Sunday, June 6, 2010

What's going on in the world of Drum Corps?

Blue Devils
On Saturday, June 5, System Blue and the creative entertainment firm Aerial Experience Productions will help launch the CHOPS National Percussive Arts Competition, a brand new series of drumline contests. Contestants will be judged on creative expression and artistic styling along with technical ability.
Boston Crusaders
On Friday, June 18, the Crusaders are hosting their 11th annual Spring Fling, performing at Nonatum Post 440 in Newton, Mass. The Spring Fling will feature a preview of the corps’ 2010 production along with dinner, auctions, prizes, and a performance by the Crusaders Senior Drum and Bugle Corps.
The Cadets
Alumnus Dave Shaw had lots of positive feedback about the Cadets’ Memorial Day events. He blogs about the weekend from a memorial mass in honor of Cadets and military veterans, to a special alumni reception, to the corps’ Evening With the Cadets performance.

Carolina Crown
Crown is teaming up with York County Music Association and the high school music community for a PINK OUT for cancer awareness. The drum corps event, FirstBEAT MMX 2010 will be held 7 p.m. Sunday, June 20 at the Fort Mill High School stadium, and those who attend are encouraged to wear pink.
Cascades
The Cascades wrapped up a successful rehearsal camp over the Memorial Day weekend. As reported on the corps’ website: “The stronger maturity level of this year's members was very evident to the staff as the corps went back to the beginning of the show and added a ton of movement to enhance the visual program.”
Crossmen
The Crossmen are still on the lookout for a few dedicated volunteers for the summer season. Help is particularly needed with the food crew, night driving and uniforms.


Forte
The newly-approved Open Class corps will be using King horns this summer for its debut season. Brass Caption Head Andrew Lee is pleased with the sound quality and durability of the instruments and says the new horns will help make the corps competitive this summer.

Mandarins
Check out a new video on the Mandarins’ website showing what corps members were up to at their recent Memorial Day weekend rehearsal camp. The group’s first competitive performance will be on Friday, June 25 in Clovis, Calif.

Oregon Crusaders
Oregon Crusaders reports having a productive, though rainy, Memorial Day rehearsal camp in the Northwest. Spring training will begin on June 18 for corps members as they get set to hit the road for the summer tour.


Pacific Crest
Pacific Crest posted a list of June rehearsal sites. The corps will be at Diamond Bar (Calif.) High School on June 5 and 6, Irvine High School on June 12 and 13 (with a sneak preview on the 12th), and finally, they’ll be at Damien High School June 14-20. 

Phantom Regiment
There’s more than one way to get your Regiment fix this week. On Sunday, June 6, the corps teams up with the Leaf River Lions Club for the “Summer Daze” parade in Leaf River, Ill. And on Tuesday, June 8, Phantom continues its Music in the Park series, joining special guest Harry Watters, jazz trombonist. Watters serves with the U.S. Army Band and has performed with other famous artist like jazz drummer Peter Erskine. The concert begins at 7:30 p.m. at the Music Shell at Sinnissippi Park in Rockford, Ill.

Pioneer
You can follow the latest Tweets from Pioneer on the corps’ website. The corps is using Twitter to keep fans updated during its spring training rehearsals in Milwaukee.


Racine Scouts
The Racine Scouts will kick off their all-day spring training rehearsals the weekend of June 12.


Raiders
The Raiders celebrated their 20th anniversary on May 23 with a banquet in Pompton Plains, N.J. According to a press release, the event included a showcase of memorabilia from past years, stories from Raiders alums, and a group sing-along of the corps song “One More Time.”

Santa Clara Vanguard
Santa Clara Vanguard recently posted its complete summer tour and rehearsal schedule, including a list of mail stops so friends and family can keep in touch with corps members on the road.

Spartans
Spartans posted their rehearsal schedule for early June, which includes a June 5 concert at Greely Park in Nashua N.H., and June 12 parades in Warwick, R.I. and Quincy, Mass.


Spirit of Newark/New Jersey
Spirit of Newark/New Jersey posted its summer schedule of rehearsals and performances which will include tour stops in Connecticut, Virginia, Illinois, Wisconsin, Michigan and Ohio before the corps heads to the DCI World Championships in Michigan City, Ind. on Aug. 10.

Les Stentors
The Stentors from Quebec, Canada were featured in “The Tribune,” a Canadian newspaper, reporting on the corps’ May 19 lobster dinner fundraiser.


Thunder
Memorial Day weekend went well for Thunder members as they get set to make their return to the Drum Corps International Tour after a one-year absence. Despite some inclement weather, members accomplished the goals set at the start of the rehearsal camp.


Sluggo's blog is not endorsed or sponsored by DCI (Drum Corps International), nor any drum corps. I am not in a position to answer particular questions regarding anything involving drum corps or the corps'. The pictures you see have been borrowed only for the sole purpose for pleasure, and to promote the Drum Corps activity. If you have any specific questions about drum corps, you should go to the DCI website and contact them there. If you have a specific question on the audition process for a particular corps, please go directly to that corps' website.