DCI Semifinals
Friday, August 7, 2026
Lucas Oil Stadium
Indianapolis, IN
We walked to Jack's Donuts this morning to pick up something to eat for breakfast. I had not finished blogging from the night before, so I finished that up while everyone else rested before Bro, V, the niece, and I walked to Lucas Oil Stadium for Semifinals.
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| Ready for Phregiment Day with our matching shirts! |
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| Walking to the Stadium |
The niece's bag got special searched because of her crochet needles. I asked her later if she could crochet me a lap blanket because I was using my jacket to cover the seat to prevent my legs from sticking to it and ripping up my skin when I stood up. V and the niece hadn't seen the drum corps museum yet, so they perused it while I talked to the gal running the booth that day.
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| Miniature Marine Corps Drum Corps |
Bro wanted to get his lunch so he went ahead while I waited for the others just to tell them I was going to get water and go to my seat. The lady at concessions was trying to get me to buy other stuff because nobody was in line, but I just wanted water. Bro and I got to our seats in time for introductions. Dan did the whole spiel and it still felt too long, even with his great voice. They had already done the Star-Spangled Banner during the All-Age competition in the morning, so off we go to the first corps!
Corps with the top 12 scores advance to Finals, and are marked with *.
RIVER CITY RHYTHM -- 73.9
We figured out that the cathedral windows rotate by hand by someone in back of them.
S: "The magic is gone."
Their final formation is a cathedral.
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| Close-up of the cathedral windows |
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They have treble clef flags. Oh, those cream flags have music staffs on them! I just love the simplicity of this show. Oh. The flugelhorn actually performs in a duet with the euphonium (?). My bad. I thought it was a solo. Sorry!
GENESIS -- 76.675
There, there, Red Ball. I will keep you still with my body and drum. I do really like their bass drum feature, but I forgot to take a picture of it.
GOLD -- 77.975
The duet was NOT better today, and I am exactly the same distance from the field as I was yesterday. I like the colors in this show.
SEATTLE CASCADES -- 78.563
They had sound issues so we couldn't hear the violinist some of the time. We should have known that they would be destroying stuff when the cymbal player tossed his plate way up high. DESTRUCTION. Congrats, Cascades, on such a fun season with this show!
BATTALION -- 79.225
I love how the niece understood the meaning of this show at first viewing, and V and I couldn't even remember what happens in it. "Fire flags??" Oh, yeah, they were burned at the stake.
SPARTANS -- 80.788
Oh, those red ball sacks are giant juggling balls! I heard the creepy clown laughter this time. Is it weird that it kind of made me giggle?
<Intermmission>
I wandered around the concessions down the hall and found the For the Fan Hot Dog with Korean pulled pork and cole slaw, so I ordered that and ate at a table for the rest of the intermission and for the BD-B show. I could still watch it on the TV, but I didn't. So they really are my Hot Dog Corps this year. Mostly because I knew I'd see them again later when they play their encore. MAYBE.
BLUE DEVILS B -- 81.375
Ate my hot dog. See above.
THE ACADEMY -- 82.525
V wants one of the shiny blue flags. Me, too. Maybe we can buy a set and put on our own show. The niece can choreograph.
Beautifully done, Academy! Congratulations on entertaining us all season. I loved this show.
Steve Rondinaro (Rondo) interviewed Isaac, who played the tenor drums from behind the screen. Fun stuff, Isaac!
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| Building the tent |
MUSIC CITY -- 83.400
I like that snake charmer music at the end of the show. I also like when they move their bodies like snakes. Fun show! Too fangy to call it "cute", though.
CROSSMEN -- 83.425
Bones held up his cape for a good part of their first song. It's Arm Day! Way to swing that trombone solo! V bought a fake LP from their booth because it's A Side / B Side.
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| Bones overlooking his corps |
MADISON SCOUTS -- 86.250
The ballad was beautiful today! Solos were very nice. Spinny spins at the end were fun to watch. Madison is back to entertain the crowds!
BLUE KNIGHTS -- 86.750*
I like the mixing of "On A Clear Day" with the other songs. It's so pretty. Rondo talked to the flautist and thanked her for addding "a layer of lovely" to this activity. Awww, what a sweet talker that guy is!
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| It's a Girl! |
PACIFIC CREST -- 86.663
Whoo, I was nervous for them again. Great job, color guard! Pit does such a great job in the ballad, so pretty. I've come to really appreciate the elements that are moth-y, like the uniform capes and the way they flit about.
Later, we heard the scores and I was so sad for PC getting jumped by BK. The race for finals night was such a tight one in this bunch, and this was their best shot. Someday you'll make it to Finals, PC. A lot of people are rooting for you!
TROOPERS -- 87.95*
V: "There are a lot more naked people today."
S: "I'll only be impressed if there was a female."
V: "There is!"
Tomorrow: NAKED CORPS
Trooper guy has his saber today, leading the charge.
Rondo interviewed Atticus, the "figurehead general": "Did you get part of your touring fee back when they gave you your uniform and you didn't have a top?" Rondo is funny.
SPIRIT OF ATLANTA -- 88.763*
Oh, so maybe they don't actually all sit down like they're inside an airplane. I like all the deltas in the show.
COLTS -- 90.350*
V is fixated on the height of their hats. I don't think the Star-Spangled Banner really mixes well with other songs. Maybe it's just the arrangements? V is fixated on the height of their hats. When I saw them on the big screen, I agreed that they were vey tall. I'm OK with the hat sitting low on their heads, though. I think we're just used to seeing their faces now, but old school marching band hats didn't really allow for that. Oh, those are fieworks on their flags. I didn't get it until I saw my pictures. I'm still meh about this show.
CAVALIERS -- 91.850*
OK, upon close-up look from my photos, they are not wearing the actual shirts you can get at the souvenir booth, but the main symbol of each one, like "Four Corners" or "Spin Cycle", etc. So each sectioin wears a different symbol. That's a pretty cool homage to their past championship shows. Rufio rode too fast for me to catch him with my camera. Yesterday, V kept waiting for them to do vampire stuff. Today she focused on them being the Lost Boys from Peter Pan, and I think it made more sense to her.
PHANTOM REGIMENT -- 93.012*
Why you gotta make swings and not ride them? So dumb. I wonder if they started to use them earlier in the season, and then they were told that they were too dangerous and there would be actual blood on the field. At least the rest of the show is good.
I got all excited thinking that Vanguard was next, because I forgot that Blue Stars jumped Phregiment at Prelims.
BLUE STARS -- 93.338*
Lady in our row has a kid in the corps, and brought her friend, who was sitting next to me. GO, STU! I forgot to cheer for Caleb in Phregiment again. AUGH! I also forgot to take a picture of the people in the Escher box again.
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| Changing screens |
Now time for our selfie with Vanguard!
SANTA CLARA VANGUARD
The ladies next to me had not seen this show before.
Corps mom: "They don't have any props."
Mom's friend: 'Do they get points taken off for that?"
Corps mom: "No, old school drum corps people don't like the theatrical."
This is when I decided not to talk to them. I mean, it's not like they were trying to talk to me anyway. At least they liked my corps, and when they saw the jump rope while playing horns portion, one said, "That is quite impressive, I must say."
Ooh, look at those drums throwing down!
Dan Potter interviewed trumpet section leader Bridget Thomas and she said her chain got stuck on her horn right before needing to jump rope, so she had to really hurry to get it unstuck. Looks like I caught that moment on video.
BOSTON CRUSADERS -- 95.588*
Bro: "Why do I have my glasses on for this show?"
I wonder if it's less blurry when he takes them off.
Oh, there ARE three people hiding behind each of those small screens. When Bro told us about it, I thought they were too small for that. I like the final moments where they're all up front for the curtain call.
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| Lifting Humans 1 |
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| Lifting Humans 2 |
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| Lifting Humans 3 |
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| Lifting Humans Playing Bass Drums |
CAROLINA CROWN -- 96.800*
V: "If more horns would come out of those doors, it would be amazing!"
S: "Especially because they're on the ground now."
Don't tell a contra player that they can't triple-tongue fast notes. At least not one from Crown. Because wow.
BLUE DEVILS -- 96.975*
Pants. I really like those pink drums.
Dan interviewed Drum Major Mandy and asked about the corps' focus this week. She said that they just want to entertain for the good of the org and to give the audience the best they could do. I think it's weird that she said "org", but OK.
BLUECOATS -- 98.563*
Ohmygosh, how are they getting BETTER?!? Awesome show, Bloo. I love all of the hip swaying. The spinny spins at the end are my favorite moment of the show.
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| Mind you, that thing is moving down the field while she does this. |
Open Class Champion Encore
BLUE DEVILS B
They're wearing their Go Pros! V told me that they lay down on the tables and spin, and I finally saw that. I made sure Bro saw the broom this time. Unfortunately, we could still hear all of the movie quotes during the encore. Aw, they're so happy! Congratulations, BDB!
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| Closing Time |
Awards Presentation
Open Class Fan Favorite: Les Stentors
Most Improved Open Class Corps: Boise Jazz
Jim Jones Leadership Award: Drum Major from Eclipse
In Memoriam DCI Hall of Fame included SCV's and BD's Pete Emmons.
DCI Hall of Fame 2026
Jim Casella -- Percussion arranger for SCV and Cavaliers
April Gilligan-Martinez -- Color Guarad caption head for Cadets, Blue Knights, and SCV
Erik Johnson -- Percussion arranger/composer for Cavaliers
Sandi Rennick -- Percussion arranger/composer for Carolina Crown, Phregiment, and SCV, having a hand in 9 Fred Sanford Percussion trophies
Patrick Seidling -- Corps Director for Southwind, Phregiment, and Blue Devils
PHANTOM REGIMENT 70TH ANNIVERSARY ALUMNI CORPS
The niece and I had our Phregiment sword earrings on, V and I were wearing our Phregiment shirts: we were ready for this show!
Aaaaahhhh! Will Pitts, drum major for 2008's Spartacus show, entered the field in that year's uniform, acting like he did way back then. I about lost my mind. He summoned his corps , and they entered from all 4 tunnels, about 560 in all. WOW.
They performed excerpts from various shows:
- Spartacus
- A Defiant Heart: The Music of Dmitri Shostakovich
- Tragedy and Triumph (Tchaikovsky)
- New World Symphony
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| Hi, Will! |
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| I just wanted to show you this awesome cape. |
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| Phregiment Enters the Field |
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| Spartacus |
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| A Defiant Heart |
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| Drum Feature from Nutcracker Suite |
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| Khachaturian - beginning |
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| Khachaturian - end |
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| New World |
They sang their corps song "We Are the Phantom Regiment" a cappella, to the tune of "When Johnny Comes Marching Home", and they were joined by the current Phregiment corps.
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| We Are the Phantom Regiment |
They ended with their corps song, "Elsa's Processional to the Cathedral" (from Lohengrin), by Richard Wagner.
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| SUTA!!!!!!! |
Here is the playlist of all my videos from the presentation.
What an awesome display that was!
We did not stay for the Age-Out Ceremony.
The nephew wanted food so we mobile ordered from Steak 'n' Shake. It took a really long time because so many people went there after the show and there was a bit of a debacle, but I liked my burger. Thanks for getting it for me!
Next up: FINALS
