we performed. The comraderie they displayed to us that night endeared them to many of us. It doesn't hurt that a few of our members (Kristin and Beth) have kids in one of the last strong junior corps in New Jersey. Many Bridgemen members congregated at the Apollo hotel in Wildwood Friday night, July 14th, ready for an active weekend of partying, rehearsal, a rippin' performance ... and a little more partying. Trap set player Sean's stories of wild behavior and funny goings on could not be substantiated. “Ummm, I don't know nuttin' about that,“ said a few veterans. Nonetheless, we gathered at our practice field on Saturday and were hyped up by Executive Director George Lavelle to push this show forward and realize our potential as Bridgemen performers. We had already given strong performances in Bayonne, NJ and Bridgeport, CT. It was time to turn things up a notch and take this to the next level! We used our practice time wisely and made progress in playing our instruments well or performing with guard equipment well, then putting that together with drill. It's amazing the level of talented performers who have joined in on “Banana Power!” After Executive Director George Lavelle motivated us to try harder, it was soon evident that things were coming together. We moved beyond concentrating on our drill spots, music, and tempo. We began performing more emotionally, musically, and expressively. Each time we yelled “HYPE!” in rehearsal, it was with greater intensity, symbolizing our devotion to yellow & black. We were blessed with a nice field to practice on (about 150 feet from the show site) and good weather that day. The forecast called for temperatures in the 90s and an unforgiving sun. Instead, with cloud cover, we were able to make progress without getting beat down by the weather. Fans and curious onlookers stayed to watch our rehearsals, mostly on the other side of the chain link fence. Their enthusiastic smiles and applause gave us a taste of what was to come. Rehearsal came and went quickly; almost too quickly. Then it was time to cool down and prepare for the next leg of the journey: our performance at night. After our dinner break and an opportune shower, we assembled back by the equipment truck to retrieve our familar zoot suits, a hallmark image of the corps since 1976. We grabbed our coats (either yellow or black) and made our way over to sectional warmups. We worked ourselves up as we neared closer to showtime. After the prolonged wait, we were asked to make our way back to the equipment truck. Then waited some more! Well, it gave us an opportunity to applaud the Jersey Surf as they marched past; they've dedicated their summer to perform in the junior corps activity. God bless them! Soon we were geared up again and made our way into the stadium to watch the closing moments of Jersey Surf's show from behind. Their beautiful melodies and lush chords demonstrated why they're an up-and-coming corps. Their confidence and enthusiasm added to the warm atmosphere as we waited with our fellow Bridgemen in line. Though the stands were small, the crowd was lively. One hornline member commented, “I like it better this way. It's a small, intimate setting. It'll let us show them impact like they've never heard!” Finally we were given the go ahead to make our way onto the field and we claimed it as our own. We came onto the field via the back gate, from the opposite side this time (Side 1), and made our way over to center field, strutting along doing our knock. We set up our opening formation and awaited the opening command to begin. As we stood on the starting line, the crowd let us know how well they remembered us and couldn't WAIT to see what we had in store for them. They yelled “Glad to have you back Bridgemen!“ and “We've waited years for your return!” and more things to set the festive mood. Well, that kind of appreciation doesn't go unnoticed by The Bridgemen and we were suddenly MORE fired up to entertain! Drum Majors Jim Jordan and John Richard soon got the show underway with the opening drum phrase that led to a wall of sound from our immense hornline! The small crowd of spectators voiced their immediate awe and began a lovefest with us that made for a great night. We gave the Wildwood audience a show they'll never forget! The dramatic strains of Pagliacci soon melted away into the uplifting and lively Land of Make Believe. The crowd's response at song's end was outrageous! My Favorite Things allowed us to travel down a different road musically as we let the night air fill with the dramatic yet jazzy mood that this chart delivers. Melodies passed back and forth between the various voices and built to a pulsing drive at the end that had us all revved up, performer and spectator alike. We changed moods again with Summer of '42, a piece about romance and loss. It allows us to demonstrate that this Alumni Corps can play lush passages and demonstrate our range of dynamics and musicality. The comedic talent of our drum majors livened up Bananas as we gave the crowd a good chuckle and showed our mischievous side. Of course it was In The Stone they most likely left the stadium whistling. Who couldn't love this song, this celebration of life? It may be the funky chart that's most associated with our glory days. We left no one disappointed as we performed the classic that had some in the crowd clapping along with us. The next thing we knew, we were in the opening notes of our St. Andrew's anthem, The William Tell Overture, then building it to an intense volume level that had the crowd screaming. We left no doubt in the crowd's minds that we're the consumate entertainers! After we finished our show, the show's commentator deadpanned, “Well now that the ocean has been pushed back 50 feet, we'd like to thank The Bridgemen for joining us this evening!” The Jersey Surf's hornline came out and joined our ranks for an emotional and LOUD performance of Battle Hymn of the Republic, a song important to the new era of the Bridgemen. A song we played in the Memorial Day Parade of 2005, celebrating the 40th Anniversary of the Bridgemen. It was a memorable end to our antics on the field and set the mood for the celebration to come afterwards. We laughed and enjoyed each other's company late into the night, thankful that we're a part of something special. Only two shows left to go this season! A Message From a Member of the Jersey Surf!! July 15, 2006 Hey Folks, I received this email below from Bob Jacobs. It was sent to him by one of his corps members. I thought everyone involved should see this and what effect we caused and enjoyment we created for the kids at Surf. I am very proud of this drum corps because when Surf went by us and you all cheered, it made me realize, you all get what this is about. And what you showed me by doing that, not once but again when they went by us to perform, was what A CLASSY DRUM CORPS we have here!!!!!! This is what drum corps is supposed to be about and that we are not above anybody and we treat everybody with the proper respect they deserve!!!! This is really a big thing we did here Saturday!!! And hopefully as we go forward, we are able to do it again and again with our little brothers & sisters from the Surf!!!!!! Thanks for showing your class and to having another great weekend being Bridgemen!!! Hype!!! - George I didn't know much about the Bridgemen until our first show together in Bayonne. The staff gave us an abbreviated background but made sure to get across to us that this corps meant a lot to a lot of people. After that camp, a few of us from Maryland got a better understanding of the New Jersey tradition in the Winslow parking lot with Gabe. Being a nostalgic person myself, it was not suprising that my heart strings were immediately plucked by the story of the Bridgemen and the legacy they left behind. When we got to see them that night at the Bayonne show, I was blown away by not only the volume produced by this group of yellow-clad people, but the unabashed love and passion for their craft. It became crystal clear to me that night that this was an organization that left a gaping hole in the drum corps universe the day it had to walk away. So when I heard we were doing an encore with them at our home show, I was a little more than excited. At rehearsal, all the guys and gals patted our backs and welcomed us into their ranks. They asked where we were from, how long we had marched, how we liked the heat and so on. We started to play and I couldn't even hear myself think ... which for once, was a good thing. That night at the show, we marched past them only to be cheered on with a chorus of “Good luck!” and “YEAH Surf!” I thought to myself, “Can these guys come to every show?” As we watched from the sidelines, they put on their outrageous show of gags and unbelievable power and it was hard to believe we'd soon be standing next to them. The time came and we ran out on the field and found the faces we had become familiar with at rehearsal. We played “Battle Hymn” and melted the faces of every one in the audience, but the whole time, all I could think of was how important this was to every one standing around me and sitting in the make-shift stands. I thought about all the things that were so important to me, all the things that have deep-rooted meaning for Marylanders or Baltimoreans. It was indescribable to be a part of something that meant so much to so many people and to have a sense of what they have been feeling for decades. I wanted to hug them all and shake their hands after the show and tell them how much it meant for me as an outsider to be a part of their greatness for a night. I know a lot of us Surf kids felt the same way. Hopefully some day I'll hear some one say “Hey, remember in '06 when the Jersey Surf performed with the Bayonne Bridgemen?” and I'll say ... “Yeah, I think that rings a bell.” - Amy W.

BRIDGEMEN WILDWOOD SHOW 2006

E-MAIL JOHN


STOP BY
John Nadrowski
VISIT ME
Google
Clicky Web Analytics