We are here at the DCI Minnesota, presented by USMC Drum & Bugle Corps, and ready to watch an AMAZING night of drum corps. Follow along as we will be giving live updates and analysis of the shows as they perform tonight. 

SCHEDULE

All times are local to the event and subject to change.
4:50 p.m. Welcome & National Anthem

And we're off. Brandt Crocker's voice has that perfect tone and we always associate it with big competitions. The mini brass ensemble from Minnesota Brass played a very upbeat rendition of the National Anthem. 

5:00 p.m. Colt Cadets - Dubuque, IA

The Colt Cadets get the competition started and remind us all that Open Class is an often ignored gem in the activity. Colt Cadets bring a high energy show and bright color palette to the field to start us off. 

5:17 p.m. Shadow - Oregon, WI

Opening the show with a wide open set that covers the whole field is a great first statement. The juxtaposition of that with the moment when the entire corps is hidden behind props creates an very effective visual tacet and return to the field. 

5:34 p.m. River City Rhythm - Anoka, MN

The strains of Ode to Joy in the pit intro set up the musical theme beautifully. An interesting treatment of Nirvana's "Smells Like Teen Spirit" created a hauntingly beautiful ballad moment. The final push to the end, including the tension of the chord bend, encapsulated the show nicely. 

5:51 p.m. Legends - Kalamazoo, MI

The first horn line impact certainly says "we're here." The baritone solo during Disturbed's "Sound of Silence" is beautiful. The brass keeps its energy all the way through to the end, including through an ambitious drill design for the ending. It creates excellent energy. 

6:08 p.m. Govenaires - St. Peter, MN

That's an impressive low brass sound for only two tubas. A playful rendition of Imogen Heap's "Hide and Seek" gave some soloists a great chance to shine. The snare line exhibited some good training at numerous points in the show, and the Star Trek main theme was a great energetic ending. 

6:25 p.m. Intermission

Intermission now - go get a hot dog and buy a souvenir from your favorite drum corps. Every dollar helps! 
 
6:42 p.m. Genesis - Austin, TX

I love the way Genesis uses the window props to frame what they want people to see. The ballad, "Both Sides Now," is an especially good moment for them - seamless guard integration in the beginning of the piece, and by the and the windows separate the corps proper from the guard as a diagonal barrier between the two sections. 
 
6:59 p.m. Pioneer - Milwaukee, WI

Les Mis is always a crowd pleaser. Impressive use of props to frame a smaller corps when they were used as a cityscape, and creating the barricade to create a new level and texture was very clever. 

7:16 p.m. Troopers - Casper, WY

The opening trumpet screamer sure got the crowd going. And what a great moment for the horn line at the end of Nessun Dorma. The reprise of Nessun Dorma at the end is a great way to hammer home the theme of Duels and Duets. 

7:33 p.m. Madison Scouts - Madison, WI

The Last Man Standing brings an energy to Madison I have not seen in a while. Total immersion in the program with the shaved heads and uniforms. The dark, aggressive nature of the show fits perfectly with Madison's image, and I cannot wait to see what they do with this show over the next four weeks! 

7:50 p.m. The Academy - Tempe, AZ

This show has to be a blast to perform. Well known music, a storyline that reminds us all of watching Looney Tunes back in the day ... I hope these members enjoy themselves. It looks like a lot of them are having fun. There are some great, well-designed moments for all sections, too. 

8:07 p.m. Crossmen - San Antonio, TX

Crossmen continue to impress with another creative show design. I love the moment when they all come to the front left corner of the field - hardly anyone uses space that way in drum corps. It's a huge risk, and I think it will pay off. 

8:24 p.m. Intermission

The inaugural Bandtastic Minnesota Honor Band treated us to a rendition of "Happy" played with the Madison Scouts. Youth music programs are incredibly important, and Bandtastic is off to a great start! Here's wishing them decades of successful programs! 

8:49 p.m. Phantom Regiment - Rockford, IL

Phantom Regiment's battery has come to play this year. I love this show design - modern, with a nod to the golden era of drum corps at the same time. The brass writing has incredible nuance. All in - that's the most balanced I have heard Phantom this year. 

9:06 p.m. Blue Stars - La Crosse, WI

Each time I watch this show, I expect to be drawn to the battery. And each time I watch, I am absolutely transfixed by the mellophones. The arranging for them, in particular, is astounding: the use of them to interject different melodic themes from Romeo and Juliet over the main melody is brilliant. This ballad is also in the running for my favorite musical moment of the summer. 

9:23 p.m. Santa Clara Vanguard - Santa Clara, CA

SCV came out on fire. As always, their drum line is really darn good for early July, and they'll for sure be at or near the top come finals night. I imagine that very soon we will all be discussing prop integration the same way we currently discuss guard integration, and this show is one of the ones to push us in that direction. 

9:40 p.m. Bluecoats - Canton, OH

This show defines environmental responsibilities. It's hard to imagine anyone touching this show once it's clean. Wow did the brass come to play tonight, and the staging in this show is second to none. 

9:57 p.m. Minnesota Brass - St. Paul, MN

Always great to see a DCA corps early season. Much like Open Class corps, these corps will make the most of limited rehearsal time to put together a great ending product. I loved the creative arrangement of Medea, the different treatment of it was a cool twist. 

10:39 p.m. Scores Announced

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