Some Drinks, Some Drum Corps

 DCI West

Sunday, July 10, 2022

Standford Stadium

Palo Alto, CA

Bro decided not to do the SCV Family Day thing on Saturday because it would be a long drive for just watching rehearsal.  The day was originally supposed to include a gala to celebrate SCV's 55th anniversary and BD's 65th, but that got canceled earlier in the week due to COVID.  We were not going to the gala anyway, so I'm glad that we didn't go all the way over there, as much as we love SCV Family Day.  I was a little sad when I saw SCV's post on Instagram, but we had fun without it.

Saturday was a day with Auntie Milda instead.  We started out by having breakfast at Black Bear Diner.  Auntie Milda had been to the one in Tracy, but didn't realize that there was a different theme at each restaurant.  This one was a farm theme.  Of course I took pictures!  It's Black Bear!  

Rrrawwwrrrr!

Afterward, we went to a local winery, Delicato.  Yes, we were drinking before noon.  No, we didn't care.  This was Auntie Milda's very first wine tasting, and we ordered different flights so that we could all share.  They had a tasting room that was separate from the bar area, and the wines came on menus that showed some details about them.  We also each got some goldfish crackers and bottled water.  A flight of 4 wines cost $5.00, which was quite a deal.

I opted for the Sweets flight.

Look!  More owls!

Auntie Milda didn't realize that Bro and I had planned to pour a little from each plastic cup to our own wine glasses in order to share, and she drank out of the plastic cup, so we didn't try that one with her.  We did try everything else, though.  My favorites were the Diamond Collection Sonomoa Sauvignon Blanc (from Bro's flight); the 1924 Double Black Cabernet Sauvignon (from Bro's and Auntie Milda's flight); and the Diora Late Harvest Malvasia Bianca (from my flight).  I bought a bottle of the Late Harvest, and Auntie Milda bought a Pinot Noir, while Bro opted for olive oil.

I did not waste any of my wine.

After all of the wine

We went home after that and relaxed until dinner at Sizzler.  We love hanging out with our Auntie Milda, and we are grateful that she could open up her home to us for this road trip.  She sure saved us a lot of hotel money!  That way, I can buy more drum corps shorts!  Or wine.  Whatever.  We're going to give her our wine orders from Delicato so she can buy some for us when she comes back to SoCal.

On Sunday, Bro and I met up with his bestie Chun at Stanford Shopping Center, and ate lunch at California Pizza Kitchen.  I like that they've added almost all of their pizzas to the lunch menu, because they used to just have a limited selection.  

Cheers to Chun!

Sangria Flight,
Caesar Salad, and Thai Chicken Pizza

We walked around the shopping center for a bit.  There were dogs everywhere!  There was also this Merfrog fountain.

The plaque says it's been here since 1978,
created by David Gilhooly.

Then we drove over to Stanford to watch some warmups.  We parked at the Track House lot because our usual lot was closed.  We saw Blue Devils B do a run-through of their show, and also watched Vanguard's drumline warm up.  Then we listened to the music at the SCV/BD barbecue.  Bro wants to come at 3:00 next year so that we can watch a little bit more warmups and listen to the music at the BBQ again.

JONZ 22

SCV Horns

I don't know why Chun wanted to check out the Souvie booths when he wasn't going to watch the show, but I ended up buying a Ghostlight shirt (for $8.00!  It's a steal!) from BD, and a pair of rehearsal shorts from SCV.  We walked back to the car and said bye to Chun.  Hey, look!  I think the owner of this car is a Phregiment fan.

PHAAAAAAANTOM RRRREGIMENT!

I went to the concessions stand to get us some water, and met up with Bro at our seats, which were on the right 45-yard line.  We are usually seated on the left side, but Bro wanted a better view of the tunnel from which the corps enter.  Some guy came up to us and said that Bro was in his seat.  We told him what section we were in, and his seat was not in that section.  But he didn't believe it, even when we pointed at the sign.  He walked back down the stairs and we saw him walk up the correct row a few minutes later.  While we were waiting for the show to start, Bro noticed a woman eating salad out of a Ziplog bag.  He decided that he could do the same thing next year, but wouldn't need a fork.  I hope that he doesn't put salad dressing on it.

Bagged Salad

Let's start the show!

The Star-Spangled Banner was played by a trumpet duo, one of which was Austin, whom played before the Sacramento show.  This time it was played at a quicker tempo, and I liked it more than the other day's performance.  

Hi, Brandt Crocker!  Good to hear you again!  It was not good, however, to hear the girl that came up in front of us to speak with the people in the Skybox above us, VERY LOUDLY.  I turned away so that she wouldn't spit germs onto my face.  

Alisal brought a couple of groups to this show: the Community Arts Network, and their All-Stars.  I think the first group's song was called "Amerio" or something like that.  The All-Stars played songs called "Zombie Squirrels", "Alligators", something else, and something by Pearl Jam.  Or maybe it was actually called "Pearl Jam".  I don't know.  I really liked the dancing for the 3rd piece because I like the dresses.

Alisal Community Arts Network

All-Stars

Dance!

The Freelancers performed, and I did a little bit of the "Thriller" dance with my arms.

I was mostly distracted by the vendors:

• The guy with the ICEE cup glued to the bill of his cap
• The girl waving around the limp churro she had for sale, holding it with her bare hand until the other guy told her to wear gloves -- she was the one that entertained me the most, because she waved that around all night.  I wonder if she ever sold one from her bag.  At one point, she placed it on top of her bag while she dealt with money with same bare hands.  I was all grossed out about it.  Later, she was carrying around a limp bag of kettlecorn.  I decided that she wasn't good in bed because she couldn't keep things upright.  Bro did not reply to this revelation of mine when I quietly informed him.
• The cotton candy guy just watching the show, but not sitting down for others behind him to see (the others sat down during performances)
• Wait.  There are snow cones now?  And where are people getting boba?!  Did they bring it themselves?  I want some.

GOLD

Were those poles red before?  Will they all be red by Finals?  Tarp Corps can't have their tarp today because the field is made of natural grass.  Bro said that they were trading tarp for the ending to the show.  But they didn't finish.  At least we got to see the costume change.

Red, Red, White

Costume Change

VANGUARD CADETS

Sound is good today!  Nice solos.  I like the bass drum feature when they're inside a circle.  Their flags are here!  I don't think the show is done yet, though.

New Flags

BLUE DEVILS B

I like the way they use the platforms to emphasize different portions of the show.  I'm glad they used the gold flags more, now that they have more of the show done.  

BLUE DEVILS C

The little color guard girls have smaller flags than the others, on shorter poles.  They are so good!  Totes. Adorbs.

TIME: To Gather, To Move, To Spend,
For Gratitude

Clock Hands

Different-sized Flags

<Intermission>

SCV's new Hall of Fame members were announced.  Congratulations to  Volunteer Linda Garbarino and Percussion Arranger Jim Casella!  Organizational awards were given to both SCV and BD for their longevity and continued success in DCI.  I walked around for a bit, and found boba at the concession stand!  But they closed their counter before I got there.  Boo.  They also ran out of hot dogs.  How did they not prepare at least for the amount of hot dogs they would need?!  They pretty much just had nachos and drinks at that point.  So I bought kettlecorn from one of the vendors who was standing near concessions.  Back at my seat, a lady saw Bro's shoes and asked him loudly, "WHERE DID YOU GET YOUR VANGUARD TENNIS SHOES?!"  So everyone nearby looked at Bro and tried to crane their necks to see his shoes.  She had told me earlier that the tattoo on her back was of her and her daughter's faces, placed on mermaid bodies.  Yes, I complimented her on her tattoo before that.  She didn't just go around telling people about her tattoo without prompting.  At least I don't think she did.

View from behind the stands 

PACIFIC CREST

Hmmm...for the last couple of shows, the yellow chairs both stayed upright, instead of one being on its side.  Bro says it's because they use them to sit and perform solos now.  So why didn't they just leave them empty and upright before?  Guy in my row said that the props are like a power play: how many shows can you name?  "Like someone is going to remember something from 1982."  Some people might, youngster.  I mean, not me, but there are videos available somewhere.  Corps had a bigger sound today, good job!  Rifle tosses were good at the beginning, but kind of fell apart in the middle of the show.  The unison has improved in the flag ensemble feature toward the end.  People near us think the Ourboros prop looked familiar.  They were SCV fans, so I hope so!

That looks familiar

VOId

Flag Ensemble Feature

MANDARINS

So awesome.  Their sound is good, the color guard was great, and I already know that I'll be crying during this show on Finals night.  Bro said, "Just Finals?"  Well, for sure Finals, maybe also earlier that week.  I keep forgetting to get a picture of the heart during Boyfriend's solo, so it's kind of wonky down below.  This is one of the shows for which I will have withdrawal symptoms until August.

Wall of Sound

Notice that the contras are not part of 
the maneuver of the horns with the prop

Boyfriend's contra while he's busy singing

Wonky heart.  I don't know if it's always wonky.

SANTA CLARA VANGUARD

There are a lot of holes (people missing).  Earlier when we were in line to get in, a guy from SCV carrying his horn tried to get by us and Bro didn't initially see him.  Bro turned around and almost clocked the guy by accident.  I told Bro that this guy was one of those holes.  I actually think that the holes were probably due to family visiting them on Family Day.  Darn that COVID.  Two SCV staff guys were helping push the props around, because there were so many holes in the color guard.  They did not get a penalty for this, but probably only because they had permission due to the pandemic issue.  There's that big stadium sound I was waiting for!  They sounded great!  Intonation was still kind of an issue with the trumpet trio, though.  I think there are a lot of places in the show where we can do the Vanguard yell, but I didn't hear anyone do that.  I love that drumline.

SCV Beginning

Horn Line Missing Folks

Color Guard Missing Folks

Drumline looks intact

BLUE DEVILS

The piccolo trumpet solo was SPOT ON!  Yay!  The drummers weren't as crazy as yesterday during that 3rd piece.  The home crowd went crazy anyway, and rightfully so.  

Perfect solo!

Corps push to back of field

We think this represents what we look like
 from outer space, because of a video
 from the show designer.

Scores

Open Class:

4) 44.65 -- Blue Devils C

3) 60.70 -- Vanguard Cadets

2) 62.40 -- Gold

1) 62.55 -- Blue Devils B

World Class:

4) 63.60 -- Pacific Crest

3) 76.95 -- Mandarins

2) 79.95 -- Santa Clara Vanguard

1) 82.50 -- Blue Devils

BD is pulling away in both classes, and BD scored the highest in the nation for the weekend.

The next day, Bro and I said goodbye to Auntie Milda and drove home.  The ride took a lot longer than anticipated because of a freeway detour that added 2 more hours.  Try not to go through farm country when there is road construction and exits are sparse, people.  It's brutal.  Thank goodness for Waze!  We might still be on that back road now as I write this a day later.  

Drum corps withdrawal begins now.