2017 DCI Tour of Champions - Northern Illinois

Recap: First TOC Show Of The Season

Recap: First TOC Show Of The Season

The first Tour of Champions show has arrived, bringing incredible shows straight to your screen. Check in all night as we update you on each corps' performance throughout the night!

Jul 16, 2017 by Andy Schamma
Recap: First TOC Show Of The Season
The first Tour of Champions show has arrived, bringing incredible shows straight to your screen. Check in all night as we update you on each corps' performance throughout the night!

All times local venue and subject to change.

3:00 p.m. Box Office Opens
7:00 p.m. Welcome & National Anthem
7:07 p.m. Colts - Dubuque, IA

Colts have made some obvious improvements even just to the start of their show. The new body work and black tarp covering the center prop is absolutely entrancing. The bright red of the Colts marching musicians' new uniforms stand out dramatically against the white props and bright color guard uniforms, creating an incredibly easy sight line to follow the corps' movements. The ballad draws you in from start to finish, featuring a beautiful trombone soloist bookending the piece. What a great sound and style. From a powerful impact through the peaceful epilogue, this corps is drawing the audience in from start to finish and is a great way to kick off this Tour of Champions show!


7:24 p.m. The Academy - Tempe, AZ

With "Mourning Mood," the sounds of birds, and the sights of bunnies, this show takes the audience straight into the forest. The brass ensemble taking over on the 50 yard line after the first hit came to impress tonight, matching their style and timing extremely well. The Academy's rendition of Danse Bohéme takes their theme of hunter vs. hunted to a cartoonish maximum while also letting the hornline shine.

7:41 p.m. Crossmen - San Antonio, TX

It seems lots of changes have hit Crossmen since we last saw them. With an exciting new start, the corps has seriously come out ready to impress this Tour of Champions crowd tonight. As the corps moves into "Kaleidoscope of Mathematics" they start integrating the props using the straps as visual elements. There's just something about the bright white hats against dark black uniforms and neon accents that makes the drill look incredible. How about that snare break, too! Once again, the ballad's horn soloist has only gotten better since their last performance on FloMarching. Great subito piano to finish out their exciting new closing, flexing some impressive isolated accents to build more suspense all the way to the final sustain.

7:58 p.m. Blue Stars - La Crosse, WI

Blue Stars have truly come out with a beautiful product this season. From start to finish, using music from Romeo + Juliet, The Great Gatsby, and Moulin Rouge, these melodies will not leave your head for days. This brass sound by the end of the first impact is gorgeous and fully rounded. Featuring crossovers between the low brass and bassline, this corps is managing the sound responsibilities of the field extremely well. If you haven't already, make it a game to find all of the "X's" in the drill shapes and color guard motifs, they'll sneak up on you! This ballad is truly a gem in the 2017 season of Drum Corps International's World Class. What an ending set! Beautiful way to head into the intermission.

8:15 p.m. Intermission
Well this is just the most boring part of the night... silly judges need a break. Hope you've enjoyed talking about all of your favorite corps on social media and texting your friends about how incredible the corps are this year.

8:45 p.m. The Cadets - Allentown, PA

Expecting a lot of changes from The Cadets tonight and they have not disappointed.  With the color guard's gold against the corps' maroon, what a scene this opener sets. As far as The Cadets' color guard is concerned -- WOW, Thank you for an incredible performance. Showing off their ability to enjoy the open space in rests, the hornline has brought a new level of energy to this year's show, matching with the precision that is always associated with The Cadets' ability to march drill. Bearing the cross, The Cadets have really come out with their hearts on their sleeves displaying their skill playing off of a difficult theme, while providing an entertaining experience for the audience. Goosebumps galore from the trumpet solo to the new ending of their show! Wow!

9:02 p.m. Santa Clara Vanguard - Santa Clara, CA

There's a reason this corps is drawing everyone's attention this season. Physical demand from the brassline is obvious through their choreographed body movements. The way the visuals work with the music in the ballad make this show look seamless. The drill looks like a machine moving throughout the field; paired with the layering throughout the color guard, this show is impressive from start to finish.

9:19 p.m. The Cavaliers - Rosemont, IL

What an entertaining show from start to finish. As The Cavaliers take us through a commentary of the effects of "man," they play jokes off of themselves while excelling at a high level on the field. The intricate blending between the hornline's writing with the tenor soli as well as the guard's visual elements are very well-blended. Holy cow Cavies Bass, what a solo! As the corps transitions into Mars and My Way, they tease each of the melodies in such an immersive manner that it creates this spooky, exciting atmosphere.

9:36 p.m. Phantom Regiment - Rockford, IL

Last but not least, Phantom Regiment has made quite the transition this week as they prep for the first big regional in San Antonio. Setting the stage from the start, Phantom's guard glides across the field from the Side 1 endzone creating a very erie atmosphere. The front ensemble is really impressive tonight, they seemed to be locked in. During a mystical pit feature, the corps makes a phantastic use of the entire field, spreading the corps from endzone to endzone. One of the highlights of this show is certainly the flugelhorn solo towards the middle of their show. Everybody loves a good company front! Thanks for watching tonight, what a show!