< Previous[This is the final part of a series about my experience while volunteering with the Boston Crusaders (BAC) in 2017. I have compiled my daily blog posts while on the road from alongthemillbrook.com into this diary-style series.]Final part of an 11-part seriesAugust 12, 2017, finals night, 9:30 PM -- I am sitting here in the lounge area of Lucas Oil Stadium again. Carolina Crown is on the tube overhead. I had to get off my feet again and into writing this blog. The prop truck finally arrived and we made good work of getting the props off the truck and down the ramp. This time I helped move the gallows and two platforms to the other side of the stadium through the long tunnel, so that BAC could take the field from all three entrances to speed things up. Tonight I joined the Boston Crusaders on the field for the final championship competition. Standing on the field sidelines in the center with the rest of the staff was an honor and a privilege. From the field I could see the color guard perform up-close, especially the moves on the main prop at front left. It was impressive seeing the sabers and rifles tossed and caught in precision, often all in unison with a single snap at the catch, executed in precise choreographed sequence in sync with the sounds and movements of the corps. The FloMarching cameramen were catching all of the great moments with their roaming cameras and the one elevated on a swinging arm. The audience reacted enthusiastically at all the high points. I did not realize that I had so many goose bumps. I had goose bumps in places that I did not even know that I had places. I cannot explain the psychological and physical reaction that happens when the sparks begin to ignite all over my body. Waves of energy flood through my eyes. This location, right up front, provided for an all-body experience. I felt the pressure waves behind me from the reactions of the full house of drum corps fans, amplifying the sparks at the back of my neck. Once again the ballad was a popular point of the show with Aubre-Lee, the vocalist, and the rest of the kids delivering it to the appreciative crowd with BAC conviction. From whispers and accusations to trial and execution, the corps took the audience seamlessly through the storyline of “Wicked Games.” Those in the house leapt to their feet as they reached the final chord and visual conflagration of the closer. Steve, the prop guy, was very proud of the copious amounts of smoke that emanated from the props in the rear as well as in the front. The final performance of BAC did not disappoint. I ran away with the drum corpstext and photos by Kevin Russell, Drum Corps World staff (kevinrussell@gmavt.net)Immediately after the program, we all dashed onto the field to remove the regalia along with the corps. Since the corps members removed the props from the field, I helped load the timpani drums onto the trailer, then retreated from the field with the corps. Suddenly I became overwhelmed with a bitter sweet feeling. Is this really over? I wondered how everyone else was feeling. Tears.I am at a loss for any more superlatives to describe my experience here. I begin to contemplate again about the coincidences that led me here, meeting Lynn and her Hoosier hospitality, and all of the new friends I have made and the love I have received by being a part of this thing. So, where do I go from here? Home, I guess, to sit along the Mill Brook and contemplate more. Do I take a beeline home tonight or stay one more evening? I am looking forward to seeing all of the corps take the field for the scores and awards and then I will figure out where I go from here. The Blue Devils are up. On the TV they are performing Flight of the Bumble Bee. I think of my brother again. 12:01 AM -- I knew this would be a late night. It’s after midnight and I am at a reception for BAC at Gate 10, a restaurant across the road from the corps parking lot outside Lucas Oil Stadium. All of the corps took a final retreat as the scores and awards have been announced. After watching from an empty seat in the peanut gallery, it was time for food and a beverage. I finally ran into Garry, the Inspire Arts board member and my new adopted drum corps brother. He has a room for me to stay one more night and I have his ride to the hotel. Gino, the head brass guru told him, “Last year I came in sixth with another corps and I wanted to kill myself. This year I came in sixth with BAC and I’ve had the best time of my life.” The Boston Crusaders made the most progress upward of any championship corps in DCI history. Moving up from barely eking into twelfth place last year, to finishing in sixth place in the 2017 DCI finals, underscores that this corps is on the upswing and it will be a fun ride over the next few years. Now, celebration is in order.August 13, 2017, BAC annual banquet, 12:00 noon -- I am sitting in the balcony at the Prospect Theatre located in a well-restored neighborhood in Indianapolis. It is Sunday, the day after the DCI World Championships. Everyone has just enjoyed a delicious brunch buffet. This historic theatre is a perfect place for the gathering of members, parents, staff and volunteers –- the BAC family -– to celebrate the culmination of a successful summer and say goodbye. How fun it was to see the kids go through a buffet line in this majestic setting, dressed and pressed, rather than a hot asphalt parking lot in the back of a high school, hot and sweaty, hunkering in the shade. I am filled with a heightened feeling of that indomitable positive BAC vibe I have been feeling and writing about all summer. The members from Japan are dressed in kimonos. I instantly began to tear up when I saw them. These members are absolutely handsome and beautiful! They are sun-bronzed icons of the human specimen. This reminded me of the bicyclist I met a few days ago at Grand Park who stopped to listen to the pit rehearsing in the lot. The guard was rehearsing in the field next to the lot. The gentleman asked, “Who are these kids? They are like sun goddesses.” I begin to think about the thousands of kids from all of the drum corps who are now in the best shape of their lives. Body by drum corps!Chris, the executive director of Inspire Arts, the BAC non-profit organization, is giving a presentation. He is joined by members of the board of directors in thanking everyone and announcing important plans for the future to raise more funding and apply more resources to the corps so that it can continue to compete at the top level and move up in the ranks. Many applause moments acknowledge the hard work by all and the welcome news that portends a promising future for BAC. I have those goose bumps again. Rise. As I look around the theatre at the tables, I see the congregations of the various sections of the corps. There is a strong common bond among all 150+ members who toiled en mass throughout the season. There are even stronger bonds between the various sections of brass, battery, pit and guard. Special handshakes, shouts and t-shirts identify their particular tribe within the nation of BAC. This is a very happy/sad moment for the members who are moving on. Aging-out is tough. However, you can tell the older kids are ready to take on the world and make their own magic happen along their future paths. Many of the younger kids will return. Auditions begin in October. One can only assume there will be a lot of kids who will want to be part of this corps. The talent attracted to BAC will rise as a result of this year’s success and the high-caliber instructional staff.“I have miles to go before I sleep.” -- Robert Frost. I have taken a peek at the potential routes home. There are 780 miles between Indy and my humble home on the Mill Brook. I am sure there will many things that come to mind as I travel home. Most people in this theatre will be going to the airport and will be home before I reach Cleveland. I understand that the Indianapolis airport is another happy/sad place as members from all corps co-mingle at the gates prior to their journeys home. Bonds extend in drum corps.August 16, 2017, back on the Mill Brook -- After two days on the road, I returned to my home last night after making my way back from Indianapolis. I did it in increments, stopping along the way to catnap and visit my sisters again. I passed the BAC souvenir truck on Ohio I-70. Greg, another one of the amazing volunteer board members I have met, was driving. I tooted as I passed and hoped he noticed the Waldo decal on the back of my car. He was not only driving the souvie vehicle and trailer back to Boston, but also flying home to Scotland. From top to bottom, the BAC organization is filled with totally dedicated individuals. This morning I had some moments when I would start crying again. I was catching up on Facebook posts and forums, and watching YouTube videos of the final performance of BAC. It is now clear to me that this summer's adventure was meant to happen. In my small way, I was part of an incredible achievement. “Wicked Games” will go down in BAC and DCI history for its success in advancement in rankings, but more importantly for its success in reaching in and pulling the heartstrings of the drum corps fans and critics a- large. I have not been alone in how this corps and show has gotten to me.I keep going back in my mind to some of the unsung heroes I met – the prop crew, Joyce and Will, husband and wife, headed out on finals night for Boston with the prop truck and then they flew back home to Florida where they will focus on teaching and hauling props for a winter guard program. Chris, Austin, Jamie, Jim were the steady volunteers and interns who toiled daily getting the props on and off the trailer among the thousands of other things. I am not sure where they were headed or whether they are coming back next year. This was surely a good year to have on their resumé. It was good to see Robert and Darren, two staff members I met during my tour in June, with the corps for finals in Indy. Mike and the other drivers also hit the highway the day following finals. Anthony, the chef, Mary-Mason, the intern/volunteer coordinator who got me into this, Ron, the corps co-director, who kept me on-board and invited me to join the corps on the field at finals, Vivian, the doctor, Steve, the prop guy, Gino and his awesome staff had all disassembled. We had all spread out to get on with our off-season lives. The entire entourage that had toured together for three and half months had exploded into hundreds of pieces, traveling in all directions. On Monday, I arrived at my sister’s house in Ithaca, NY, in time for lunch. Did you know that DCI held its third World Championship in Ithaca in 1974? After a banana, peach and peanut butter sandwich, we ascended the Rim Trail at Treman State Park for a nice hike. The next morning I headed up to the Cornell Campus on foot to seek out that Steinway piano in the chapel that I played the last time I was there. The walk uphill was invigorating. It was another beautiful summer morning. How lucky I was to have had such great weather. With the exception of the rehearsal that was rained out in Clifton, NJ, and the one rain event that drenched the prop crew on semi-finals Friday, the August days have been bluebird. Following a nice session on the piano in the chapel, I headed toward home.I took the road less traveled and turned off the navigation. I have found that whichever navigation app I use, it tends to divert you to the super highways. I sometimes prefer the road less traveled, a nice, well-maintained two-lane country road that will keep me engaged as the driver and provides much more scenic enjoyment. I knew the way along the meandering road that took me in the vicinity of a good friend I have had since grade school. It was time to atone for missing my 45th high school class reunion. My heart sank when I heard that they had chosen the weekend of the Allentown competitions for the class reunion. This caused some emotional baggage that traveled with me all summer, since I was the senior class president. Dan was very understanding, but he made sure to tell me that I missed a great time.I fear that this final post reflects the anti-climactic feeling I have been having these last couple of days following finals night. The journey that started back in mid-June in Castleton, VT, at the community night and the first full public run-through of “Wicked Games” has ended back at my humble home on the Mill Brook after two tours of the Midwest to follow the Boston Crusaders. How can anything I have planned going forward from today be even close to as interesting and rewarding as this experience? I asked a lot of questions along the way (and found some answers) such as, “Why did I do this?” I know one thing for sure. I have a much more optimistic outlook on the future, having been witness to this thing called drum corps. How inspiring it has been, seeing up-close the talent and dedication of thousands of young individuals from the many corps and the equally-dedicated volunteers, support crews, educators and leaders, all working together toward perfection to provide a truly exceptional entertainment experience and compete for the highest placement. Being with BAC at the beginning and then through to end, I was witness to the transformational effect this has had on the members. It is clear to me that they will carry forward, with a rippling effect, the fundamental value of working hard together toward a greater end and we will all be better due to their exponential impact. Being a small part of that transformation has renewed my spirit and made me a better person. I recall the words of Ralph Waldo Emerson -- “It is one of the most beautiful compensations of life that no man can sincerely try to help another without helping himself.”Questions still linger. I wonder if all of the other drum corps fans are feeling the way that I am right now? How will I get beyond drum corps season? I am glad to be home, but somehow I feel sort of homesick. Is the season really over and that was a final goodbye in Indiana or will I have some continued contact with those that I have met? Will I do this again next year? As you know, I love all of the corps. Among the mementos I have from my trip is a genuine Bluecoats bowler, which was gifted to me by the corps’ prop colleagues on finals night. (Probably a rehearsal hat, it has bright green duct tape inside with the initials CEE.) However, did I have a favorite corps in 2017? Guilty. Along with the memories, I have my Boston Crusaders DCI security lanyard and wrist bracelet from finals night. What a privilege to have become a small part of the Boston Crusaders’ family for 23 days and being on the field with them on finals night, especially on such a resurgent year.It will be a long, long off-season to think about these questions and ruminate further. Today’s scheduled hike with the Peak-a-week club is General Stark Mountain, one of the Green Mountains in central Vermont. It is the headwaters of the Mill Brook. With a coolness in the air, it is a perfect afternoon for a hike. Ski season is just around the corner. It’s time to move on for now. n n nJune 9, 2018 -- Highland Regiment is DCA’s newest all-age Class A drum corps. Based in Branchburg, NJ, the corps rehearses at Raritan Valley Community College where director and founder Philip Martin is a professor of communication theories. I’ve seen the corps recruiting at indoor guard shows the past two years and witnessed their debut performance in exhibition at a Tournament Indoor Association show in Winslow Township, NJ, back in April. I arrived at the rehearsal site and was immediately greeted by Phil Martin (below left). He explained that, due to school commitments, attendance was light this weekend. The corps spent the afternoon in music ensemble rehearsal, focusing on tempo, entrances, phrasing and giving the visual staff time to refine ideas. The rehearsal was run by Brass Caption Head Dave Parkhust. I know Dave through his work with the award-winning Winslow Township marching band. The show is titled “The Lion and the Cross,” a reference to the unofficial national flag of Scotland, often called the Royal Flag of Scotland. The show consists of three pieces. Opening with Holst’s Moorside March, the sound evokes Scottish imagery. Most recently performed by Boston Crusaders in 2009, the piece was popular in the drum corps activity in the 1970s and 1980s. Part two is Psalm 23 by Howard Goodall. I enjoyed the voicing of the gorgeous melody and harmonies as the brass rehearsed sections of the piece. The brass book was written by Dennis Argul (trombonist with Al Chez and the Brothers of Funk) who I thought did a particularly great job with the low brass parts. The closer is an original piece called Highland Castle consisting of The Chase, The Lake and The Fling. The latter gives reference to Scottish dancing. The corps plans some fun and interesting visuals during this segment of the show. My big question for Phil was, “Why start a drum corps, not just in New Jersey where there are quite a few DCA and DCI groups already, but really anywhere?” I’ve heard different answers to that question from others who started drum corps. Usually it is some variation of giving back to the activity. Phil’s response, while embracing the giving back aspect, focused on how drum corps can create lifelong friends, giving the participants a sense of community, a place to belong. He hopes Highland Regiment can be a place where younger and older individuals (this is all-age, after all) will express their creativity, while having a sense of community. Listening to him address the corps at the end of rehearsal, that sense of community was evident as he talked about the need to move a couple of rehearsals to South Jersey to make it’s easier for some of the members who live further away. The corps will debut their show in DCA competition at Nazareth, PA, on July 21. With more than a month to go, the corps has the first two pieces on the field with music. They are in good shape to make a very positive impression on the activity in their inaugural season. I look forward to seeing them in Nazareth. The corps’ finances are solid, with no debt and owning their instruments and uniforms. With uniforms for 80, there is plenty of room for growth. If you were planning on sitting out the 2018 season and feeling some regret, there’s a place for you at Highland Regiment! n n nHighland Regiment rehearsal report photos and text by Chris Maher, Drum Corps World staff (chris@corpsreps.com)Bushwackers rehearsal report photos and text by Chris Maher, Drum Corps World staff (chris@corpsreps.com)June 9, 2018 -- “Friends and Family” days are fun events. The excitement of performing before a crowd gives energy to the ensemble. So, I wasn’t surprised to hear that the Bushwackers were having a great rehearsal day on Saturday. I could feel the excitement myself as I walked into the stadium where the corps was in ensemble rehearsal at Torpey Athletic Field in Bridgewater, NJ.I arrived about 5:30 PM after spending a few hours visiting Highland Regiment, rehearsing nearby. Upon arrival I was greeted by Bob Gupta, executive director, Harlan Landes, corps director, and Bryan Jenner, tour manager. The trio updated me on the plans for the day -- rehearsal until 8:00 PM, performance by Bushwackers Academy (below right) followed by Musicopia All-Stars (bottom right), then the debut performance of the Bushwackers’ 2018 show, “Pablo.” Thus far, the day was going very well in Bridgewater. Unlike past weekends that were impacted by significant amounts of rain, today was clear and the location afforded the corps a place with limited distractions. Both recent and older alumni were visiting all day and a good contingent was expected by the end. Harlan commented that the alumni were especially supportive and excited about this year’s edition of the Bushwackers. The corps put out a “wish list” and the alumni were responding with help in many ways.I entered the stadium and starting shooting. I felt comfortable with so many familiar faces around. Finding good shots was easy. The corps looks great, even as they rehearse in typical drum corps attire. Their presence on the field was strong. The tedious routine of running a set over and over was frequently interrupted by quick water breaks, keeping everyone well-hydrated on this warm summer day. By the time the rehearsal was concluding, the stands were filling up with alumni, family and fans, resulting in some “practice applause” at key moments in the show. The corps left to get into uniform and the program began with Bob Gupta explaining about the first group we would see tonight. Bushwackers Academy is a drum corps training ground where students in grades 5 through 12 can learn drum corps instruments and engage in some limited performances. This group is presented in partnership with Aspira, a Philadelphia charter school. The group performed the Philadelphia-appropriate Rocky Theme.The next group to perform, Musicopia All-Stars, is another Bushwacker partnership. This group’s mission is to provide opportunities for children to experience, learn, perform and appreciate music. Musicopia is doing some amazing work in the Philadelphia schools bringing music enrichment programs and resources to students who are cutoff from the region’s rich cultural life. The All-Stars’ director, Jesse Mell, introduced the group that consists of high school students in Philadelphia who perform at the professional soccer games for the Philadelphia Union. Jesse is passionate about the marching arts and working hard to bring them into the Philadelphia public school system, with five programs running now. This fall two marching band groups performed in Cavalcade of Bands, placing first and second in their divisions. The All-Stars put on a very entertaining performance, one that had me pressed up against the fence as they moved in closer toward the excited crowd.Next we were treated to the debut performance of “Pablo.” The corps performed the first two parts of the program. Each section represents different periods of Picasso’s work. Canyon, most well-known by drum corps fans from Santa Clara Vanguard’s 1999 championship show, opens the production after some narration sets the stage. Tubas start on the side 2 front sideline and that is where I decided to start shooting, moving from right to left through the show. A tango version of Nature Boy brought the exhibition to a close. The Bushwackers Academy members were invited to join the Bushwackers’ brass on the field for a closing number, after which the alumni joined the corps to sing the corps song. For my two-hour drive, I put on Cousin Brucie via Sirius XM, my go-to show for a Saturday night drive home. As I was driving, I realized Wildwood is one week away and then I’m off to California for three days in Yosemite on my way to the Fresno, Stanford and Sacramento DCI shows. Drum corps season has arrived. n n nChicago Royal Airs will celebrate 60th anniversary June 28!text and photos provided by Amatore Menle (amatoreakaami@att.net)© G. R. 2000 Picture not to be reproduced without permission.In the beginning . . . The Alamo Theater was at 3635 West Chicago Avenue. The Famous Theater was across the street at 3644 West Chicago Avenue. We had two movie palaces in our neighborhood and, back then -- in the 1940s and 1950s -- every kid went to the Alamo on Saturday afternoon at 1:00 PM for four hours of double features, cartoons and shorts like “The Three Stooges” or Kirn Allen starring in the serial version of “Superman” or “Ma and Pa Kettle,” newsreels, war and monster movies of the era.The Alamo had second- or third-run movies after they left the downtown theaters and some of the neighborhood and shopping area theaters like the Marlboro and Pulaski, or the Paradise on Pulaski were just north of Lake Street.Some of us went to the Famous on weeknights for may two hours at a cost of only five cents. The theater showed a lot of cowboy movies with starts like Johnny Mack Brown, Lash LaRue, Allen “Rocky” Lane, Roy Rogers and the other western stars.In the early 1950s, with television coming in, the © G. R. 2000 Picture not to be reproduced without permission.Royal Airs, 1959Alamo Rangers, 1956Famous was suffering because people started watching TV during the week and continued patronizing the Alamo on weekends.The Famous Theater closed in 1952 and the neighborhood veterans and politicians took it over and converted it into the Alamo Post #885 of the American Legion in 1953. It was beautiful and modern inside and was a big deal for Chicago Avenue at the time. Weddings and other parties were held there and our parents played bingo while most of us kids played ball, kick the can or ring-a-leeveo outside and around the block.We were friends, relatives and schoolmates (mostly from Ryerson and Our Lady of the Angels) before the conversion. We became the first Alamo Rangers. The corps, conceived of as a neighborhood group, was put together in the fall of 1954 by Jerry Svec, a snare drummer from the Austiin/Belmont Grenadiers after being contacted by Bill Cerone, youth director of the new post.Jerry immediately brought in Grenadier Glenn “Smitty” Smith to teach bugles. In early 1957, Smitty brought in Grenadier and Skokie Indians’ Rich Tarsitano to take over for him. In May 1957, Sie Lurye appeared and took over as youth director, replacing Bill Cerone. Sie got up on a bingo table and introduced himself, then took us all, through several different trips in his 1957 Olds convertible, to Jimmy’s Hot Dogs -- the best! Three months later, in August, the corps participated in its first contest at the Illinois State Fair in Springfield. At the end of the season, Rich brought in Skokie Indians’ Ray Kelly to replace Jerry who phased himself out. Everyone thanked Jerry for initiating something that would really turn into something great.At the start of June 1958, after a disagreement with the controlling officers and directors of the American Legion Post as to the future direction of the corps, Sie was replaced by Vito Palumbo. Shortly thereafter, 90% of the boys and girls (average age 14) walked out and burned our corps membership cards on the sidewalk in front of the post and met at the Humboldt Park Boathouse the following Saturday. A week later we had new horns and drums from Smitty, secured by loans from Sie and Mr Angelo Naples. Two weeks later we had uniforms (the last uniform the Grenadiers wore) and three weeks after than, on June 28, 1958, a name was picked out of a hat by parent Ted Procanin and the Royal Airs began their meteoric rise Next >