DCI Finals
Saturday, August 13, 2017
Lucas Oil Stadium
Indianapolis, IN
I woke up early in the morning and walked to Military Park to participate in the Street Beat 5K. I didn't see many people there when I arrived, but there was a pretty good turnout by the time the race started. It was a nice day for a walk, not too hot or humid. I asked the volunteer to place the medal around my neck for me, and she gladly obliged. I forgot to take a picture in front of the stadium, though (the finish line was in the parking lot of Lucas Oil). Then I walked back to the hotel. I had already reached my 10,000 steps about halfway through the race due to all of the walking to the after-party the night before, so my feet were sore, but I was fine. Bro and V got us breakfast from Starbucks as I blogged about Semifinals night, and we stayed in the room as they watched movies and I typed away.
 |
| The drum logo looks like Ouroboros. I'm not obsessed at all. |
We decided to find somewhere to eat our late lunch on the way to the stadium, and ended up at Loughmiller's Irish Pub. After changing our minds twice about which table to use and confusing the server, we finally sat down to eat. I asked her if her bartender knew what a Toasted Irishman was, and she asked him. I told her that I'd have an iced tea if he didn't know (because I always forget), and she ended up asking me what it was since he didn't know. So here's what it actually is: equal parts Kahlua, Jameson's Irish whiskey, and Amaretto. I guess that was a recipe by a restaurant that no longer exists in Hollywood, because I can't find the recipe anymore. Oh well. The one he made was good, too, with Frangelico, Bailey's, and something else, which is more like a Nutty Irishman. Bro ordered a Reuben, which came with marbled rye, and he liked it. V and I ordered Fish & Chips, and the fish was a filet instead of in the shape of sticks, and it was tasty. Their sparkling lemonades were hugigant.
We walked to Lucas Oil for the last time this summer (awwww...), and made our way through the crowded DCI Marketplace to our seats, which were in Section 238, Row 5, Seats 5-7, on the right 25-yard line. I got excited when I saw that we were in the front row of our section, not only for the non-blocked view, but also: we have a desk!!!
Welcome:
Dan Potter loves us because we come into the stadium early.
OPEN CLASS CHAMPION EXHIBITION -- Santa Clara Vanguard Cadets
I like this show lots. I forgot to shout "VANGUAAAAARD!!!!!", though.
Leadership Award: Jim Tabuchi, Executive Director of Mandarins
Performance by IN-Pact Band
Sponsor Recognition included a special recognition for Gary Roberts of Stanbury Uniforms, whom passed away this year.
UNITED STATES MARINE CORPS DRUM & BUGLE CORPS "THE COMMANDANT'S OWN"
Repertoire: "American Sketches": Works by Leonard Bernstein and Aaron Copland
Stars and Stripes Forever
Star-Spangled Banner
MADISON SCOUTS
Oh, there's the fleur-de-lis formation! I couldn't see it when we were up close. I'm glad they haven't forgotten to include their symbol, aside from the modified ones on the centerpiece and flags.
XMEN
That sounds kind of like the music in "Ouroboros" at the end, and their flags have a circular design on them. Hmmm...
An SCV Alumnus took his seat beside me. I'll call him DJ, because he will be referenced a lot throughout this post. If you know him, say hi! He marched from 1996 through 2000, alternating between soprano and baritone, and played soprano in the SCV Alumni Corps last night. Bro was excited because DJ played in his favorite SCV show, "Fog City Sketches" in 1997. I was excited because he played in the 1999 Championship-winning show, "Inventions for a New Millennium". I never asked him if he knew our friend, Kenji, whom played soprano in that show.
BLUE STARS
Nice catch by the color guard girls in the Moulin Rouge section: they catch while leaning back, and the guard guys are holding them. I want the flags of the two Montague and Capulet crests. I mean, they don't need them anymore, right?
PHREGIMENT
One more time, in a seductive voice: "Fantasy Invasion". I am not going to miss this show.
Look at the cute bottle cozy DJ has! I want one.
BLUE KNIGHTS
DJ: "They're conducting with their feet?"
I explained that he was looking at the color guard, and then the drum majors took the podium and he understood. This was DJ's first show to actually see in person this season, so he was familiar with all of the shows through youtube.
I miss the moments of silence during the last piece; now they're covered by narration.
THE CADETS
They have flags that they "Sinner" on them. I do not want those. I like when the corps is in a block int he middle and they're kind of spinning halfway around, because the robes look really cool swinging around. This would have been my time to get a hot dog, but I'm glad I didn't because I did get to see stuff from above that I hadn't seen before. The choir, though. ICK.
<Intermission>
It puzzles me that we have tens of thousands of people in attendance on Finals night, and they only give us 17 minutes of intermission. I know the judges don't need a lunch/dinner break, but there are a lot of people going to the restrooms at the same time, and the lines get really long. Luckily for V and me, we were able to get there quickly because we're fast, so we didn't miss anything.
BO CRU
"WITCH!" If I have to hear singing, then I'd rather it was this soloist's voice. Hauntingly beautiful.
CAVALIERS
I like how they spin the playground things around: so shiny! DJ yelled "BUDDY!" when the announcer on the recording said, "Dude!" Announcer also says, "Protein Shake!" and "After two million years as a species, that's the best they've come up with." (corrected from my previous post). DJ said that was new. "And the winner is...Star of Indiana!" That got a good chuckle from the audience.
BLOO
I enjoyed watching DJ enjoying the show, and told him so. V asked him to tell us where he'd be sitting next year so we could sit by him again, but he wasn't sure he'd be there. DJ knew all of the trumpet parts because the SCVAC brass head is the Bluecoats' trumpet tech. He's also friends with the trumpet soloist, trombone soloist, and center tenor. Such cool stuff going on, especially the trumpet ensemble feature. I like when they use their hats as if they're mutes.
CROWN
DJ does not like the singing. At all. I kept giggling as he kept ripping it and the show apart. This brass line is ridiculously good. Oh, the blue ribbon-like material is supposed to be the parts of the end zone. I would have enjoyed this show more if the singing wasn't there, and the brass wasn't overrun by her voice. I don't know that I would have understood it without Bro and DJ telling me about it, though. It's sad that I prefer narration over this singing.
SCV
As promised, DJ was loud. He taught everyone in our section when to yell "VANGUAAAAAAAARD!!!!!" and directed us during the show so we'd all remember. I found myself not being able to breathe, I was so excited. APPARENTLY, there are lyrics in this show, "No place like Santa Clara". DJ was surprised I didn't know them because I had kids in the corps. I never said I had kids in the corps. Or that I had kids. Whatevs. We were ecstatic about how well they performed. I'll miss this show the most out of all of them from this summer. I know you're totally surprised.
Reading the DCI Live Blog later, I learned these things:
Whoa. I need to hear that Clowns thing.
BD
DJ does not get why this show is getting such high marks and kept pointing out the "dirt" in the show. Oh, they have a blue diamond at the end by the lit-up window! Did they have that diamond all week, or have I not been paying attention?
The attendance was announced: 23,342, a new record!
Retreat included the drum majors from the Open Class medalists:
Legends (Bronze)
Blue Devils B (Silver)
Santa Clara Vanguard Cadets (Gold)
Madison brought their modified fleur-de-lis on a stick.
Blue Stars CG had all of the Star-Crossed lovers represented.
Cadets CG form a cross, and the corps wears their white and maroon uniforms in a block so that the ones wearing white form a cross. Cool.
Blue Knights CG sat in the shape of an eye (had they not, I would have been very disappointed).
SCV got the biggest crowd reaction when they rolled in one of their gold Ouroboros props with Staun inside. Their small ensemble stood on it when they placed it on the field.
They showed a video montage of all of the corps from Finals Week.
Scores (in order of announcement)
12) 85.250 -- Madison Scouts
Jim Jones Leadership Award: Gabe Gallegos of Troopers (1st time for this corps, and this award is named for the former director of the Troopers)
11) 86.825 -- Crossmen
10) 87.938 -- Blue Stars
George Zingali Award for Best Color Guard: Santa Clara Vanguard (!!!!!)
9) 88.125 -- Phantom Regiment
John Brazali Award for Best Visual Proficiency: Blue Devils
8) 90.400 -- Blue Knights
Jim Ott Award for Best Brass: Carolina Crown
7) 91.675 -- Cadets
6) 92.963 -- Boston Crusaders
Fred Sanford Award for Best Percussion: Santa Clara Vanguard (Back-to-Back!)
5) 95.163 -- Bluecoats
4) 95.200 -- Cavaliers (jumped placement from 5th at Semifinals)
Don Angelica Award for Best Overall General Effect: Blue Devils
3) 96.575 -- Carolina Crown
2) 97.600 -- Santa Clara Vanguard
1) 98.538 -- Blue Devils (That's #18 for BD -- wow)
You go, Vanguard, with that Silver medal! Whoo HOOOOO!!!!! SCV! SCV! SCV!
I think that a couple from Boston Crusaders got engaged on the field.
Encore
2017 World Champion Blue Devils
They played their show without their shakos, and went really crazy on "Flight of the Bumblebee" like there were bees all over them.
Congratulations, BD, and thank you to BD and SCV for such an amazing season. We've been with you since the first show in Clovis, and it has been fun seeing the shows evolve. We were with you at the combined gala, which was ultra cool to celebrate both corps' big anniversaries. Bro mentioned that the true SCV fans respect BD (and vice versa) like those of us at the gala. I agree: that night and on this Finals night, we felt the love between the two organizations. In the day or so since Finals Day, pictures were posted of BD and SCV corps members hugging each other, and they have brought me to happy tears. They display such a camaraderie throughout their crosstown rivalry, and I love that they encourage and congratulate each other. As SCV posted, it was really nice to for them to stand next to BD at retreat once again. It's been a long time coming. Dangit, I have a tear in my eye again.
Thank you to V and Bro for our great time at Finals Week! I love you guys, and I had fun hanging out with you, as usual.
Until next year, folks. Meanwhile, withdrawal begins until we can get our 2017 videos and CDs. I look forward to singing that "Ouroboros" song over and over again. :)
We walked to Lucas Oil for the last time this summer (awwww...), and made our way through the crowded DCI Marketplace to our seats, which were in Section 238, Row 5, Seats 5-7, on the right 25-yard line. I got excited when I saw that we were in the front row of our section, not only for the non-blocked view, but also: we have a desk!!!
Welcome:
Dan Potter loves us because we come into the stadium early.
OPEN CLASS CHAMPION EXHIBITION -- Santa Clara Vanguard Cadets
I like this show lots. I forgot to shout "VANGUAAAAARD!!!!!", though.
 |
| Champions! SCVC |
Leadership Award: Jim Tabuchi, Executive Director of Mandarins
Performance by IN-Pact Band
Sponsor Recognition included a special recognition for Gary Roberts of Stanbury Uniforms, whom passed away this year.
UNITED STATES MARINE CORPS DRUM & BUGLE CORPS "THE COMMANDANT'S OWN"
Repertoire: "American Sketches": Works by Leonard Bernstein and Aaron Copland
 |
| Star Formation |
Stars and Stripes Forever
Star-Spangled Banner
MADISON SCOUTS
Oh, there's the fleur-de-lis formation! I couldn't see it when we were up close. I'm glad they haven't forgotten to include their symbol, aside from the modified ones on the centerpiece and flags.
 |
| Madison Scouts |
XMEN
That sounds kind of like the music in "Ouroboros" at the end, and their flags have a circular design on them. Hmmm...
 |
| Crossmen End of Show |
An SCV Alumnus took his seat beside me. I'll call him DJ, because he will be referenced a lot throughout this post. If you know him, say hi! He marched from 1996 through 2000, alternating between soprano and baritone, and played soprano in the SCV Alumni Corps last night. Bro was excited because DJ played in his favorite SCV show, "Fog City Sketches" in 1997. I was excited because he played in the 1999 Championship-winning show, "Inventions for a New Millennium". I never asked him if he knew our friend, Kenji, whom played soprano in that show.
BLUE STARS
Nice catch by the color guard girls in the Moulin Rouge section: they catch while leaning back, and the guard guys are holding them. I want the flags of the two Montague and Capulet crests. I mean, they don't need them anymore, right?
 |
| Star Formation |
PHREGIMENT
One more time, in a seductive voice: "Fantasy Invasion". I am not going to miss this show.
 |
| Phantasm at end of show |
Look at the cute bottle cozy DJ has! I want one.
BLUE KNIGHTS
DJ: "They're conducting with their feet?"
I explained that he was looking at the color guard, and then the drum majors took the podium and he understood. This was DJ's first show to actually see in person this season, so he was familiar with all of the shows through youtube.
I miss the moments of silence during the last piece; now they're covered by narration.
 |
| i |
THE CADETS
They have flags that they "Sinner" on them. I do not want those. I like when the corps is in a block int he middle and they're kind of spinning halfway around, because the robes look really cool swinging around. This would have been my time to get a hot dog, but I'm glad I didn't because I did get to see stuff from above that I hadn't seen before. The choir, though. ICK.
 |
| Fish Formation |
<Intermission>
It puzzles me that we have tens of thousands of people in attendance on Finals night, and they only give us 17 minutes of intermission. I know the judges don't need a lunch/dinner break, but there are a lot of people going to the restrooms at the same time, and the lines get really long. Luckily for V and me, we were able to get there quickly because we're fast, so we didn't miss anything.
BO CRU
"WITCH!" If I have to hear singing, then I'd rather it was this soloist's voice. Hauntingly beautiful.
 |
| I think she uses the Elderwand |
CAVALIERS
I like how they spin the playground things around: so shiny! DJ yelled "BUDDY!" when the announcer on the recording said, "Dude!" Announcer also says, "Protein Shake!" and "After two million years as a species, that's the best they've come up with." (corrected from my previous post). DJ said that was new. "And the winner is...Star of Indiana!" That got a good chuckle from the audience.
 |
| Mancaves Uncovered |
BLOO
I enjoyed watching DJ enjoying the show, and told him so. V asked him to tell us where he'd be sitting next year so we could sit by him again, but he wasn't sure he'd be there. DJ knew all of the trumpet parts because the SCVAC brass head is the Bluecoats' trumpet tech. He's also friends with the trumpet soloist, trombone soloist, and center tenor. Such cool stuff going on, especially the trumpet ensemble feature. I like when they use their hats as if they're mutes.
 |
| Jagged Line |
CROWN
DJ does not like the singing. At all. I kept giggling as he kept ripping it and the show apart. This brass line is ridiculously good. Oh, the blue ribbon-like material is supposed to be the parts of the end zone. I would have enjoyed this show more if the singing wasn't there, and the brass wasn't overrun by her voice. I don't know that I would have understood it without Bro and DJ telling me about it, though. It's sad that I prefer narration over this singing.
 |
| Crown Formation. Kinda. |
SCV
As promised, DJ was loud. He taught everyone in our section when to yell "VANGUAAAAAAAARD!!!!!" and directed us during the show so we'd all remember. I found myself not being able to breathe, I was so excited. APPARENTLY, there are lyrics in this show, "No place like Santa Clara". DJ was surprised I didn't know them because I had kids in the corps. I never said I had kids in the corps. Or that I had kids. Whatevs. We were ecstatic about how well they performed. I'll miss this show the most out of all of them from this summer. I know you're totally surprised.
Reading the DCI Live Blog later, I learned these things:
- There are 12 members in different costumes that are amplified; one member for each of the life style phases of an ouroboros.
- The word “ouro” in Spanish means “gold.
- The last couple measures those 12 special players played a short snippet of “Send in the Clowns.”
Whoa. I need to hear that Clowns thing.
 |
| The 12 |
BD
DJ does not get why this show is getting such high marks and kept pointing out the "dirt" in the show. Oh, they have a blue diamond at the end by the lit-up window! Did they have that diamond all week, or have I not been paying attention?
 |
| Pitchfork Formation |
The attendance was announced: 23,342, a new record!
Retreat included the drum majors from the Open Class medalists:
Legends (Bronze)
Blue Devils B (Silver)
Santa Clara Vanguard Cadets (Gold)
 |
| BD-B, SCV, Legends |
Madison brought their modified fleur-de-lis on a stick.
Blue Stars CG had all of the Star-Crossed lovers represented.
Cadets CG form a cross, and the corps wears their white and maroon uniforms in a block so that the ones wearing white form a cross. Cool.
Blue Knights CG sat in the shape of an eye (had they not, I would have been very disappointed).
SCV got the biggest crowd reaction when they rolled in one of their gold Ouroboros props with Staun inside. Their small ensemble stood on it when they placed it on the field.
 |
| Blue Stars |
 |
| Madison |
 |
| Eye |
 |
| Cross |
 |
| One more time |
 |
| "Beware of the Dog" I have no idea why. |
 |
| Because SCV |
They showed a video montage of all of the corps from Finals Week.
Scores (in order of announcement)
12) 85.250 -- Madison Scouts
Jim Jones Leadership Award: Gabe Gallegos of Troopers (1st time for this corps, and this award is named for the former director of the Troopers)
11) 86.825 -- Crossmen
10) 87.938 -- Blue Stars
George Zingali Award for Best Color Guard: Santa Clara Vanguard (!!!!!)
9) 88.125 -- Phantom Regiment
John Brazali Award for Best Visual Proficiency: Blue Devils
8) 90.400 -- Blue Knights
Jim Ott Award for Best Brass: Carolina Crown
7) 91.675 -- Cadets
6) 92.963 -- Boston Crusaders
Fred Sanford Award for Best Percussion: Santa Clara Vanguard (Back-to-Back!)
5) 95.163 -- Bluecoats
4) 95.200 -- Cavaliers (jumped placement from 5th at Semifinals)
Don Angelica Award for Best Overall General Effect: Blue Devils
3) 96.575 -- Carolina Crown
2) 97.600 -- Santa Clara Vanguard
1) 98.538 -- Blue Devils (That's #18 for BD -- wow)
You go, Vanguard, with that Silver medal! Whoo HOOOOO!!!!! SCV! SCV! SCV!
I think that a couple from Boston Crusaders got engaged on the field.
Encore
2017 World Champion Blue Devils
They played their show without their shakos, and went really crazy on "Flight of the Bumblebee" like there were bees all over them.
 |
| On The Starting Line |
Congratulations, BD, and thank you to BD and SCV for such an amazing season. We've been with you since the first show in Clovis, and it has been fun seeing the shows evolve. We were with you at the combined gala, which was ultra cool to celebrate both corps' big anniversaries. Bro mentioned that the true SCV fans respect BD (and vice versa) like those of us at the gala. I agree: that night and on this Finals night, we felt the love between the two organizations. In the day or so since Finals Day, pictures were posted of BD and SCV corps members hugging each other, and they have brought me to happy tears. They display such a camaraderie throughout their crosstown rivalry, and I love that they encourage and congratulate each other. As SCV posted, it was really nice to for them to stand next to BD at retreat once again. It's been a long time coming. Dangit, I have a tear in my eye again.
Thank you to V and Bro for our great time at Finals Week! I love you guys, and I had fun hanging out with you, as usual.
 |
| Snapchat Geofilter |
Until next year, folks. Meanwhile, withdrawal begins until we can get our 2017 videos and CDs. I look forward to singing that "Ouroboros" song over and over again. :)
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