Esteemed Drum Corps Competition to Take Place at War Memorial Stadium

MEDIA RELEASE

July 24, 2018

(LITTLE ROCK, Ark.) -- It’s a kind of entertainment that is like no other. Drum and bugle corps perform highly synchronized performances that can leave a crowd both cheering and breathless. War Memorial Stadium hosts one of the most prestigious Drum Corps contests on July 24, 2018, at 7:00 p.m. This is the 7th year that the Drum Corps International (DCI) competition will take place in Little Rock.

“The experience is second to none,” said Business Development Manager Mike Scott. Participating in a corps like this is to be at the top of your game. These kids, they want nothing more than to do what they love and do what they love a lot,” “We rehearse between 6-12 hours a day depending on the day. The morning we arrived at 5 a.m. they slept for about 2 hours in the press box and then they woke up at 8 a.m. and had breakfast. They will rehearse tonight until 10:30.”

This year’s show promises to be the best that has ever come to Arkansas.  With nine of the most exciting corps competing as they head toward the world championships in August.  Of the nine corps performing, seven are currently ranked in the top 12 in the world.

“If you want to find something that is really cool that you would be shocked that you didn’t really know about, said Scott. “It’s amazing. These kids perform at an extraordinarily high level.  You would never know that they are “amateurs.” It’s enormously entertaining.  The competition element is fun but at the same time, just to get to see show after show of kids who are just pouring their hearts into something with this amount of passion is really spectacular.”

Performing corps include:

  • Seattle Cascades – Seattle, WA
  • Mandarins – Sacramento, CA
  • Colts – Dubuque, IA
  • Boston Crusaders – Boston, MA
  • Crossmen – San Antonio, TX
  • Phantom Regiment – Rockford, IL
  • The Cadets – Allentown, PA
  • Santa Clara Vanguard – Santa Clara, CA
  • Bluecoats – Canton, OH

 

The Bluecoats are the defending world champions and have been in Little Rock rehearsing at the stadium this week.  This year’s show is part of the DCI Summer Tour Schedule.

 

The mission of Drum Corps International (DCI) is to bring the life-enriching benefits and enjoyment of marching music performing arts to more people worldwide.  They do this by creating a stage for participation organizations to engage in education, competition, entertainment and the promotion of individual growth.  DCI delivers the message of “excellence in performance and in life” to more than 7.2 million young people, ages 13 – 22 involved in performing arts in the United States.  Those participating hail from more than 15 countries.  There are more than 100 events throughout North America.  Each summer, some 400,000 fans attend live drum corps events.  Drum Corps International is Marching Music’s Major League!

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