This weekend the 54th anniversary of Drum Corps International finishes up with their top 12 finals competition. The names on that list are very familiar: Blue Devils, Bluecoats, Phantom Regiment, Troopers, Carolina Crown, and Spirit of Atlanta and six others. I have not spent much time or energy investing in the Drum Corps International (DCI) tours over the last decade, but that changed a bit this past week as I attended a movie theater event where the Top 15 corps shows were broadcasted from Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis, IN.

I’m not dissenting on this activity in any way today. I am going to reflect on the experience and the time that has passed and the changes this activity has evolved into. I’ve realized something very important. DCI is an activity for the participants. It isn’t an activity devoted to us fans. It is all about the young men and women that participate in each group. For those that like to blast the activity for the costumes instead of the traditional uniforms, advanced electronics and effects, or even the use of woodwind instruments as soloists, etc… Get over it. You don’t matter. I don’t matter. What really matters are the participants who choose to sacrifice their summer and thousands of dollars to participate in a musical marching activity creating something greater than themselves and forming a community that endures over time and distance… The Phantom Regiment Alumni Corps and Phantom Regiment (Rockford, IL) that performed in honor of the corps 70th anniversary is a testament to this activity. DCI will always be about the participants, not the fans or veterans of years past. This is their activity and good or bad we need to understand and recognize that.

As I watched the prelims broadcast from the theater I realized that I still know many of the legacy actors who bring this activity to the world. I’ve met many. The new Drum Corps International CEO, Brad Furlano, was a drum major for the Blue Stars Drum and Bugle Corps from LaCrosse, Wisconsin when I began investing heavily into the activity. I met him at a camp that I filled in as a baritone instructor for a weekend. He went on to be the CEO of the Blue Stars, and saved the corps from disbanding. Now he will lead the entire activity. Steve Rondinaro the broadcaster has been there from the early days on PBS. Then there are the DCI Hall of Famers who are still with the organization helping corps and the activity continue to flourish. It is a small world I live in musically, and to be familiar with all of these people is humbling.

Now the things that have changed drastically within the activity. The uniforms have been replaced with costumes. The only top 12 corps wearing a hat or headgear were the Colts from Dubuque, IA and the Crossmen from San Antonio, TX. Most of the costumes were one piece unitards with velcro-ed layers for changes in mood or emotional impact. Only a few corps had hints of the traditional uniform. The Blue Devils had a front piece on their costume that resembles the blue and black jacket of the 1990’s and 2000’s. The Bluecoats drum majors wore the Policeman Helmet and Uniform, but they were a yellow/orange rather than the blue, white, and black of the traditional uniform. Several of the costumes did not really support the identity of the corps, except the Madison Scouts (Madison, WI) and Cavaliers (Rosemont, IL) This has been the hardest thing for me to accept and understand as a fan. …but this is not about me… The young adults that wear this costumes accept them easily enough and I can see how it is easier for them to move in them compared to the heavier rayon, cotton, or wool blends of classic uniforms. Some costumes worked very well within the show. Some did not from my perspective.

The musical performances of each corps has really not strayed much from tradition. There are fewer straight up performances of songs or works. Most musical performances include 6-12 different pieces that transition from one to another without much of a break. These segues or transitions maximize the time available to perform and tell their theme or story. The Crossmen were the 15th placed corps out of the 15 I watched. Their musical book was difficult enough to place them easily in the top 12 from 25-30 years ago. The difficulty of the music in the top six corps musical books are heads and tails more challenging to perform than anything from 25-30 years ago. If I were the 18-21 year old playing at my skill level of nearly 40 years ago, I don’t think I would make the cut. I know physically I would struggle to carry a tuba and march that drill and perform that choreography as well. Grace was never my forte. The music has evolved, but for the better. It is still enjoyable to listen to a corps perform.

The visual performances, marching, color guard, props, dancing, and movement has also evolved. Things are far more difficult now. No one stands still. Every halt with the feet leads to some movement from the body. Arms are always moving. Props are part of the uniform even. Santa Clara Vanguard’s (Santa Clara, CA) chains create some interesting visual textures. The colors are more vibrant. The contrasts in color are shocking at times. The visual tells the story as quickly or as easily as the musical. Pacific Crest’s (Diamond Bar, CA) use of black and purple was stunning, as were the Blue Knight’s (Denver, CO) use of pink and sky blue. There is so much going on, that one viewing of the show prevents you from really grasping the whole product. I was stunned by how much the visual program has evolved since 2016 when I started to back away from watching the activity.

The competition aspect of DCI does not matter to me any longer. Yes, it is cool to see corps improve on their placements from past years. Examples include seeing the Boston Crusaders (Boston, MA) win their first title last year, and making finals for the first time in the late 1990’s. Welcoming Spirit of Atlanta (Atlanta, GA) back to finals for the first time in over 20 years, or seeing Pacific Crest miss finals by less than one hundredth of a point, when the show was finals worthy. The product of each performance is more interesting to me than evaluation of the performance. There is a distinct difference between first and fifteenth, but the amount of work performed by each ensemble is what derives my appreciation now. This is a stark contrast to my feelings 25 years ago.

Now of the 15 performances I witnessed there were a few that I enjoyed more than others. The Boston Crusaders performance was unique, interesting, and well developed. My favorite from a creative standpoint. My favorite brass line of the evening was Carolina Crown (Ft. Mill, SC.) The warmth of the playing and crispness of their execution leaves me envious. I wish I could have gotten my ensembles to play with such focus. Matt Harloff is the horn caption head at Crown and he is a marvelous teacher and conductor. My favorite visual program was the Blue Devils (Concord, CA.) Their production “Zui” incorporated the Icarus myth seamlessly throughout the show was elegant and poised. My favorite drum line of the evening was the Santa Clara Vanguard. Their drum lines consistently catch my attention. The winner of the Prelims competition were the Bluecoats (Canton, OH.) They earned it. Their execution was superior in all categories. There are moments of this show I love musically. There are moments I love visually. I want to embrace the awesomeness of this show, but the colors they used in the costumes just left me baffled. Everything was too bright. I wanted a bit more contrast, but this is not my show, activity, or performance. This show was owned and performed magnificently by the Bluecoats. Congratulations to them for being in a league by themselves.

Will I invest more in the DCI activity as a fan? Maybe a little, but I don’t think I will invest hundreds or thousands of dollars into it like I did 25 years ago. I will support it in perpetuity. I feel opportunities like these for young adults wishing to perform at one of the highest levels of scholastic music pageantry need to be offered and supported. My assessments don’t really matter. How we appreciate the work and performances do matter, as we are showing our support for the youth… After all it is their activity, not mine or ours… I would encourage anyone reading this that has not experienced a field show like The Ohio State University Marching Band, but on performance enhanced creativity, to go see a live event or check out the performances on Flo-marching just once. It is a unique and rewarding experience. www.dci.org is their home on the world wide web.

…. so it goes…