DCI Capital Classic
Sunday, July 7, 2024
Hughes Stadium - Sacramento City College
Sacramento, CA
In case anyone remembers or forgot or cares, this is the show I dread the most because of either stadium issues or heat. Bro assured me that this year would be in the stadium where the restrooms were nicer than the other one, but that I'm not so enamored of sitting in the heat on benches. We woke up this morning and it was supposed to be 108 degrees in Sacramento. Oh, joy. Bro did not want to eat outside in the heat at Chando's, so we pretty much hung out at Auntie M's house most of the day. She kindly made breakfast for us before she went to church, and we were eating when she arrived. Then she asked Bro to get her chopsticks out of the dryer because they were stuck in the space behind or underneath the lint trap from her trying to get stray lint out from there. Bro is a good nephew and did so, while also advising her to use a vacuum cleaner next time. For lunch, we went to Masa Latina and I ordered 3 items a la carte. I should have ordered only 2, because I ended up only eating half of each one before being too full to continue.
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| Carnitas Arepas; Ground Beef Empanada; Birria Street Taco |
Then it was time for us to try out Dutch Bros. The drive thru line was long, but if we had gotten out of the car, we would have had to stand in the line in the sun, and that was NOT happening. We had decided on our drinks beforehand from the website, and Bro downloaded the app, so my drink was free because of his sign up. Auntie M and I both got the Double Rainbro Iced Tea, and Bro got the Firecracker Lemonade because it was the last day it was offered for the season. His soft top included candy akin to Pop Rocks, but I think he said that he didn't get very many. The drinks were tasty, but I don't know if they're worth getting in the long line every time, and Auntie M said that the one we went to was known for it's quick service. Okay then.
We drove to Sacramento, where the weather had cooled to 104 degrees. He paid for his parking at the kiosk, and while I waited for him to return from the car so we could go downstairs, some people said that they would just pay afterward. But um, your ticket is what keeps you from getting towed. I wonder if they ever paid. Bro and I got in line to enter the stadium, and felt such a difference from being in the sunlight than being in the shade two steps away. It was crazy. After using the facilities (after effects of iced tea), I somehow found Bro in the stands without being able to see the section number that he showed me was at the top of each section on the wall. I would not be the first nor the last person not to notice these markings.
Our seats were in Section 9, Row 16, Seats 39-40, on the left 35-yard line. Thank goodness, we were in the shade! I had lamented that I forgot my SCV blanket at Auntie M's house, so we had to sit directly on the aluminum bench, but at least it wasn't too hot to sit. My seat was on the aisle and I proceeded to almost fall because of the weird slope right behind the area where you're supposed to step. There's a space between the step and the slope and I stepped into that space. I would not be the first nor the last person to step in that space and almost make a face plant into other audience members. Bro pointed out that Carl, former DM for SCV was seated in our section. I wondered if my Mandarins boyfriend was watching, too.
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| Sibs in Sacto |
The Star-Spangled Banner was performed by the Freelancers Alumni Corps. I didn't really like that arrangement. Also, it's too hot to be standing for the whole thing, even in the shade, and I'm just a spectator.
FREELANCERS ALUMNI CORPS
Seriously, why are the trumpeters standing in the sun?! They should have moved over. I don't think the audience would have minded; it's not like they do any kind of formations. The soloists were spot on today, probably because they're at home. That one guy loves his percussion instruments!
A lady had a hard time getting to her seat and Bro and I helped her a little bit. She said to us, "You know, I've got 4 kids in C corps, otherwise, I wouldn't be here."
SPIRIT OF SUNNYVALE
Wait a minute. He has a big hair pick in his afro, and raises it like a Phregiment drum major raises his baton. That's funny! Then he puts it in the drum major's wig. I CAN'T! I could hear the singing better because our seats weren't so high, but the sound was still muddy from the microphone. I wonder if he's holding it too close to his mouth. Nice solo for "After the Love is Gone".
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| Notice that he still has a smaller hair pick after giving away the larger one. |
IMPULSE
Maybe it's the violin arrangement that makes me not like it because I don't like whatever chords they're playing. I see those high kicks for "New York, New York"!
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| Kick! |
BLUE DEVILS C
Great duet for "Come Sail Away". Oh, the tree FALLS DOWN! On purpose! Because it's the Giving Tree. Duh, Sher. I kept thinking it was going to just get shorter, but I don't know how. The ship formation is kind of hard to see from our vantage point, but I took a picture anyway because I don't think I'll see them again this season.
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| Tree Intact |
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| Tree Fall Down No Boom |
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| Sailboat |
GOLDEN EMPIRE
Nice percussion feature!
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| Welcome to Opportunity, drummers! |
GOLD
I think that PC Guy from San Bernardino was making up stuff to mess with us because I don't get the connection at all. Nice big purple flags. I need the couple to do more than just stand around. Eek! One of the color guard people dropped their rifle and it landed on someone's tenors.
There was a lot of craziness at this point as people tried to find their seats before the next corps, because there were a lot of family members that did not know which section was which. I'm telling you that those section numbers were not prominent enough. Also, people coming up the stairs behind us had no idea what section they were going to when they climbed the stairs due to lack of signage.
BLUE DEVILS B
If you read my other blog like Bro did, you would have seen that I called the number sequence on the columns a Square One sequence. Bro asked why I wrote that. Well, that's what he said it was when I asked if it was Fibonacci. Turns out that he was just reminding me at the time that he learned the Fibonacci sequence from Square One Mathnet. So I was right the first time. AUGH, my stupid brain. I kept track of Tim's friend's son most of the time, so I hope I remember what he looks like when we get to Indy to take pictures for his mom.
<Intermission>
I saw that there was finally shade on the other field, so I walked over there to get snacks. At first, I went to the Mini Donuts line, then realized they were making them, and I didn't have enough time to wait before Vanguard would be on the field. So I went to another truck, where they had kettlecorn available already packaged. They had different flavors, but I just wanted regular kettlecorn flavor. I got back with just a few minutes to spare, so I didn't get a chance to do anything else, but it's all good.
SANTA CLARA VANGUARD
After/during the trombone ensemble bit, behind them the guard is doing a ripple of leaping into the others' arms. It's pretty cool. I have a feeling that those plain yellow flags and the last piece of drill will change a lot by Indianapolis. So nice to hear that bass drum cadence again!
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| Bro would like this in shirt form, please. |
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| Love these flags! |
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| End of Show |
PACIFIC CREST
The only difference I see between the drum major uniforms and the color guard is that the CG all have their white outfit underneath their dresses, and the DM does not. I like that bass drum ensemble. I read today (a few days later) from one of the corps members that this show is about Frida Kahlo's struggles in life, like being with an abusive man, and some physical struggles, too. She expressed her true self in her paintings, which is why all of the joy happens when the paintings are "dancing".
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| Guard at Start of Show |
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| Guard and corps in same stance |
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| Rifle Toss |
ACADEMY
While waiting for the corps to start, they tested the microphones on the small ensemble by having each person play the same 4 notes individually. We heard it several times, and when they were done, a group of guys in the audience responded by singing "La la la la!" Pretty much the everyone within earshot laughed.
When I was writing the blog for the prior show, I noticed that Academy had "Someone Like You" on their program, but didn't remember hearing it. So my goal for tonight was to listen for the song. I wrote it down in my notes beforehand to remind myself:
"Someone Like You"? YES NO
I circled YES.
I didn't like that the soloist was a trombone during that song, though, because of all of the scooping of notes. Also, there are intonation issues, which I'm not really used to with this corps. I would have preferred either a mellophone or baritone for that song. So the eye flags are for the "Do You See Me" section. Still could symbolize the peephole.
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| Knock Knock! |
BLUE DEVILS
Somebody must have paid someone to shoot off a firework behind the stadium at the exact moment of the sabre toss high in the air, because it was perfect. I love how those capes flow in the wind.
MANDARINS
This is the home corps so people went crazy, especially at that opening reveal. There were people all around Bro and me that were not in actual seats, so I was a little annoyed and just wanted to get out of the stadium by the end of their show. So we left before scores were announced, and I read them on the way home because DCI had posted them online a little bit later.
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| She Put a Spell on Us |
Scores
Open Class:
5) 52.25 -- Blue Devils C
4) 58.25 -- Golden Empire
3) 59.10 -- Impulse
2) 65.05 -- Gold
1) 68.10 -- Bllue Devils B
World Class:
5) 68.35 -- Academy
4) 71.05 -- Pacific Crest
3) 77.50 -- Santa Clara Vanguard
2) 78.40 -- Mandarins
1) 82.05 -- Blue Devils
The next morning, I used my new bento box to have some of my oh-so-not nutritious snacks handy. Auntie M had also given us other things to eat, so the back seat was mostly food.
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| Corn Puffs, Cheese Puffs, Freeze-dried Skittles, and Ube Mini Pillows |
We stopped at Love's on the way because Bro was craving Arby's due to whatever conversation we had earlier on the trip. And what to my wondering eyes should appear but a sign that I'd never thought I'd see.
I froze, and gasped. Bro said he was going to buy 20 of them. He only bought 8, though. For those of you that know me and my family, potato cakes are the reason Arby's existed for us. Well, those and the 5 roast beef sandwiches for 5 dollars deal. They discontinued them because life is cruel. They're now back for a limited time, but I don't understand why they can't just keep them. It's not like they weren't popular. Bro and I decided that if any of our friends knew about their return and didn't tell us, we wouldn't talk to them for awhile, that's how passionate we are about these potato cakes. V was very very happy about them when we brought them home. Yes, we managed not to eat all 8 of them ourselves. I was good and only ate one of the 8 because look at how I've been eating. But it was enough to make me believe that this trip was a successful one, indeed.
Probably what will make this trip to Arby's even more special (yes, even MORE!) is the memory of Bro's name. The gal at the register asked for his name. He said "Ryan".
Here is the receipt:
I mean, WHAT?! So the guy who was handling the orders saw his ticket, and could not pronounce the name. "Um...order for Raygin? Ryegehan?" Bro asked if it was for "Ryan". Dude told Bro what was on the order. Bro said that was him. I. CANNOT. STOP. LAUGHING.
So what do you all think? Was Joanna just messing with her co-worker, or has she seriously not ever heard this name? Not Ryan Seacrest? No? Maybe that's how she thinks Seacrest's name is spelled? Did co-worker go home and tell whomever, "This dude came in today and he spelled his name all weird." I did not laugh in the Arby's as much as I am right now because it was just too much for me at the time, and I was on a potato cake high. But yeah. I might be getting something personalized for Bro for Christmas. :)
Until August, drum corps fans!
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