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.