Drum & Bugle Corps (DCI) Fans

[jotunheim]

Anyone on the forum site equally passionate about DCI as they are BETM?

They are of course completely different venues, but I would have to say nothing else gives me goosebumps like a great show from Cadets, Carolina Crown, Phantom Regiment, Cavaliers, etc. If you have not seen a show yet from a big Open Class corps, you really should see one sometime - they are incredible!

In case there are any lurking alums here, I marched with 1989 Madison Scouts and 1991, 1992 Phantom Regiment and would love to connect to other fans and alumni.

Jason

[AllegedlyOlivia]

My friend was a color guard girl for the Colts this year, which gave me incentive to go and support her when they performed in Waukee. I've been in marching band for three years, but nothing will ever compare to what I saw there. It was absolutely amazing. What did you march? I'm primarily a flute/piccolo player so I don't think my chances of being in a drum & bugle corp are very high.

[ERinVA]

Our local PBS station used to broadcast the DCI Championship, and I always enjoyed watching it, but I haven't seen a broadcast in several years now. Like Olivia, I was in my high school band, playing trumpet and French horn. How well I remember those half-time shows! We didn't work up just a couple for a season, but a new one every two weeks. Each one was performed twice: once at home and once away. I can remember performing when it was so cold that if you didn't remove your mouthpiece and keep it in your pocket, it would get so cold that it would burn the skin off your lips when you raised your horn to play.

[jotunheim]

AllegedlyOlivia: I enjoyed watching the Colts through the years and noted that they had their best success with Broadway shows, placing 9th in 1995 with selections of Steven Sondheim's Sunday in the Park with George and 10th in 2007 with Andrew Lloyd Webber's Sunset Boulevard. To answer your question, I played the largest bugle, which was then called the contrabass and now has the less glamourous name of 'tuba'.

One of my most vivid memories was in July 1989 at the Colt's home show where ALL the corps vehicles (50+) were parked on a series of softball diamonds and a torrential rain storm hit. All the corps tried to get out, but there was only one entrance I believe and the first few vehicles got stuck which mean everyone got stuck. We did not get out of the city until 5 or 6 the next morning and I recall the fields had about $20,000 worth of damage to them, with massive ruts all over from the trucks and buses being towed out. The Scouts had a policy after that never to park on grass again!

ERinVA: Yes, I wish that PBS was still in the cards with the annual Finals broadcast, but once Star of Indiana / Bill Cook pulled out after 1993 and with it their generous support of the broadcast, it was not feasible for DCI for to continue to underwrite the cost. It was on ESPN for a few years, but that was also pulled in 2008 I think. Like you, I definitely do not miss the late fall performances, i.e. Christmas parades, having to be forced to play with a plastic mouthpiece or shoving it down your pocket before you play. Love the french horn, btw, but terribly hard to play in motion.

Jason

[ERinVA]

About the French horn: Yes, very very hard to play while marching. It would pretty much be anybody's guess what note would actually come out of the horn. I did it a few times, but mostly I played trumpet in marching band and French horn in the concert band.