85 Degrees in Foggy London Town

 Western Corps Connection

Friday, July 11, 2025

Mt. San Antonio College Hilmer Lodge Stadium

Walnut, CA  

Ahhhh...drum corps in So Cal.  I took the day off even though I really just needed a half day...and then I realized I needed to do some errands, so I'm glad I took the whole day anyway.

Dodie arrived at 3:00, and we made our way to Mt. SAC as I told her stories from my trip to Japan.  I'll be posting about the trip, probably after drum corps season, but I've been writing down as much as I can before I forget the stuff that isn't in my pictures.  

When we arrived at Lot F, the guy directed me to park in a space that seemed far away from the entrance, even though there were spaces that I thought were closer.  So I asked to park elsewhere, and he said his place was closer, and then he got tired of arguing with me and let me go.  I kept wondering why he was so off about the location of the entrance, because the street was closer to where I parked.  It was still a little bit early (I had been worried about Friday evening traffic), and we sat in the car for a bit before walking to the entrance of the tunnel...which was, of course, closer to where the guy had told me to park.  APPARENTLY, the tunnel has a bit of a path before getting to the street.  So I felt like an idiot for the rest of the day.  

We shopped at the merchandise booths, and I bought a hat, like a wide-brimmed bucket hat from SCV because I made that my goal when I couldn't find a hat at home that I wanted to wear.  I also got an aVANt-GUARD tour shirt.  At the Mandarins booth, I saw that they had socks, so I bought a pair with a sticker sheet.  The lady was trying to convince me to also buy a beanie and I'd get $5 off, but I prefer to get an SCV beanie, which I almost did at Stanford because I had a dream that I was wearing one.  I might still get one, but not when it's 85 degrees.  Not that I was wearing the socks either.  I also got a half-zip long-sleeve shirt from the Cascades because I like the mountain design on it, as well as the color.  I'm happy that Cascades came down to So Cal this year, because it's been a very long time.  Dodie has never seen them, and she's been coming since 2014.  I also wanted to get something from the Boston Crusaders, but didn't want to really wear anything that said "Boston".  I just wanted the logo.  But I did like the mesh tote bag that they had with their full name and logo, so I got that, along with a few stickers, including one of a Dunkin' Donuts coffee cup, because Boston!  Dodie got a couple of things and planned on what she might get at the next show.  I also did some planning.

We got something to eat at concessions, although I lamented that they didn't have the nice croissant sandwiches that they had last year.  It was just basic stadium food this time, but it was nice that they had a veggie patty option.  

Our seats were in Section 7, Row KK (top), seats 18 and 19 (on the aisle).  I was just glad that both seats were actually there, but I also liked that we had room in back of us and I had some room to my right side since it was the top of the stairs.  The space in back of us was blocked off, then the judges area was behind that.  I guess I could have placed all of my stuff there, but it was easier to reach for my bag next to me instead of constantly turning around to get my book or my camera.

The Star-Spangled Banner was a recording, and people clapped.  Why do people clap when there's nobody there, knowing that there are hundreds of talented performers in the immediate area that could play it live?  Maybe it's because of patriotism.  I'll just leave that alone, then.

IMPULSE

I like the uniform of the female drum major.  Nice sound, horns!  Go, cymbals!  Their rifles are a gold-ish yellow on one side, white on the other.  "Up" music includes someone playing the electric cello.  Neato.  

The pattern of the uniform matches that
of the corps, which is like outlines of clouds.

Having a Zen moment before the show starts

Is this supposed to represent Toothless?

Rock the Boat

BLUE DEVILS C

Nice horn solos!  I love that the person playing the solo trumpet on "Happy Days are Here Again" was sitting on a chair.  Aw, 2009 BD.  A rose:  is that from "Godfather Part Blue"?  Costume change!  Afterward, a swarm of parents helped get everything off the field.  It looked like there was at least 1 parent per corps member!

Old School snare riff and rifle spin 
at beginning of show

I spy a Fellinesque tambourine!

Casablanca Fans

I don't remember that + prop
Also shown:  Pegasus flags for Winged Victory
and the yellow hoop from last year!

GOLDEN EMPIRE

Dodie saw tinkertoys.  I saw playground equipment.  I like the bright multi-colored rifles and the pretty purple and red flags.  Go, drums!!  They're still having some intonation issues.

Tinkertoy Playground

Rifles in different colors

GOLD

Those are the same black ramps from the last couple of years, so I keep thinking the show is a continuation of the last two, which it most certainly isn't.  Music was really well done.  Bring it, drums!  Do the flags have Sweeney Todd's face on them?  There are also orange flags with the yellow ones... so they're not for "Joanna"?  I like my theory, though.  Come over here and sit on a red chair, and I'll slice your neck with my rifle!  

Ready for a shave?

Straight Razor Danger

Ooh, that IS his face!

BLUE DEVILS B

Repertoire: "Lethologica" -- Talk Over Each Other by J. Mehan, C. Tantavirojn, and S. Clark; Get To The Point by F. Strurm; Sit In Silence by M. Gore; Can't Find the Right Words by C. Tantavirojn and S. Clark ; That's How I Like It! by B. Daly, R. Medlocke, G. Rossington, H. Thomasson, and J. Van Zant 

Yay!  I get to see the show this time!  There are big letters on the field, sinking into the ground.  I like that the "B" is blue.  That one girl looks like she has her own house.  They were delayed due to electronics issues.  Perhaps the loud sound check blew out the speaker system.  But I do like the rockin' sound check!  Mmmm...Depeche Mode!   Awesome horn line, especially the last piece.   Those drums!  The entire corps ran around a lot, and I love the corps-reography.  See what I did there?  This might be a new term for the blog.  Great show!

Blue B

In Her House

Six cymbals is a lot, right?

<Intermission>

21 minutes long.  Glad I got up right away after BDB.

Time for a selfie!

THE ACADEMY

I like all of the sheer white fabric resembling the fog.  WAIT.  Batman is from London?!  Because that first piece makes me think so.  Dodie likes that the show keeps a constant theme throughout.  Not the Batman, but the fog.  Very nice horn solos.  I like that battery ensemble solo.  One of the color guard guys fell to his knee at one point, but he recovered well.  

Waiting for the fog to roll in

I would like to have one of your jedi robes, please.

SEATTLE CASCADES

Aw, they didn't show all of the colors on their props.  I guess it was too windy for that today.  One of the staff members was sitting on the steps near me, working the sound levels, I think.  Very nice horn sound today, especially during "Love You Like A Love Song".  

Is black a primary color?

PACIFIC CREST

Repertoire:  "It Sin Our Nature" -- Fantasie by O. Schuster; Symphony No. 10 by D. Shostakovich; How I'd Kill by C. Malfoy; Jealous by Labyrinth; Better Have My Money by Rihanna; Dies Irae by G. Verdi; To Die For (from The Lion King) by H. Zimmer

That's a big ass tree!  Ooohhh..snakes.  Oh, they dance with the snakes.  Great music, PC!  I especially like the latin-sounding piece, and just watched Cowboy Malfoy's video and now I really like the song and the video.  The euphonium soloist had microphone issues, and we couldn't hear it very well.  $ formation during the Rihanna song, and I saw the PC logo formation, too.  What, no crunching apple sound?  I liked that in Boston's 2009 show. 

Big-ass Tree

Beginning of Show Pose

DRUMS

BLUE KNIGHTS

I kept giggling at the beginning of the show because I was thinking of how wrong I was about the title and the theme last week.  OK, so the color guard comes out of the rusty pipes one by one, like a dripping faucet.  So the rest of the corps are pieces of the leaky pipe?

D:  With those uniforms, you can see EVERYTHING.

S:  And now they're covering their crotches.

I was trying not to be loud about that because there were a couple of BK staff standing next to me.  Their soloists also had microphone issues.  I like the big blue flags and blue/purple fans.

Big drop of water.
Or is it a puddle now?

Such pretty flags!

MANDARINS

D:  It's all so iridescent.

IRIDESCENT!  That's the word. I was looking for the other day.  Thanks, Dodie.

The show is so beautiful.  I like when they hop while squatting.  Ooh, that hornline run, ending with the contra ensemble solo:  LOVE THAT.  Yes, color guard!  That's the Mandarins guard I love.  At one point, guard members are holding each side of a pole while another is hanging upside down from it by their legs and spinning a rifle.  I don't know what this show is supposed to mean, but it's really pretty and I like it.

Should we help her get up?

Brass Quartet

Just beautiful

SANTA CLARA VANGUARD

Interesting that now being "avant garde" is having no big props on the field.   Dodie asked how the hornline all of a sudden had pink sleeves.  I told her it was magic.  Oh, neat!  His long arm tube has fabric that stretches diagonally across the field!  OMG, those drums.  I heart you, JONZ.  Awesome front ensemble as they pretty much musically carry the opening of the show.  Brass making my ears bleed, and I love it.  Yay!  Hearing their bass drum cadence after the show makes me happy.

We love our drums. 
We love our drums very very much.

Craving watermelon again

DRUMS

S - T - R - E - T - C - H 

BLUE DEVILS

You know what I love?  That their color guard is also wearing blue, which complements the corps uniform color.  The chairs magically turn into ramps.  OK, maybe not so magically.  Alanis, Led Zepp, it's all just so good!  The guard is just so perfect already with their unison and the clean catches.  

Oboe and Soprano Trio 
"Uninvited"

DRUMS

I could have been in drum corps

Circle of Flags

BOSTON CRUSADERS

I had to teach Dodie about splitting atoms.  OK, maybe not so much "teach".  I forgot about the contra butts when I was taking pictures.  Darn!  I wish I liked the corps uniforms, though.  Giant Q-Tips.  Fun when the brass is sitting down with their legs spread, and playing their horns.

Let's sit here and play our mellophones

Little Ball, Big Ball

Baton Twirlers

We left the stands right away so that I could go to the SCV buses, but I guess they had left already.  We were still able to hear the scores on our way to the car, so we listened at the stadium gates.

Scores

Open Class:

5) 55.700 -- Blue Devils C

4) 63.250 -- Golden Empire

3) 63.850 -- Impulse

2) 68.050 -- Gold

1) 72.150 -- Blue Devils B

World Class:

8) 68.750 -- Seattle Cascades

7) 72.350 -- The Academy

6) 73.700 -- Pacific Crest

5) 76.800 -- Blue Knights

4) 80.050 -- Mandarins

3) 83.850 -- Santa Clara Vanguard

2) 84.300 -- Blue Devils

1) 85.250 -- Boston Crusaders

We did have to walk farther to my car then we would have if I had just listened to the parking guy.  But heck.  They never asked me for my $5.00 so I shouldn't care.  Also, it wasn't really that many more steps.

Congrats, Boston!

Next Up:  Corps at the Crest -- Rose Bowl