My least favorite time of year has arrived once again. It's that quiet transition period between the end of the drum corps season and the start of autumn activities.
Throughout summer, the excitement of drum corps always occupies an important part of my morning routine. I start my day by checking DCI scores from the night before and reading discussion forums - before bothering with any "real" news stories. On weekends, I spend even more time streaming my favorite performances from the latest regional competitions.
After finals week in mid-August, it takes a while for withdrawal symptoms to set in because I continue reading the season recaps and watching the countless videos that appear on youtube and the DCI fan network. For non-drum corps people, this would be the equivalent of reflecting on a great party at brunch the next morning...
It's always fun to re-live the excitement of finals - not only as a former performer but also as a fan. The shows are so filled with nuances that I seem to notice something new every time I watch them. One of my all-time favorite endings is the 2008 Phantom Regiment:
A recent show that has catapulted to my personal top-10 list is the 2012 Carolina Crown. This show reminds me of the physical demands of drum corps and the famous "drum corps body" that members get to show off when they return home from tour. I don't think people realize just how difficult it is to run around the field with perfect technique, while blowing a focused stream of air into an instrument and producing a nice sound. In my opinion, 2012 Carolina Crown were masters of making a difficult show look easy:
One of the best memories from tour is the mini-celebrity status we achieve wherever we go. From the small crowds in the stands while we rehearse to the fans that watch our show warm-ups, it's always fun to have an audience. Here's a clip from a Phantom Regiment brass warm-up. It brings me right back to the days of being part of this glorious horn arc:
Once I have had my fill of video clips like these, I start to realize that I will have to wait another nine months for the next season to begin. I suppose every sport goes through an off-season, but nine months feels like an eternity.
I'm sure I wouldn't miss drum corps so much if there were other things to keep my attention, but late-August is generally just a dull period. The summer weather is coming to an end, college football season is yet to begin, and we still have a few more weeks to wait until television premiers.
This year is different for me because of the global travel. Being in India throughout the month of September will prevent me from experiencing the crisp fall weather, pumpkin-flavored everything, and college game-day energy on Saturday mornings.
On the bright side, I get to work with a team of Americans in a couple weeks and I'm sure at least one of them will be discussing college football. Also, Hulu will be perfect for discovering all the new tv shows. Now, if I could only get a pumpkin muffin from Starbucks...
Throughout summer, the excitement of drum corps always occupies an important part of my morning routine. I start my day by checking DCI scores from the night before and reading discussion forums - before bothering with any "real" news stories. On weekends, I spend even more time streaming my favorite performances from the latest regional competitions.
After finals week in mid-August, it takes a while for withdrawal symptoms to set in because I continue reading the season recaps and watching the countless videos that appear on youtube and the DCI fan network. For non-drum corps people, this would be the equivalent of reflecting on a great party at brunch the next morning...
It's always fun to re-live the excitement of finals - not only as a former performer but also as a fan. The shows are so filled with nuances that I seem to notice something new every time I watch them. One of my all-time favorite endings is the 2008 Phantom Regiment:
A recent show that has catapulted to my personal top-10 list is the 2012 Carolina Crown. This show reminds me of the physical demands of drum corps and the famous "drum corps body" that members get to show off when they return home from tour. I don't think people realize just how difficult it is to run around the field with perfect technique, while blowing a focused stream of air into an instrument and producing a nice sound. In my opinion, 2012 Carolina Crown were masters of making a difficult show look easy:
One of the best memories from tour is the mini-celebrity status we achieve wherever we go. From the small crowds in the stands while we rehearse to the fans that watch our show warm-ups, it's always fun to have an audience. Here's a clip from a Phantom Regiment brass warm-up. It brings me right back to the days of being part of this glorious horn arc:
Once I have had my fill of video clips like these, I start to realize that I will have to wait another nine months for the next season to begin. I suppose every sport goes through an off-season, but nine months feels like an eternity.
I'm sure I wouldn't miss drum corps so much if there were other things to keep my attention, but late-August is generally just a dull period. The summer weather is coming to an end, college football season is yet to begin, and we still have a few more weeks to wait until television premiers.
This year is different for me because of the global travel. Being in India throughout the month of September will prevent me from experiencing the crisp fall weather, pumpkin-flavored everything, and college game-day energy on Saturday mornings.
On the bright side, I get to work with a team of Americans in a couple weeks and I'm sure at least one of them will be discussing college football. Also, Hulu will be perfect for discovering all the new tv shows. Now, if I could only get a pumpkin muffin from Starbucks...
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