Ruby Tuesday/Wordless Wednesday - Strike up the Band

Recently we attended a drum corps competition at the local high school stadium.  Drum Corps International has come to town each summer for the past several years and my wife and I try to go to the competition each year.  The drum corps consists of a drum line, and percussion section, brass instruments and a flag line.  There were eight drum corps competing this year and it was a great show.
These are not high school bands. The drum corps consist of volunteers between 16 & 22 years old, that come together each April for practice and then go on the road to compete through the summer.  The finals are held in Indianapolis each year.  The members pay a fee and audition to become a part of these teams.

 This year the competitors came from all over the country, including Texas, South Carolina, Tennessee, New Jersey, and Missouri.  The uniforms are always colorful.

 Oh yes, and there are props.  This corps had probably the most colorful and interesting props of all.  I also thought that they had the best integration of props and flag line.

The group below is The Carolina Crown and they are always one of the three best drum corps in the country.  On this night, they were the best in the competition.

 

The role of the traditional flag line is stretched to the max by some of these groups and they are almost always the most colorful part of the show.

Below we see The Carolina Crown thinking outside the box when it comes to their flag line.

 

I think that the award for the most colorful drums should have gone to this drum line from New Jersey.

 

I really like the precision that most of the groups display when entering the field.  Like I said, it is quite a colorful night of music, dance, and precision marching.  If you get a chance to see one of the competitions, by all means go.  You will enjoy the spectacle.

This post would not be completed without a video of a truly precision drum corps.  The Top Secret Regimen consists of drums and flags only.  They are older than the groups above and they are truly a sight to behold.  Going to see them is on my bucket list.