2017 DCI Tour of Champions - NightBEAT

LIVE BLOG: TOC - NightBEAT

LIVE BLOG: TOC - NightBEAT

Another night of great drum corps - this time in Winston-Salem, NC! Carolina Crown's own NightBEAT show at Wake Forest University hits your screens right now! Don't miss a single minute of it, you'll miss out on some exciting changes and powerhouse ending

Jul 30, 2017 by Andy Schamma
LIVE BLOG: TOC - NightBEAT
Another night of great drum corps - this time in Winston-Salem, NC! Carolina Crown's own NightBEAT show at Wake Forest University hits your screens right now! Don't miss a single minute of it, you'll miss out on some exciting changes and powerhouse endings.

All times ET and subject to change
5:10 p.m. - Welcome & National Anthem
5:30 p.m. - Colts - Dubuque, IA

Starting off the night, Colts are taking us straight into their own minds with their show "Both Sides Now." A show about the two different sides of the brain and how they counteract each other. With the addition of the voiceovers and some mystical writing in the front ensemble, they are able to create a very fantastical atmosphere for the audience. A great show from Colts and their visual package is really coming along as they clean!

5:47 p.m. - Troopers - Casper, WY

A very enjoyable show from Troopers this year! Their drill has them all over the field spread out from 20 to 20 for much of their show. During one moment, the hornline is spread from 10 to 10 in a giant arc that goes from front hash to back hash as well. Their ballad is also a treat, really letting the brass play loud and relish the slow lyrical melody. In the entire second half of their show, the whole corps is flying across the field again in some high velocity drill. Really great energy in the end there, the final stand was awesome!

6:04 p.m. - Madison Scouts - Madison, WI

That introduction with the brass playing backfield is so cool! The brass are really moving a lot in this opener. There's just good old fashioned drill with 4-man gates everywhere and blocks that seem to build out of nowhere and then rotate apart. Something cool about the Scouts' show this year is that the character has so much potential that it is able to be used for body work pretty much anytime the hornline isn't playing. And they take advantage of it! That drill at the ending is pretty crazy, lots of speed and energy when everyone breaks form and uses their character to finish out this show.

6:21 p.m. - Mandarins - Sacramento, CA

Such a mysterious opening to their show. Wow their drill in the opener has really cleaned up. The all black covering the entire field is also very interesting to watch and shows serious clarity from member to member. The drill is already extremely creative, but the added character work being demanded of the members make it fit that much more. The trombones that play the transition to "Sound of Silence" really create a beautiful tone quality and show off some of the best qualities of this Mandarins hornline. The transitions have really become their own highlight of the show, which only adds to the high production value coming from the Mandarins' design staff this season.

6:38 p.m. - Crossmen - San Antonio, TX

Crossmen's drumline starts their show with a fast paced drum break followed by a powerful impact chord. Their front ensemble has great clarity in those runs and permutations. The integration of the props and guard throughout the corps is well done. The environmental demand to stage the entire hornline on the goal line for an impact point is impressive. The velocity of the drill at the end of the show is classic drum corps with quick direction changes and powerful chords. The use of the props and staging of the guard really does a great job of using all of the field.

6:55 p.m. - Boston Crusaders - Boston, MA

The pit opening for Boston is beautiful. Great orchestration and execution. Love the integration of the rifles during that initial impact. So much improvement from the battery percussion. I do believe Boston put a "Harry Potter-like" wand in the hands of the singer during the ballad. The pit orchestration prior to the hit in the ballad is beautiful. The layering of the judge voice-over on top of the baritone solo is very smart. Beautiful and haunting at the same time. The darkness of the ending with the flames and the guard swinging lifelessly from the rope props leaves a last image in your mind.

7:12 p.m. - The Academy - Tempe, AZ

The pure enjoyment these performers are having with this show can't be overstated. The battery is having a great run and the chicken flying across the field has shades of Velvet Knights all over it. This show has you smiling the entire time from just an entertainment factor. Shout out to the timpani player for the rapid tuning changes. If you're looking for a show with high energy from start to finish this is it. The music doesn't allow for much down time and the show is packed full of drill. Not a lot of standing around in this production.

7:29 p.m. - Intermission

8:03 p.m. - Santa Clara Vanguard - Santa Clara, CA

Takes some serious courage to open the show with a stab and rifle toss like that. The precision of their drill and curvatures in their forms is unreal. Does any body do dissonant chord resolution better than SCV? The shift in moods with the use of their pit writing is beautiful and refreshing. Great double from the flag line in the giant circle at the beginning of the closer. The new closer drill with the props is simple but extremely effective. The raw power of their drumline is amazing and the pacing of that ending makes you stand up the last 30 seconds.

8:20 p.m. - The Cavaliers - Rosemont, IL

The raw passion in which the members of this corps perform this show with is so much fun to watch. The timing of their guard is really impeccable. The balancing of voicing within the front ensemble is really nice. The Cavaliers engagement to the audience personally really reminds you of what it's like to perform in a WGI setting. Great partner flag toss in the back with the blue flags just prior to the ballad hit. That's the second timpani player tonight to catch your attention with great pitch changes.

8:37 p.m. - Phantom Regiment - Rockford, IL

Phantom's use of the black robes entering the field through the hit is really well done. Makes their guard look huge. Again, the integration of the guard throughout the hornline is amazing. The orchestration of the pit when the guard is using the head wraps is very creepy. The different textures that the battery provides during their feature is a product of great writing and engineering to get the different plates/cymbals on the drums. The way Phantom's guard is able to cover the entire field is beautiful.

8:54 p.m. - Bluecoats - Canton, OH

The amount of body movement the battery has during that opening break is amazingly well executed. The velocity of their drill is mesmerizing. From the ground level, it seems like they are running pretty much the entire opener. That snare break to start the drum solo has got to be one of the most fun breaks in DCI history. The drum set's ability to handle the different time signatures and still groove is remarkable. Love the left ping shots! New ending drill, new guard staging at the end...will that lead them to repeat as DCI Champions? Only 2 weeks left in the season.

9:11 p.m. - The Cadets - Allentown, PA

The amount of beats the drumline throws down during that opening statement is filthy. The front ensemble adding a new responsibility of having to reach back to strike the vibe keys accurately is very difficult. The isolated timing of hits between the battery and hornline is really challenging. That being said, they are executing it well. The power of the trombones is unreal. The reveal of the prop flips has changed in how it's delivered. The raw power of that ending is something to behold.

9:28 p.m. - Blue Devils - Concord, CA

The opening of this show is so simple yet effective. Love how the opening soloist pay respects to the 1997 show with the hints to Night In Tunisia. Their body choreography is scary clean along with the rifle work. The pit orchestration underneath the horn soloist is so well written. That many trumpets is something to see live. Really appreciate the concert snare writing to go along.

9:45 p.m. - Carolina Crown - Ft. Mill, SC

There is just something different about that hornline. Unreal. The texture and colors that front ensemble is producing during their show is really beautiful. The speed and velocity of their drill throughout the entire show is breathtaking. The use of props to break the lines on field and deconstruct the field creates a very unique look on the field. The improvement in the percussion continues to grow daily and the new ending fulfilling the crown shape tradition.