Drumcorps in the US

[MrBoom_shack-a-lack]

I don't know how many that's familiar with DCI or Drum and bugle corps in general but I would assume that most Americans know what i'm talking about. Atleast you know the Marching Bands or Show Bands that entertain during half time. You may not know though about the competition aspect of Drumcorps which Drum Corps International (DCI) is all about which is a totally diffrent thing from the regular Marching Bands. It's all about precision, virtuosity, showmanship and pushing things to the absolute max. Here's a few example:

Bluecoats 2015 Drumline
Blue Devils -Hornline 2014

I grew up with playing in a Marching Band and for along time i've been highly inspired by DCI and the precision that goes into being in a top level marching band like the Blue Devils or the Cadets for example. As a drummer myself it's crazy what raw talent those guys bring out and it doesn't help that none of them are over 22 given that's the age limit.

We have in general a pretty good music education in Sweden, I've had some amazing teachers so I don't complain. We don't however have Marching Bands in high school tied to music education in school like you have in the US. As a drum teacher myself I would love that. We have bands outside of school of course but still the Marching or Drumcorps tradition like the US have is limited to a few bands and they're easily counted.

Simply put I think DCI is awesome and I would love to see a show in real life.

[Metro]

I was in marching band my last 2 years of High School. I was in percussion, so naturally I got into DCI.
A friend of mine from band now marches Trumpet with Jersey Surf, and one of my former percussion instructors played in Pit for the Blue Devils last year.

Here's a clip of him from their encore performance last year where they scored a 99.560(Which is a pretty big deal)
https://instagram.com/p/sGxaZjClfa/?taken-by=chungdrum

[hefdaddy42]

Attended my first DCI show just recently, actually.  Saw the Bluecoats and Blue Devils and 6 or 7 other groups.  It was amazing.

[The Letter M]

Did Marching Band for all four years of my high school life, then for four years after, I helped out my high school's band as I atteneded a local university (where I majored in music for 6 years...well, minored in English, and changed my major twice...), and in that time, I was HUGE into DCI and Marching Bands in general, and even attended a DCI show up in PA with a group of us from the band.

It was a lot of fun, and I enjoyed those days of Marching Band, but it seems like so long ago. I really liked the Cadets, and I have their shows from 1994-2005 somewhere on CD-r. Them and the Blue Devils were always amazing to see, as were the all-male corps whose name escapes me at the moment. I don't listen to DCI stuff as much as I used to back then, but I loved watching the drumming competitions as well, being that I am a drummer myself, and a lot of DCI stuff influenced how I played back then. I always feel like I never practiced my rudiments as much as I should have...

-Marc.

[MrBoom_shack-a-lack]

I always feel like I never practiced my rudiments as much as I should have...

-Marc.

You and me both. I do practice the standard rudiments but never really practised the Hybrid Rudiments and stuff like that.

I was in marching band my last 2 years of High School. I was in percussion, so naturally I got into DCI.
A friend of mine from band now marches Trumpet with Jersey Surf, and one of my former percussion instructors played in Pit for the Blue Devils last year.

Here's a clip of him from their encore performance last year where they scored a 99.560(Which is a pretty big deal)
https://instagram.com/p/sGxaZjClfa/?taken-by=chungdrum

Cool, yea i've heard of them but never really seen them. Awesome clip!

Attended my first DCI show just recently, actually.  Saw the Bluecoats and Blue Devils and 6 or 7 other groups.  It was amazing.

Awesome!

[MrBoom_shack-a-lack]

I really liked the Cadets, and I have their shows from 1994-2005 somewhere on CD-r.

I love this performance by The Cadets this year. So cool seeing the snare line being so synced together, it's amazing the amount of precision and chops they've got.

The Cadets 2015 Drumline

[lonestar]

This just popped up in my FB feed.....

https://www.facebook.com/disturbreality/videos/1036266483084095/

Just frikkin ridiculous.

[MrBoom_shack-a-lack]

Yea those are the Top Secret Drumline from Basel, Switzerland. They recently did a collab with The Blue Devils Drumline:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FZMIPV9pbb0

[ZirconBlue]

I marched 3 years of DCI back in the early 90s, then was on visual staff for a year after I aged out.


Another drum corps organization that I'd like to plug:

DCA - This is an all-ages version of Drum & Bugle Corps.  As such, it's mostly a weekend activity rather than the full-time summer gig.  So, the shows aren't quite as polished as the DCI top 12, but are still way ahead of your typical marching band.  I've been marching with a DCA Corps for 6 years now, and it's a really rewarding experience.  Our Championships are coming up this weekend in Rochester, NY. 

Also, many people are surprised to learn the drum and bugle corps exists outside of North America.  Every other year, a group from the UK called Kidsgrove Scouts comes to the US to compete in the DCA championships, then they go home and compete for DCUK (Drum Corps UK) and DCE (Drum Corps Europe) championships.  I don't know where they find football fields to compete on, though. 

[MrBoom_shack-a-lack]

Cool!  Who did you march with?

Yea I know about the european competions, never been there though. We have actual a band that's been over in the US from Sweden called Strangnas Drumcorps. I think they also competed in DCA. One member was even in this years Blue Devils on snare, pretty damn cool.
 

[ZirconBlue]

Cool!  Who did you march with?

Yea I know about the european competions, never been there though. We have actual a band that's been over in the US from Sweden called Strangnas Drumcorps. I think they also competed in DCA. One member was even in this years Blue Devils on snare, pretty damn cool.
 

I marched with Northern Aurora 1991-1993, a group that, sadly, folded after the 1996 season. 
Now, I march with Carolina Gold. 

[hefdaddy42]

Cool!  Who did you march with?

Yea I know about the european competions, never been there though. We have actual a band that's been over in the US from Sweden called Strangnas Drumcorps. I think they also competed in DCA. One member was even in this years Blue Devils on snare, pretty damn cool.
 

I marched with Northern Aurora 1991-1993, a group that, sadly, folded after the 1996 season. 
Now, I march with Carolina Gold.

Hey, I see they are out of Greensboro.  Are you local to there, or do you to drive long distance to be part of it?

[ZirconBlue]

I marched with Northern Aurora 1991-1993, a group that, sadly, folded after the 1996 season. 
Now, I march with Carolina Gold.

Hey, I see they are out of Greensboro.  Are you local to there, or do you to drive long distance to be part of it?

 
I live in Wilson, NC.  That "Greensboro" is no longer accurate.  We had a rehearsal/housing site there for the last 5-6 years, but we lost access to that facility, so our rehearsals this year have been at various locations all within about an hour of Wilson.  (Wilson, Fayetteville, Raleigh, etc.)  But, since we don't really have a permanent site, we haven't updated our "location".  I've lucked out with the rehearsal sites this year, but we have members coming from all over NC, SC, VA, and even Maryland this year.

[hefdaddy42]