Pastimes with a PellaPusher: Oh, that's an "i"?!

DCI On the So Cal Coast

Wednesday, June 28, 2017

San Marcos High School - Warkentin Stadium

Santa Barbara, CA

Bro and I spent Tuesday driving back to his house from Gilroy and relaxing a bit. Yes, we still watched videos of drum corps. What else would we do during drum corps season? OK, we also shopped for Ouroboros jewelry, both online and in the mall. I've decided that Robeks is now my favorite place to go when I'm not that hungry, but know that I need to eat something for dinner. This is my second time in the last month that I've gone there and been happy about my decision.

This morning we left a little bit early to try to find Ouroboros wine. We put the address into the Waze app and ended up at someone's house, so I guess that is not where they sell the wine. We then went to Solvang for lunch, and ate at the Viking Garden Restaurant. Bro got a local brew called Davy Brown Ale that I might try someday because of the caramel and chocolate notes. I wasn't feeling well enough to ask to try his, but it did come in a nice Carlsberg glass.

We then went shopping again for the wine, but no luck. Feeling like failures, I drowned my sorrows in Aebelskiver: it's like jelly doughnuts kind of inside out. The raspberry sauce is usually drizzled on top, but I ordered mine to go, so I used it for dip. It is also available a la mode, but I didn't want to eat ice cream at the time, so that didn't happen.

Hans Christian Andersen

HCA wrote The Little Mermaid
Now there are benches in her name

HCA also wrote Thumbelina
This is a needlework shop.
The sign by the door states "H. C. Andersen Hus"

Aebelskiver to go

We tried to kill some time by seeing a movie in Santa Barbara, but our timing was off. We even shopped a little more, but still no luck. Oy, what is with this day? So we went to the high school and wandered around to the wrong gate before finally getting where we were supposed to go. Bro decided that he didn't need to sit up high, so we sat in the first row of benches at the 50-yard line, so we could have some back support. We still had a lot of time, so I got food and bought a shirt from the Blue Devils booth. It's from last year's show, but I liked that show a lot because of Shakespeare, and I like that I can wear this shirt wherever I can't wear the Hell shirt that I bought last year. "Hell is Empty and All the Devils Are Here" is not really appropriate for me to wear everywhere, you know?

The announcer from last year's show got our attention and he was very informative again, giving the names of the shows and the songs they would perform, along with some background on each corps. This was an exhibition-only event, so no judges, and the corps got to watch each other perform, so that's always fun!

The Star-Spangled Banner was again played by Davis Smith of the Blue Devils. He's really good and doesn't stray from the original music, so I'm good with that. The announcer told us that Davis is in his second year with BD, and also attends Arizona State University. So he's a Sun Devil AND a Blue Devil?! Cool.

PHANTOM REGIMENT

"SUTA!!!!!!!" I haven't heard that in a while. The solo was much better today. The marimbas are kicking ass and taking names during the Shostakovich! Bro still thinks the show is a mess, though. I agree, it needs a lot of work.

Requisite Phregiment DM Getting His Baton Pic

We spin our robes around!

Encore: "Elsa's Procession to the Cathedral"

BLUE KNIGHTS

So, Bro and I were talking about the moving of all of the props from the trailers to the field. Bro mentioned BK's "i". I looked at him and it finally dawned on me that the prop was a big "i". "Oh, that's an i?!?" I laughed hysterically that it took three shows for me to figure it out, and it wasn't even me figuring it out myself. Bro will now keep things from me to see how long it takes me to figure them out. I'm in trouble. I was laughing so much that I was crying. Seriously, how did it take me this long? I don't even know what I thought those were before, just things with mirrors blinding me, I guess. OK, I'm giggling again as I write this.

Now that we're closer to the field, I see that the yellow spinning design is actually made up of dots. That's cool, because BK's logo is made up of dots. That may not have been on purpose, but I like it.

You are getting sleepy

I really like this show now, but the sound system was off a little bit today. They make the ASL sign for "I" during the show.

Headstand during pre-show

BK Drums

Encore: "Can't Take My Eyes Off Of You"

I tried to capture video of SCV dancing around while they walked to the backfield to line up. Bro pointed out to me that the guy that winked after his solo during last year's Bluecoats show was present. He's in a little bit of my video, in the white shirt at the bottom of the screen.

SANTA CLARA VANGUARD

We yelled "VANGUARD!!!" with a bunch of people at the right time, but we're not all synced up yet. I loved hearing the guy behind us just exhale loudly from the intensity of the show. That's how I feel when I see it! So good.

Drum Major Chris Salutes

Encore: "Send In The Clowns"

I didn't get this on video because I didn't want to include the applause, but wish I had: at the end of the song, they put their horns down in a ripple from left to right, standing at ease. At the end, the last player kicked the 30-yard marker when he put his foot down. It was like dominoes!

BLUE DEVILS

The CG even catches their rifles perfectly when they're just warming up.Bro and I tried to figure out how many of BD's old shows were referenced in this one. I figured the closets were a tribute to their Bacharach show. Those sopranos are soooo high! My goodness!