The Constantine Public Schools hosted the Blue Devils “B” Drum and Bugle Corps this week.
The front ensemble of the Blue Devils "B" Drum and Bugle Corps practices in front of Constantine High School on Friday (July 27). (Click on photo to enlarge)
The Blue Devils are members of Drum Corps International (DCI) which is headquartered in Indianapolis. Formed in 1972, DCI is a nonprofit organization of the junior drum and bugle corps in the United States and Canada.
Members split up into several groups, including the ensemble, battery percussion, including drums and snares, a horn line and color guard and practiced on separate fields at the high school. Constantine school hosted the 134 band members for two days.
“Summer Music Games” consisting of DCI-sanctioned competitions are held in the summer, culminating in August with week-long DCI World Championships. There are three divisions. The Blue Devils “A” Drum and Bugle Corps is comprised of members between the ages of 17 and 21. The most decorated corps in the history of DCI competition, they have won the DCI World Championship Title 14 times.
The Blue Devils “B” members are between the ages of a4 and 21, and Blue Devils “C” is a beginning-level music, dance, and marching activity for ages 8 to 14. Tour manager Sarah Bowling said the group will compete in open class world championship in Michigan City on August 6 and 7. Semi finals are August 9-12 in Indianapolis, Indiana.
Source: Story and photo contributed by Angie Birdsall.
People have been coming in the library to say “a band” was practicing on the field and “they’re from California”. Living near the field, I could hear the many practices, and could tell they weren’t the average high school band, but when I learned they were the Concord Blue Devils, I grabbed my camera and spent a couple hours at the stadium. I learned that one sound was not a small motor as I thought, but a single drummer practicing his (17 stroke?) continuous drum roll.
I came of age watching DCI championships with the Blue Devils, the Vanguard, the Phantom Regiment, the Vanguard, Madison Scouts, Cavaliers, 27th Lancers, etc., watched when DCI first performed at WMU, and grudgingly said goodbye to favorite groups when Star of Indiana and other corps joined the lines. If there is a musician or marching band student within ear shot this evening, they should be at Sweetland Stadium and CHS expanding their education.
A web check shows the Blue Devils are playing in Paw Paw this Saturday – http://www.legendspaa.org/stadiumseries/pawpaw.