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Friday, January 19, 2018

Corps news and Announcements

Corps news and announcements: 19-01-2018 12:02

In This Edition …

• Jersey Surf reveals 2018 show title
• Heat Wave sets sights on inaugural trip to the DCI World Championships
• Latest looks inside audition camps
• Plus much more!

7^th Regiment
7^th Regiment added an audition camp for brass and percussion, January 19-21 in West Haven, Connecticut. Color guard auditions will be held on the 21st.
7thRegiment.org

Blue Devils B
Blue Devils B’s educational audition clinic will take place January 19-21 in Concord, California.
BlueDevils.org

Blue Knights
Meal prep volunteers are still needed across the three days of Blue Knights’ rehearsal camp January 19-21 in Englewood, Colorado. Those interested may sign up to help for one, two, or all three days.
AscendPerformingArts.org

Bluecoats
The Bluecoats have an immediate opening for one lead trumpet player.
Facebook.com

The Cadets
Cadets’ percussion caption head Tom Aungst is looking for one more snare drummer to fill the line this year.
Facebook.com

Carolina Crown
Check out this gallery of more than 150 photos from Carolina Crown’s January audition camp weekend.
Facebook.com

Gold
Gold’s first brass experience camp of 2018 will be held January 27-28 at Valhalla High School in El Cajon, California.
Facebook.com

Guardians
Guardians has open spots for prospective corps members in all sections.
Facebook.com

Heat Wave
Heat Wave will be heading to Michigan City, Indiana and Indianapolis this summer to attend the Open Class DCI World Championships for the very first time. “We are excited to enter the next phase of our growth plan,” executive director Jon Otero said.
Facebook.com

Impulse
Impulse will host camps for prospective color guard members January 21, February 25, and March 11 in California, followed by auditions April 28 and 29.
Facebook.com

Jersey Surf
Jersey Surf revealed the title of its 2018 production, “[mondo mondrian],” which will be based on the cubist primary colors of 20^th Century abstractionist Piet Mondrian.
Facebook.com

Legends
Legends has immediate openings for trumpets, mellophones, and color guard performers.
Facebook.com

Louisiana Stars
From the looks of these photos from Louisiana Stars’ January audition camp, the corps is on the way to enjoying a banner season.
Facebook.com

Madison Scouts
Meet the four drum majors who will lead the Madison Scouts during the corps’ 2018 summer season.
MadisonScouts.org

Mandarins
Mandarins’ corps director JW Koester and program director Ike Jackson discuss the highlights of the corps’ January callback audition camp in this recently-posted video.
Vimeo.com

Music City
More than 150 brass musicians and percussionists braved the abnormally cold Tennessee weather January 12-14 to attend Music City’s latest audition and rehearsal camp. Check out this video of the corps’ horn line.
Facebook.com

Oregon Crusaders
Oregon Crusaders announced that some new names have been added to the corps’ color guard team, including choreographer Tim Coady and five other staff members.
OregonCrusaders.org

Pacific Crest
Because of the great weather in southern California, Pacific Crest rehearsed outside under the lights during the corps’ January rehearsal camp.
Facebook.com

Phantom Regiment
Due to Martin Luther King Jr. Day, Phantom Regiment had the opportunity to host a four-day callback audition camp this past weekend. Don’t miss this gigantic gallery of photos recapping the action.
Facebook.com

Pioneer
What does a corps strongly associated with the Emerald Isle eat for a treat at its January audition and rehearsal camp?
Facebook.com

Raiders
Two New Jersey natives, Katie Beasley and Grace Robertson, have been named Raiders’ 2018 drum majors.
Facebook.com

River City Rhythm
Three of the newest River City Rhythm staff appointments include Ben Harloff as brass supervisor, Jeffrey Crowell as percussion ensemble specialist, and Brian Veith as brass co-caption head.
Facebook.com

Santa Clara Vanguard
Santa Clara Vanguard announced the date of its annual organization-wide birthday celebration. Join the corps for brunch on Saturday, March 17 in Santa Clara, California, to see special sneak-peek performances by Vanguard and the Vanguard Cadets.
SCVanguard.org

Seattle Cascades
Next month’s rehearsal camp for Seattle Cascades has been changed to the weekend of February 23-25 to avoid a conflict with a music educators’ event. This camp is only for brass and percussion, with color guard starting up in April.
SeattleCascades.org

Shadow
Shadow announced the 16 members of the corps’ 2018 percussion staff.
Facebook.com

Southwind
Southwind wrapped up its January rehearsal camp weekend with a show-and-tell performance giving each section of the corps the opportunity to step into the spotlight.
Facebook.com

Spartans
Drum major Emily Dawson spills the beans about the corps’ upcoming season in this debut episode of “Inside Spartans.”
Facebook.com

Spirit of Atlanta
Get an inside look at Spirit of Atlanta in this video captured during the corps’ January callback audition camp.
Facebook.com

Watchmen
Watchmen announced the members of its 2018 administrative staff, led by executive director David Becker.
WatchmenArtsAssociation.org

Monday, July 13, 2015

DCI Minnesota - July 11, 2015

Very hard to believe that it's been over seven months since my last blog...yet, here we are seven months later.

It has truly been a pretty busy seven months...Jan-Mar, I was down in Phoenix helping with my airlines Merger Integration training, then back to flying Apr-present.

It's been a very interesting summer for Drum Corps, as many corps are really pushing the envelope for new pageantry. It's nice to see some new corps reaching the top spot at different contest shows, and after the first regional, an undefeated corps had finally been de-throwned, albeit for a night.

I didn't take a lot of pictures this year, however it was great to run into some old friends I haven't seen in over 20 years. A friend who marched along side me who yelled out "Sluggo" in the middle of a crazy, busy mezzanine at TCF Bank Stadium at the University of Minnesota.

We palled around, chatted, and caught up quickly, feeling like it hasn't been over 20 years since we last saw each other or marched next to one another.

After watching The Cavaliers horn-line warm up, and before settling into our respective seats for the rest of the evening, we were walking again in the stadium mezzanine and I saw a gentleman whom I've followed since I started marching.

Mr. Steve Vickers, who is an editor and publisher since 1973 (first as editor and then owner and publisher since 1974) of Drum Corps World. Steve Vickers led Drum Corps World to be a primary way of getting information disseminated throughout the drum corps activity. Through Vickers' leadership, every drum corps show - no matter how big or small - received coverage. It was truly an honor to chat with him for a brief moment, and for him to ask about my blog.

After I let him back roaming the mezzanine during the break, another familiar face came into view of whom I hadn't seen since my marching days.

Mr. Tim Salzman, who was our Brass Caption head, was running around and watching the different corps. So of course we just HAD to chat with Tim and catch up.

Unfortunately for this year, I wasn't as prepared as years past with a charged phone and/or camera as I had just flown in from London, England earlier in the day. As beautiful of a day it was, my heart was getting back to Chicago, then home to Minneapolis so I could watch as much of the drum corps contest I could.

I really wasn't too late, as this was the first regional show, not all corps were performing. Since I was running around with my friend, I didn't get the chance to see some of the early corps, but I was able to go to the Cavalier buses as they were pulling into the truck lot, chat with some familiar faces, and meet my Cavalier initiate who I had the honor of talking to before the season started. Even though it was a brief chat...as he had to get going for warm-up, it was nice to finally put a face to the name. (sadly, I didn't get a picture of us...but he did get a picture of us after the show)

I was able to watch Phantom Regiment, The Cavaliers, Carolina Crown, Santa Clara Vanguard, The Cadets, and the Blue Devils. Each show was just as unique as the other.

As I said before, I didn't get many pictures of the corps as my phone and camera both died, however I was able to get The Cavaliers on the starting line.

It was an awesome show, and wonderful time to see what the corps has been producing. Each young man that I chatted with from the corps, was so gracious that I took the time and talked with them. I was more than honored that a few of them even knew who I was and called me by my name. (I know I didn't know many alumni when I marched, so it truly was an honor when the current drum major said hi to me)

Sorry there isn't more detail about the shows, or the corps. I felt I just had to get something in writing and let everyone know I'm still alive and well!

Until next time,
Sluggo

Friday, August 10, 2012

DCI's Prelim competition

Many of you know that I LOVE Drum & Bugle corps and follow it every summer. Well, it's hard to believe that the summer is almost over for the corps as they round the next 2 nights of competition.

Top 12 'shuffle' at Prelims competition
By Travis Cornejo
Friday, August 10, 2012 - 1:12 AM

Blue Devils

Blue Devils (97.55) took first place at the World Championship Prelims, Friday, Aug. 10, and took one more step to adding another perfect season to the corps' record books."The focus right now is just getting better every time we have a rep," Blue Devils drum major Matt Williams said. "Keeping our eyes on the prize and really pushing to the end."
Williams said the corps was itching to go and raring to take the field at Lucas Oil Stadium. As they look forward to the Semifinals, he echoed a sentiment from corps director David Gibbs after their performance.
"Those last couple of points aren't necessarily going to come from cleaning tiny things up," Williams said. "It's just that little extra something — that Blue Devils sparkle you've see in years past."

Carolina Crown

Carolina Crown (96.60, 2nd) made small headway on closing the gap on Blue Devils and put two points between themselves and Phantom Regiment (94.60, 3rd). The Cadets (94.05, 4th) returned to fourth place after finishing ahead of Phantom Regiment at their last three events.Santa Clara Vanguard (93.20, 5th) drum major Noe Gomez said they had a solid Prelims run throughout, from color guard to brass to percussion.
"I feel like tomorrow night is going to be nice and solid," Gomez said. "A nice solid performance just like we had tonight. Nothing too crazy for us. We're just going to come back and try to do it consistently."
Bluecoats (92.25, 6th) were the last corps to break 90 points on Thursday. In 2011, eight corps broke the 90-point barrier by Finals night. The Cavaliers (89.50, 7th) found themselves half a point away from joining the club.

The Cavaliers

Boston Crusaders (89.00, 8th) kept themselves ahead of Madison Scouts (88.55, 9th), while Blue Knights (85.85, 10th) made their move on Spirit of Atlanta (85.20, 11th). Blue Knights and Spirit of Atlanta swapped placements from where they finished at the DCI Eastern Classic last weekend.In turn, despite falling behind Blue Stars (83.75, 12th) on Sunday, Aug. 5 at the Three Rivers Summer Music Games, Spirit of Atlanta surged past Blue Stars for a little more secure spot in the top 12. All the while, Crossmen (83.40, 13th) held on to the 13th spot.
Glassmen (81.25, 14th) drum major Adam Shrock said his corps' Prelims performance went really well, with corps members showing a good amount of energy out on the field.
"I'm thinking if the energy is sustained than all we need to do is do what we've always done," he said. "Wake up tomorrow morning and treat it like another show day. Not like Semifinals trying to make Finals. Just treat it like a show day and have the same focused energy that we always have."

Glassmen

In his first year with the Toledo corps, Shrock will return to the Glassmen next year once again as drum major. He's previously marched with Pioneer and has two seasons left before aging out."It's crazy," he said about how the current season has gone. "This season feels faster than the last. It feels like just yesterday you're moving in and suddenly you're moving out."
The Academy (79.95, 15th) Director Mark Richardson said their 2012 field show "Left of Spring" is a story about rebirth — a story mimicked by the corps this year, in regards to their growth and evolution in the past 11 years.
The score gap between Pacific Crest (78.95, 16th), Colts (77.45, 17th) and Troopers (76.35, 18th) widened in comparison to the 1.35 points that separated the trio at the DCI Eastern Classic last weekend. And in their first post-Open Class Championship performance, Oregon Crusaders (75.90, 19th) kept their lead on all other Open Class corps.
In their first performance without the Bridgemen Alumni backdrop, Jersey Surf (74.50, 20th) landed ahead of the silver and bronze Open Class-medalists Blue Devils B (73.45, 21st) and Vanguard Cadets (72.95, 22nd).

Blue Devils B

It was also the first indoor performance for Blue Devils B this season."I don't think it was too much of an issue," Blue Devils B color guard captain Danelle Porter said. "I think maybe at first it might have caught a couple of people off guard, but besides that I think they handled it very well."
She said overall their season has been going well, pushing harder at this time than they have in any other season.
With Mandarins (71.70, 23rd) qualifying for the Semifinals once again, it was surely a happy birthday for cymbal player Adrian Sarmiento, who turned 22 on Thursday.
"This is my first time ever marching DCI," he said. "I've been marching WGI for a really long time. So being in my age-out, and my bonus year at that, I had to march at least one year."

7th Regiment

Spartans (69.35, 24th) was the fourth and last Open Class corps to qualify for the Semifinals. Cascades (68.65, 25th) secured 25th place and the last spot in Friday's competition. In their first World Championship performance, Gold (66.35, 26th) missed out on Semifinals by 2.30 points. Their place ahead of 7th Regiment (64.45, 28th) and Genesis (63.50, 29th) was the only change in the rankings from the Open Class Finals two days earlier.
It was the last performance of the season for Pioneer (66.20, 27th), and the last performance ever in a junior drum corps for Pioneer age-out Steven Wright.
"I've been marching Pioneer for three years, but this is my 13th year doing drum corps," he said. "I marched in a drum corps back in England called Concord Drum and Bugle Corps. And I started in their junior corps 13 years ago."

Les Stentors

After his England-based corps folded, he contacted DCI Hall of Fame member Steve Vickers, who let him know about an opening with Pioneer. Wright joined and said he hasn't regretted the decision since. As for his last performance with Pioneer, he said his corps was outstanding, pulling out an amazing performance."It was just a brilliant experience for everyone," Wright said. "I'm more than happy to have that as my last show."
Legends (63.40, 30th), Music City (62.85, 31st) and Raiders (61.05, 32nd) all broke the 60-point barrier on their first time being judged on World Class judging sheets this season. Rounding out the bottom three spots were Colt Cadets (57.95, 33th), Les Stentors (52.75, 34th) and Blue Saints (49.10, 35th).
View all scores from this event.
View a complete schedule of World Championship events.

Contributing to this report: Christina Mavroudis, Jessica Skogh