BOOM!

 DCI Finals
Saturday, August 9, 2025
View from FloMarching Broadcast
Bro's House, CA 

Bro and I watched the All-Age Finals as I blogged about DCI Semifinals.  I liked that the Govenaires stole the DCI Founders trophy, and the use of the Bluecoats' current coat.  I also liked seeing hats, and I heard some great music.  The Colt Cadets did a great job of playing their cadence as the corps entered the field for Retreat.  Congratulations to the Reading Buccaneers on your win!  

We had some time before Finals festivities, and tried to watch the SoundSport broadcast, but neither of us really liked what we were hearing, so Bro put that on mute while we listened to other music and Bro fried up the frozen lumpia that I had brought from Costco.  Yes, folks, if you go to the right Costco, you can find lumpia!  And it was yummy.  We all ate our lunch before sitting down for the main event. 

The IN-Pact band played a couple of songs (wow, there were a LOT of them on the field!), and V showed B who Al Chez was, because she had pointed him out in the stands when we were in Allentown.

The United States Marine Corps Commandant's Own played their Music in Motion show.  I recognized the first song, but didn't figure it out.  They also played "The Sound of Silence" and "Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy".  I enjoyed the whole program, and seeing them live is one of the things I miss about not being in Indy.  I love hearing them play the Marine Corps hymn, and my favorite march, "Stars and Stripes Forever", and there's nothing like hearing them play our national anthem, because they don't butcher it at all.  Thanks, USMC!

BLUE KNIGHTS

Their shoes are the same color as their uniform.  V likes the blue ones.  Me, too.  The lead doesn't catch the rifle on the big hit.  Maybe that's following the Drip theme, as you don't actually get the drip of water when you expect it in real life.  

COLTS

B:  Too much talking.

O thought that the drawing of John Lennon was Harry Potter.  I guess she thought the wisp of hari was the lightning bolt.  Bro wants pajamas of some of the uniforms.  Only V noticed the flags with words on them until she pointed them out on the screen today.  O asked why they kept showing the lead guy, and V told her it was because he was the lead.  I told her it was because he was cute, but I'm sure V is more corrrect.

TROOPERS

I cried!  The drum major toook off her hat and sang along to the last song as she cried, which did not help me hold back my tears.  Oh, they made a formation of the devil mask!  Neato.  They also formed the symbol of the crossed swords.  What a beautiful tribute, Troopers.

BLUE STARS

The audience did the wave while waiting for the corps to start.  When the soloist put down his horn, V said, "Mustache?!"  That's what I thought the other day!  The different colored uniforms were in different Olympic rings.  V was also surprised by the bicycle being ridden on the field, and doesn't remember seeing it in Allentown either.

CAVALIERS

Oh, a hat formation!  We wondered what was on the necklaces, and I think they were gears, like for the Green Machine.  We agree that they need a crazy drill moment like what the Cavaliers are known for.  The hats they wore at the end were inside the big props.  V and O ate watermelon in tribute to the props.

MANDARINS

Why is the hair sooooo sparkly?  Aw, it's the last time for us to watch the pretty pretty.

<Intermission>

The Legacy Impact Award was given to John Phillips, DCI Judge Administrator.  He was present for the change from the tick system to the current system.

Selfie time happened, featuring Pringles.

PHREGIMENT

The drum major has a chevron on his arm with "SUTA" underneath it.  I don't now my interpretation of this show, but it was lovely, despite the curtains blowing too much.

CROWN

DEVOURED.  V got to see the people on the props this time.

BLUE DEVILS

The trio was much better today.  There was much discussion about their color guard uniforms, especially those with the guys' nipples showing.  

V: Why are they even wearing anything?  

Such a beautimus last segment in the circle.

SCV

I yelled "VANGUARD!!" a few times just to make sure I got it in there.  Such a good show!  The drum notes are equal to the horns in rhythm, even when they're playing lots and lots of them.  

BOSTON CRUSADERS

YES!!!  Nice work all around, Boston.  They got a well-deserved standing ovation at the end of their first segment, and they showed the Bomb Moms standing, too.  

BLOO

Awesome job, Bloo.  Their glasses didn't have any lenses.  Their fans should be wearing them, too.  If they win this year, look out for a bunch of corps next year with eyewear.

After seeing all of this, we did not know who would win.  Bro knew that it would come down to the percussion score because that was the biggest divide this week.  And even then, it depended on the gap of that score because everything else was so even.  

Retreat

The USMC played as the corps entered the field.  I did not know that Bro knew so many lyrics to "A World of Cheeses".  

The Trooper had a bird statue with them.  I dont' know why.

We were told that the saying for the Mandarins' show is "Let me fall if I must fall. The one I am becoming will catch me."  Deep.  I like it.

Yay!  Vanguard made their V!

Scores

12) 87.45 -- Blue Knights

Jim Jones Leadership Award:  Drum Major Mattie from the Blue Stars

11) 88.05 -- The Colts

10) 90.05 -- The Troopers

This is the 1st score of at least 90 for Troop.  Congrats!

George Zingali Color Guard Award:  Boston Crusaders

9) 90.80 -- The Cavaliers

John Brazale Visual Performance Award:  Bluecoats

8) 91.175 -- The Blue Stars

Jim Ott Brass Award:  Boston Crusaders

7) 92.825 -- The Mandarins

6) 94..30 -- Phantom Regiment

Fred Sanford Percussion Award:  Boston Crusaders

5) 94.80 -- Carolina Crown

4) 95.788 -- Blue Devils

Don Angelica General Effect Award:  The Bluecoats

3) 96.70 -- Santa Clara Vanguard

So very proud of Vanguard getting
the Bronze!!!

2) 98.25 -- The Bluecoats

The crowd went wild.  The people in our house cheered.  They did it!!!!

1) 98.425 -- Boston Crusaders

This was the first DCI win for the Crusaders, celebrating their 85th anniversary.  AWESOME.

Even the Blue Devils fans were happy.

Flo Marching does not broadcast the encore, which is a bummer.  There are some videos already available today, so do a search for them on YouTube, and there will be many more once the kids upload what they recorded from the field with their GoPro cameras.  I'd rather not link here because I'd like for them to stay up.  Watch the crowd, though, and enjoy the victory run of BOOM!

It's been quite a year.  As Bro told us at the beginning of the season, per the oracle, if you start your season in the West, you're likely to win because you're being pushed by performing with BD and SCV, along with a few other World Class corps.  We wonder if the next tour will include more folks from the East.  I'm happy that SCV made such great strides since their off year.  

Congratulations to all of the corps for keeping us on the edge of our seats all the way to the very end!