27th Lancers

Thanks to the ``OFFICIAL WEB SITE`` of the 27th Lancers
www.27thlancers.net

1967
The unofficial birthdate of the 27th Lancers is September 26, 1967. It was on that autumn evening that former members of the recently disbanded I.C. Reveries gathered at the Bonfiglio home to discuss the prospect of forming another drum corps. The name 27th Lancers was taken from the film "The Charge of the Light Brigade" (starring Errol Flynn) and like the British Regiment in the film, the corps was to struggle against immense odds. And so the first public appearance of the 27th Lancers was October 12, 1967 in the Revere Columbus Day Parade. With borrowed equipment and uniforms these original members were the beginning of many successful corps to come.

1968
It was the first season of the corps, and it was successful. They won their first show, "Preview of the Junior Champions" in Bridgeport, Connecticut; took top brass at their second show; and went on to make finals at the VFW Nationals in Detroit, Michigan. The 27th Lancers were only beginning to make their presence known.

1969
The East Coast was beginning to recognize the powerful horn line, impressive drum line and innovative colorguard of the corps. Missing the VFW Nationals by a mere .05, the corps bounced back to take second place at the C.Y.O. Nationals and became the Eastern Massachusetts Jr. Drum and Bugle Corps Association Champions.

1970
The 1970 27th Lancers began to broaden their horizons by going independent of their local circuit and competing head to head with the nation's best drum corps. They developed a unique style and flowing visual show that held much more for the future. The corps became the Mission Drum Pageant Champions.

1971
The drum corps not only won the hearts of many fans, but also won the Shriners International in Toronto, The World Open, The Danny Thomas, and National Dream titles. This group of determined individuals showed the drum corps world their capacity for rebounding from a diversity and doing both emotional and well executed performances.

1972
The 27th Lancers dominated the East Coast. They went on to win ten competitions in a row and their second Shriners title. The end of the season became the first of many East-West showdowns. The Lancers were runner-up to the strong Anaheim Kingsmen, but fought tooth and nail to the finish.

1973
The corps once again dominated the Eastern drum corps scene. Although they did not score as well as they might have wished, they continued to be one of the most tasteful units, with an exciting horn line and percussion section and a colorguard which complimented the drill very well.

1974
1974 was to mark the end of the first era for the 27th Lancers. Many of the original members of the corps were now too old to march, and the corps went through a rebuilding stage. Many thought the Lancers would not be able to survive this transition. We certainly proved them wrong.

1975
What more can be said about a corps that skyrocketed from 20th place to 4th place in DCI finals. The corps also picked up the DCI Eastern and Western Regionals along the way. The innovative drill, improved drum and brass section along with a national champion colorguard all contributed to this amazing come back.

1976
Daring, innovative, exciting, and entertaining describe the 1976 27th Lancers. Execution captions did suffer, but the corps refused to knuckle under and change "their" show. Once again they won the hearts of many fans coast to coast and remained as one of the top five corps in the country.

1977
1977, the corps tenth anniversary - a year most associated with the awesome performance and victory at the C.Y.O. Nationals. Once again 27th was innovaative and competitve as well as having one of the nation's best color guards. It was another strong season for the corps taking 5th in Denver.

1978
The corps was comprised of a determined group of individuals. They were always striving and refused to let down. This attitude was reflected in constantly improved placement from prelim to finals show as in the U.S. Open, DCI Finals and a first place finish at the American International Championships in Butler.

1979
Altoona, PA, the first show on tour, the equipment truck is nowhere to be found. We rehearsed on an open field not knowing what is straight or front and sang throughout the show. Not even into concert we were pushed back some ten feet by the sound of Spirit of Atlanta's horn line, which was practicing at the same school. Time for dinner, it's bologna for the first 30 people in line (mostly staff) and peanut butter and jelly for the rest of us. Spirit also broke for dinner (their steak was too rare). Show time, and an all time low for the corps....55.05. It was from that point on that both staff and members followed Lancer tradition and never let down until that final note in Danny Boy at Nationals. The hard work paid off with a final score of 87.5 and a 5th place finish in Birmingham. The corps also brought home another National Championship Color Guard award and plans for a stronger corps in 1980.

1980
For the 27th Lancer, 13 was not an unlucky number. 1980 marked the 13th year of the corps and was by far the most successful. The 1980 corps was born in Lake Placid at the Winter Olympics. The entire world witnessed a strong Lancer corps (In February). Both member and staff put their hearts and soul into the program in the months between the Olympics and the first show. The corps performed in 27 shows that season, winning 22 and taking second place in 5. The color guard once again dominated their caption by taking Best Color Guard at every show presenting it. The corps broke "90" for the first time ever with a score of 91.20. Titles won include: DCI Midwest, DCE Ithaca, DCI East. Not much more can be said about this corps. There wasn't a single drum corps we didn't leave nursing their wounds. We were out to win the Nationals and we very nearly did. You needed the will to survive in 1980, and we had the will to conquer!

1981
It was another year the 27th Lancers dominated the East Coast. Everything about this corps was fantastic. The performance in Montreal was perhaps one of the best ever. Titles include: DCE, DCI East, DCI Midwest, CYO Nationals and DCI South. This corps was comprised of very talented, unyielding young men and women who would stop at nothing to make this corps the best ever.

1982
The will to survive was never stronger than in 1982. The corps, as well as the staff, was almost entirely new. But they stuck together through some difficult and trying times. Together they proved to the entire drum corps world that the 27th Lancers can go against odds and maintain the tradition, style and pride that lead them to a 6th place finish in Montreal.

1983
This year saw the return of the "all British" programs, featuring "Orb and Scepter", selections from "Camelot" and "Danny Boy"/ the corps survived the heat and humidity of Miami at DCI Championship to bring the unique Lancer style to the audience.

1984
The corps demonstrated the age old adage, "no one ever said it would be easy to be a 27th Lancer". Despite a severe recruitment problem and an early season slow start, the corps stormed Atlanta in true Lancer fashion, headlined by the finest percussion section in Lancer history, scoring a 19.7 out of a 20.0 at DCI Finals.

1985
A group of determined individuals carried the banner for the corps in 1985, as they assumed the role of underdog throughout the season and met challenge after challenge. Though disappointment beset the corps at DCI Championship, it maintained the multiple traditions of pride, poise and character for which the 27th Lancers have always been known.

1986
This rendition of the corps brought alive the sights and sounds of Broadway in the form of the music of Stephen Sondheim. The program was highlighted by an innovative color guard worthy of the name- 27th Lancer. The corps delighted the DCI Championship preliminary audience with a "Classic" Lancer performance and left with an ominous statement of affection at finals.


1988
27th Lancers Winterguard


1989
27th Lancers Winterguard
EPILOGUE
George Bonfiglio announced the withdrawal of the 27th Lancers from competition until such time as the corps can regroup and regain its former strength.