Devoted to talking about anything and everything about the activity of Drum and Bugle Corps, with a focus on fans who are new to the activity. And also so you don't have to read Drum Corps Planet.
The Blue Devils grew out of a disbanded VFW drum and bugle corps in Concord, California, and since 1957 has grown to be one of the most successful corps since the founding of Drum Corps International in 1972.
Explain the name: The 'blue' element was a holdover from the old VFW post, and 'devil' was a reference to the nearby Mt. Diablo in Concord.
Symbol: That one right there, which is a combination of 'B' and 'd' (which looks like a music note). This is actually the all-encompassing symbol that describes the BD Performing Arts, which fields the Blue Devils as well as a "B" and "C" corps, two winterguards and other ensembles.
Stripes, everywhere
Corps Style: The Blue Devils are known for their high intensity shows but relaxed attitude. This swagger comes from members who made it through a highly competitive audition process, in which very few who have never marched drum corps before are selected. Historically, the corps has been very partial to jazz, and has devoted entire shows to different genres. Within the last few years, the Blue Devils have become edgier and more avant garde in their shows, flirting with asymmetry in visual design and atonal music. The corps usually sets the standard in marching technique for DCI and boasts a color guard that has even received perfect scores in their caption.
Uniform: Black, white, and as you might have guessed, blue, are the corps' colors. The uniforms are usually black pants with a blue tunic, black shako, and in the past decade a long black skirt that wraps around one of the legs. Black and silver sequins also adorn the bottom of the tunic, and the pants have occasionally had a single, vertical white stripe. An older style of uniform from the 80's looked similar to an unbuttoned zoot suit that fit their California vibe.
Corps Traditions: The Blue Devils seem to have less of a focus on corps-exclusive traditions, but do have some important ones.
-Hackfest: At some point during spring training during free time, the veteran members form the year before will get together and attempt to play through the music from the previous year. Hilarity ensues for the members. -Space Chords: The triple forte end to the lot warm-up for the hornline. Fans gather in the lot to hear some of the most colored chords in a drum corps warm-up mixed with atonality and a resolution. Does it need to be said that there are screaming trumpets? -Winning: No, but seriously, they have won World Class an unprecedented 14 times. They are the New York Yankees of DCI, and they haven't placed less than 4th in what seems like forever. Members wear their championship rings on their gloves for finals, as if they are all saying "Deal with it."
Kicking off the "Corps Showcase" series with the Phantom Regiment. In this series, different World Class corps will be, well, showcased. If you don't know a lot about each corps, you will by the end of each article.
THE PHANTOM REGIMENT
Like many of the older drum and bugle corps, Phantom Regiment began as a corps that belonged to a Veterans of Foreign Wars post. In 1956, it was established with the name of 'Rockford Rangers' in Rockford, Illinois, which is about two hours west of Chicago.
Explain the name: 'The Phantom Regiment' came from an identically titled orchestra and band march by Leroy Anderson. The name came from the suggestion of members and replaced the 'Rangers' name before ever competing. An interesting tidbit: Fans and non-members will typically call the corps 'Phantom,' while the members refer to it as '(the) Regiment.'
Symbol: A Chevron. This is another um, symbolic nod to the military. Chevrons appear on the sleeves of most every uniform, occasionally as drill sets in shows or in retreat, and often as tattoos on members.
Not the gas station.
Corps Style: Phantom Regiment is known for being the 'classical' music identity in drum corps, meaning that much of the brass arrangements have used orchestral and operatic source music, usually pre-20th century. Phantom Regiment is often a fan favorite, but the corps is slow to embrace the up and coming trends of DCI. The corps was one of the last to switch to Bb instruments (from the traditional but increasingly obsolete G bugles), rarely uses stationary props, and minimizes the usage of synthesizers int he front ensemble. The Regiment lives up to its military demeanor, and both the members and staff take conditioning and discipline seriously. There is a sort of dualism, because while the Phantom Regiment is one of the most militaristic corps (and have killed at least 6 show characters in the past decade), they can have one of the most graceful and beautiful presences on the field.
Uniform: The corps' color are white, black, and red, and the classic white uniforms have come to define the corps for many years. Traditionally, the uniform is all white from tunic to pants, with white pith helmets and white plumes (Chickens, as they're known). Nearly every uniform to date has had some type of a baldric, which is a type of over-the-shoulder sash. Currently, the uniforms are classic white, but with black plumes, black gloves and gauntlets, and no baldric.
I mean....they kind of look like chickens, right?
Corps Traditions: Tradition is very important in the Phantom Regiment. Some of them are innately important to the corps, some are the way things have been for years, all are incredibly important to the members.
-SUTA: A word with a hidden meaning revealed to members at their initiation into the corps. SUTA links all the members of the corps, past and present, and the corps shouts it before every show.
-History Night: Once a year during spring training, the entire corps comes together with alumni and learn about the history of the corps, important people across generations, watching old shows, talking about old seasons, and getting up close with some of the corps' important artifacts, including old uniforms and guard equipment. -Dogtags: A 'newer' tradition, every member receives two dogtags upon their initiation, and get two more for every year marched. After finals retreat, one of the two dogtags from every member is left in a pile, suggesting 'leaving it all on the field.' This evolved from a much earlier tradition of leaving the marching shoes on the field after the season was complete.
MVP: Dr. Dan L. Richardson. "Dr. Dan," as he is known to members, was a member from Phantom Regiment's founding in 1956 to 1964. He helped resurrect the corps after a fire in the corps hall destroyed most of the equipment belonging to the corps. He became Program Coordinator in 1972, and has served multiple other roles in the corps since, including Medical Director, Program Consultant, and served on the Board Directors. Not only has he served the corps in many different official positions, he is often on the road with the corps and is constantly in touch with members personally, and is always a positive force to others. In 2011, Dr. Dan was inducted into the DCI Hall of Fame.
Honorable Mention: The Farrell family. Much of the Farrell family (Rockford natives) spent years as members and are still involved with the corps. Dan Farrell is the current Program Coordinator of the corps, and has served on brass staff, as Brass Caption Head, and as a member on the Board of Directors. His brother, Tim, is the President of the Board of Directors. Many more siblings have marched with the Regiment during the 1970s, when the corps joined DCI and made won three straight silver medals.
Shows and Competition: There are many memorable Phantom Regiment shows, and history often looks favorably at them no matter what the placement of it was. The Phantom Regiment has won 5 silver medals and four bronze medals, as opposed to 2 gold medals (in which one was a tie), but consistently makes DCI Finals and places within the Top 6. Phantom has won 3 Fred Sanford (High Percussion) trophies between '06-'10, but has never won a Jim Ott (High Brass) award. Notable shows include Spartacus (1st Place), Faust (2nd Place), Harmonic Journey (4th Place), and A Defiant Heart: The Passion of Shostakovich (1st Place-Tie with Blue Devils).
Shortly before Drum and Bugle Corps across America began to move-in for the 2012 season, Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia, Fraternity of America, Inc., announced the beginning of a collaborative relationship with Drum Corps International. Phi Mu Alpha is a men's music fraternity, comprising of singers, instrumentalists, music majors and non-music majors. One of it's primary missions to to "Advance music in America," and what a great way to achieve this by joining up with DCI. The collaboration seems to be mostly symbolic at this point, but it is a step in the right direction for both organizations.
I asked brother of PMA how cool it'd be if there was an all-Sinfonian corps.
He said it's called the Madison Scouts.
As an activity, drum corps has always had a small niche in American culture and music, and could stand to have greater exposure, both to the musically inclined and to any interested citizen's in general. There are many Sinfonians (as the brothers of the fraternity style themselves) in multiple different corps, and many of them will go on to be music educators as adults. Anyone involved in either of these organizations should applaud the beginning of this relationship
