America is Different | Brit Reacts to Blue Devils @ Drum Corps International World Championships '23

#DRUMCORPS #AMERICA #THEBLUEDEVILS
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My reaction to The Blue Devils @ 2023 Drum Corps International World Championships
Original Video: • The Blue Devils 2023 -...
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[@PTXPentaholic]

You have not lived until you have heard them live. It will melt your skin off. There is honestly no other sound like it in the world.

[@nickniehaus1763]

Boy I saw inferno on the 50 3 rows up at finals. It’s like getting nuked in a good way.

[@ShylaGailey]

my first ever show i watched live was cadets and they absolutely slammed me in the face with sound since we were so close but finals just left me speechless no matter where i sat.

[@PTXPentaholic]

It's really hard to explain the full body chills that you get for the entire time they're playing. I want there to be a drum corps at the gates of heaven when I go there, or if I go there.

[@davidmoser8845]

That was pretty much what I came here to say. I don’t care what your home sound system is or what it cost - it’s never going to come close to the experience of a live DCI show.

[@JeepTraveller2021]

👆Fact

[@JAlexandrian]

The snare drum heads are made in part out of Kevlar, the material used in bulletproof vests. That is how they are able to crank them with so much tension. Excellent reaction!

[@TheCharlieSmithChannel]

Ahhh that makes perfect sense. Thank for the info my friend 👊🏼

[@gabecoombs3021]

​@TheCharlieSmithChannel The snares themselves aren't regular wires like a drum set snare. They're more like plastic cables that are fairly tight, giving them less buzz compared to metal snare wires that have more sustain and "buzz." And yes, the scoop on the bottom is for sound projection as snare drums don't inherently project as well as the tenors or bass drums due to their shape/orientation. Edit - The heads also lead to less snare response due to how heavy they are.

[@josnardstorm]

@@gabecoombs3021 to add onto this, the scoops are just plastic, and are held on with velcrow. You can easily take them off when you want. @TheCharlieSmithChannel I'd also recommend checking out the indoor version of this: winter percussion (winter guard and winter winds also exist, but as a percussionist, I'm pretty biased XD). Check out Pulse Percussion 2017 (best one to show what it's all about, imo kzbin.info/www/bejne/qWebhnuIbrF7oa8 )

[@gabecoombs3021]

@@josnardstorm believe me, I know the feeling of forgetting to take your scoop off before you put your snare on a stand 🙃

[@ChrisAirsoft556]

The Drums themselves are also much larger than a concert snare so they project more.

[@aud.sherrill]

hey! i was one of the snare drummers in this video. thank you so much for watching and im super glad you enjoyed our show :) it was sooo much fun to perform and watching this brought back a bunch of good memories so thank you haha

[@stephaniehamid2788]

Damn y’all killed it. This might be my new favorite devils show.

[@lde-m8688]

You work hard in those DCI bands.

[@samsignorelli]

From this 84 alum (who marched with both Dave and Shawn Glyde), congrats!

[@markstrzelecki-denoon9892]

We used to have a drum corps seen in the uk i was involved for 20 years from the age of 5 i will send you a link but you must watch Carolina Crown drop the hammer on youtube

[@samsignorelli]

@@markstrzelecki-denoon9892 DCUK still exists, doesn't it? I was half the cymbal line in 1986 Dagenham Crusaders (they called me the "Token Yank.").

[@bonesccl]

The best part about this show is that this is actually their second performance of the night. They played the full show maybe two hours earlier as part of the competition, won the show, got their gold medals and now this is their encore performance. Playing their hearts out one last time just for fun.

[@kyranamichaelson3951]

We used to play last, stand in the end zone, collect our awards, and run the show again back in the 80s. What a high.

[@danrvt2001]

I’m from the UK and marched with the ‘Bluecoats’ in 2022! We were the runners up that year. My favourite experience of my life!

[@ecstasycalculus]

Are there many people from outside the US and Canada who participate in DCI?

[@MuhtalikuhfreaK]

Goes to my thought of exactly why it's referred to as a World Championship. The best performers in the world tryout for DCI. The very best make it.

[@richyking3847]

I hope he reacts to bluecoats 2022

[@Corrections101]

Bluecoats are a corps that can ever compete with BD on the reg.

[@Ohokk0]

@@richyking3847best show of all time imo

[@richbrass12]

I love this. We need more non drum corps people to react to drum corps

[@flakdat]

Right? Whenever I see one of these pop up, I get excited

[@bl4zelegend716]

Proud to say that my band director was in this show as a Baritone player

[@drumandbrassvideos4118]

Some clarification, Blue Devils aren’t a US Marine drum and bugle corps. They are an Independent World Class drum and bugle corps. They don’t have any affiliation with the military. Also, the age out is 21 years old, but depending on when your birthday is, you can still march when you are 22. That is if you turn 22 after June 1st. In any case, the DCI shows are fantastic to watch and I get to be on the sidelines taking photos. Last year I was able to get photos of Blue Devils three times. Being that close to the show is quite amazing. Love your reaction to watching the video!

[@reedlarson3153]

This is true, having a summer birthday, I could have aged out at 22 instead of 21

[@TimothyHagerTCH]

That being said, the United States Marine Drum and Bugle Corp is fantastic as far as groups still in the military tradition

[@drumandbrassvideos4118]

@@TimothyHagerTCH They did an exhibition at my son's HS. They are amazing!

[@robmcmillan8103]

Scoops on the snare drums are a sound projector as you guessed. The idea came out of the Blie Devils carrying North Drums as multi-toms in 1976.

[@chrisb5823]

yeah i was puzzled by that comment.

[@trevonhay101]

Hey I’m on staff for the blue devils (I’m actually in this video lol). I’d love to talk about drum corps and show you more of our stuff if you want. So glad you enjoyed our show

[@JeepTraveller2021]

more is always welcome!

[@penelopefp]

I saw the "condensed" version of this for Friends & Family night. That's the closest you'll come to indescribable heavenly purity penetrating ever fiber and cell of your being. I didn't want it to end. I was at the edge of the field when the guard did the synchronized aerials and I nearly sh*t my pants. I was in stunt (more than 20 yrs ago) and an aerial was my dream goal. When I finally got it, I was so low my hair skimmed the ground. (It was longish hair) Aerials that high and that precise are no freaking joke. I can't describe the awe and respect I have for the kids in BD and all the other corps that compete at this level. Do you agree that they usually start as "band nerds"? They should get way more respect than the jocks at the football games where most of these kids started in high school band, but schools usually put more money into sports than band. I was told something like the top 10% will try out for the high level clubs and about 2% of those make it. So these are elite athletic performers. THIS is what a Super Bowl halftime performance should be!!!

[@therobloxspectrum6666]

would you be willing to talk about some drum corps stuff as far as getting in and what to practice to have the best shot into making your chosen corps?

[@TheCharlieSmithChannel]

I'd love that. Sorry I missed this comment when you wrote it. I get a lot and sometimes I miss some.

[@TarynIona]

Still showing that The Blue Devils are the ones to beat, nearly 40 years after I graduated from High School and followed you all around the country. Reminds me how much I love and miss the action, energy, love, music and excitement of being part of something so GRAND!

[@dreverettc]

Charlie, as a parent of one of the members of the Blue Devils (the Drum Major - conducting here in this performance at the World Championships), I can tell you that every member of this Corp are highly talented and unique in their desire to be the best at what they are doing. These are unique young people who have exceptional talents, intelligence, and are genuinely outstanding human beings. It is organizations like Drum Corp (and the Blue Devils) that provide young people a vehicle for their talents to create art, as a group, to push excellence in the marching arts. As you mentioned in your video, I am extremely proud of my son’s dedication and accomplishments by being a member of the Blue Devils for the last 6 years.

[@davidstoleson792]

Dude gets it. It’s about the performance quality, but so much more. The teamwork, the coordination of the music and the visual, and ultimately the emotional effect.

Hi! I’m a 15 year drum corps mom. All 4 of my kids participated in drum corps, including 1 in this video. Finals are in Indianapolis August8-10. It is a once in a lifetime experience that will blow your mind. If there is anyway you could go, you will not regret it!! My son is 21 this year, so it is his “age-out” year.

[@hollyryalsgrubb1273]

I like when they show the overall field so we can gain a sense of the massive scope of the performance. Band kids never have spare time and the peer group is like an extended family. It's one of the best group activities to join in my opinion. I wish that in the US we weren't cutting funding for arts programs in schools and that every child had the opportunity to participate in even a low level band.

[@lkajiess]

No joke, my WGI group in high school would practice 30 hours a week. The activity completely takes over your life if you're competing at the higher levels.

[@michaeljohn9271]

In youtube search, just type in: "Blue Devils 2023 “The Cut-Outs” Victory Run, if you want to see the entire field view.

[@mmmbetter55]

Breaks my heart to see both DCI and local band programs waning due to lack of funding. Band and Drum Corps/WGI was a foundational and infinitely valuable experience for me.

[@mmmbetter55]

@@lkajiessno doubt. And this is the result- kids these days are insanely good musicians before they're even in High School, *because* they see programs like this

[@StAmander]

Yeah. The budget cuts suck. I was alto sax for freshman and sophomore years, and then a lot of our band members graduated with very few new members, so I had to learn trombone so we had a trombone. Eventually we got more trombone players but they were so new that we had a limit of what we could play from what we already had, because they were still learning f how to read sheet music and the beginner range. We took all of the baritones from a local middle school because they cut band from their course listing. For awhile we didn’t even have a band director or teacher. Just ran by the rest of the band. These kids deserve better than that.

[@paulb6302]

I marched drum corps for five years. Changed my life and I believe was a major contributor to my successful Navy career.

[@MarchingBandDad]

How so? My kids dream is The President’s Own. Always open to any feedback!

[@LJ-wo1wf]

It’s great to see reactions from people like you who are new to the activity. Among those of us who have done it a long time, it’s easy to forget how impossible it’s supposed to be. The accumulated knowledge of the designers and instructional staff, passed on to the kids on the field, is what makes it all possible. There are little tweaks and pedagogical tools that are both fundamental to all musicians and unique to drum corps that we’ve honed over decades, making this level of excellence feel almost casual.

[@LordChains]

It’s the heads, they are a carbon fiber/Kevlar hybrid weave. These heads were actually made specifically for DCI Corps snare lines back in the late 1980’s. The original heads were just Kevlar which is what I played on when I marched. They evolved in technology to the carbon fiber/Kevlar mix. The attachments are sound projectors, those have been around since the early 1990’s I think. These Corps start practicing between November of the previous year and January of that year with 1 or 2 camps a month depending on the Corp, then their whole first third of the summer they learn the remaining drill and polish the music. When I marched, the Corps I was with my age out year started in January and had 1 weekend camp a month to May. Our first third was the Corn Field Tour, we learned the remaining drill for 3 weeks ending with our first competition. We came home rested for three days then went on our Regional Tour (DCM aka Drum Corps Midwest) which ended with the DCM Championships in Dekalb, Illinois. We came home, rested for about a week then went on National Tour going from coast to coast competing, sleeping on Gymnasium floors, eating on food trucks and practicing all summer until World Finals in mid to late August.

[@judigrumm7190]

And that says nothing about the years it took to get to that level!

[@cecilr7986]

Thank you for the great description.

[@calebward7227]

Hey! I was a performer in the Phantom Regiment, we also were in finals, same night as these guys. BD are pretty well known as the current record holder for the most amount of championships won and by quite a lot. DCI technically is international, there is a corps from Canada. And if there was an audience for it, there could be some across the pond, but unfortunately modern drum corps is incredibly niche and even marching arts from the EU (like Swiss drum and fife corps) are a completely different beast. Modern marching snare heads (like the ones drum corps use) are made out of Kevlar, and are tuned pretty ludicrously tight, which is why they sound so high-pitched. The reason for the “snap” or “rattle” sound is a mechanism on the bottom head called the snare (hence the name snare drum). It’s a set of shaped wires. When you hit the top head, the vibrations from hitting it travel through the bottom head (sometimes called the resonant head for this reason). This in turn causes the snare mechanism to vibrate very fast, making the snap sound you’re referring to. The Ludwig branded shapes on the bottom of the snares are what we call projectors (or scoops) and they do exactly what you said, project the sound forward. They’re usually needed in environments like a football field, where your sound needs to cover quite a bit of distance to reach the audience, the trade off is now the audience (and the judges) can hear you a whole lot better. Yes this includes all the good, but could include the bad as well.

[@MegaBlahblah33]

There are actually drum corps in the Netherlands and there used to be several in the UK (The Company, Kidsgrove Scouts, etc.)

[@isaiahpeters2004]

i know you

[@reedlarson3153]

There used to be quite a few from Canada.

[@flipstheking6464]

Exogenesis was 👌👌👌

[@dyee1995]

Toronto Optimist, Etobicoke Crusaders, De La Salle/Oakland Crusaders, Alberta All-Girl Drum & Bugle Corps to name a few Canadian Corps. A few years back I found a video online with one of the DCI founding corps directors (sorry, don't remember which one.) He said they were going to name it Drum Corps National, but a Candian corps director spoke up and said, "Hey, what about us?" One of the founding directors said, "Okay, it's Drum Corp International."

[@ryanwilson465]

The things on the bottom of the snares are called “scoops”, and yes, they are there to help project the sound out instead of straight down into the ground. The tone is so staccato, it helps balance out the line. That’s why you don’t really see them on the tenors or basses, though tenors have been seen with them in the past.to experience all this live is quite the experience.

[@drumnistic]

They’re technically called “sound projectors “ …..i was marching in drum corps when the use of sound projectors started…..yes we did start calling them “scoops” but sound projector is their actual name

[@zanybandyt7774]

well tenors don't need them cause the shell is already shaped to project the sound foreword and bass drums the head is facing the audience already so only the snares need the scoops

[@popeyesailor9571]

the scoop was invented by Rick Odello the original drum instructor and founding family

[@popeyesailor9571]

We used North Drums in 76 but they were too heave to carry so Ludwig made us longer depth drums and Rick cut a tupperware bowl in half and taped it to a drum. then they were used by everyone.

[@str8edgbmxr641]

all of this is happening while they RUN around the field, memorizing over 300 "dots", or points where they land to make the visual flow of the show. Some of the drum equipment, like the multi toms, or "quads" as they are called and the instruments weight as much as 40lbs. At this level, it is extremely physical. I am a percussion instructor who has had many students march in these groups over the years. It is definitely a life changing experience

[@KlockoFett]

They're down to 40lbs now?

[@JulieHoffstadt]

I marched for a few years. I was in the pit, so not as much running. However, I remember the heat and the frequent changes, not just of moves but also of the music. I was in the best physical shape of my life. I did have massive blisters on my fingers and a weird tan from all the tape wrapped around them.

[@MrWBB63]

To get the full impact of just how powerful these performers are...and the sheer volume of sound and spectacle you need to see this live. If you visit the US during the summer seek out a DCI sanctioned event! In the summer of 1980 my high school marching band visited (and lived with) a school in Rainham as an exchange program (they came to America in the spring of 1982 visiting and living with us). When we performed on football pitches and marched in parades the responses that we received were overwhelming. The cheers and attention made our high school band feel like were were rock stars.

[@jofromWI]

You can actually FEEL the music in your chest when you’re there live. It’s an amazing experience. Gives you goosebumps

[@judigrumm7190]

You were stars! 🌟 Or better.

[@howarda1000]

watching you smile at something I put my whole life into made me cry thank you, drum corps has no equal in the fine arts

[@ButteryAftertaste]

When people are being critical of American culture, I've often heard some version of the phrase "America is too big to know itself". I think the reality is that America is so big and varied that people who have never lived in America cannot be bothered to explore the sheer number of unique and idiosyncratic quirks to its culture. Drum corps and the marching arts are just one of them, and the more you look past the clickbait headlines and talking points, the more of them you discover.

[@txquilter608]

I think the same could be said of many people who live in America.

[@michaelhamilton3778]

I grew up in the 60s and 70s with drum and bugle court. The way it is involved over the years is amazing to me. Field performances back in the day started at one end zone of a football field and ended at the other end with a concert at the middle of the performance….. today it’s like a major NY. City, Broadway production. Add the musicians professional caliber which is off the charts. And this is what you get in today’s performances. If you can ever go to one of these shows live, you must. You absolutely must. Playback sound is nothing compared to being there and feeling it. it’s incredible. Is the only way you can describe it.

[@jaimecohen95]

I was in a drum corps 20 years ago. The amount of work put into each show is incredible. It starts at the end of the season with the staff planning the next show. Then months of try outs and practice to get the production off the ground. A lot of times the show change from when it is first performed in June to the championship in August.

[@ExtremeRecluse]

And each musician/marcher is a master of their instrument.

[@lukehanson9660]

please keep reacting to Drum Corps videos, it's so awesome to see people who aren't in the activity appreciate it like this! Thnak you for this video!

[@dailyfunny9]

Put SCV 2018 “Babylon” in front of this man, he will never be the same

[@djohnson1022]

I was going to suggest the same as well as 2017 scv alumni

[@MuseSoundsScoreandSounds]

I’m a British drum corps fan myself and you my friend. Have found yourself in a drum corps wormhole. Here a performances I recommend you to react to on your channel: 1) Academy 2016 - Drum Corpse Bride 2) Bluecoats 2019 - The Bluecoats 3) Bluecoats 2018 - Session 44 4) Bluecoats 2017 - Jagged Line 5) Bluecoats 2016 - Downside Up 6) Bluecoats 2015 - Kinetic Noise 7) Bluecoats 2014 - TILT 8) Bluecoats 2013 - ...To Look for America 9) Bluecoats 2012 - Unmasqued 10) Bluecoats 2011 - Brave New World 11) Bluecoats 2010 - Metropolis: The Future is Now 12) Blue Devils 2022 - Tempus Blue 13) Blue Devils 2019 - Ghostlight 14) Blue Devils 2017 - Metamorph 15) Blue Devils 2015 - Ink 16) Blue Devils 2014 - Felliniesque 17) Blue Devils 2011 - The Beat My Heart Skipped 18) Blue Devils 2010 - Through a Glass Darkly 19) Blue Knights 2019 - ...I Remember Everything 20) Blue Knight 2018 - The Fall and Rise 21) Blue Knights 2017 - i 22) Blue Knights 2016 - The Great Event 23) Blue Knights 2015 - Because... 24) Blue Knights 2014 - That One Second 25) Carolina Crown 2023 - The Round Table: Echoes of Camelot 26) Carolina Crown 2019 - Beneath the Surface 27) Carolina Crown 2018 - Beast 28) Carolina Crown 2017 - It Is 29) Carolina Crown 2016 - Relentless 30) Carolina Crown 2015 - Inferno 31) Carolina Crown 2014 - Out of This World 32) Carolina Crown 2013 - E=MC2 33) Carolina Crown 2012 - For The Common Good 34) Carolina Crown 2011 - Rach Star 35) Carolina Crown 2010 - A Sec2nd Chance 36) Carolina Crown 2009 - The Grass is Always Greener 37) Carolina Crown 2008 - Finis 38) Cadets 2015 - The Power of 10 39) Cadets 2012 - 12.25 40) Cadets 2011 - Between Angels 41) Cavaliers 2000 - Niagara Falls 42) Cavaliers 2001 - Four Corners 43) Cavaliers 2002 - Frameworks 44) Cavaliers 2004 - 007 45) Cavaliers 2006 - Machine 46) Phantom Regiment 2003 - Harmonic Journey 47) Phantom Regiment 2008 - Spartacus 48) Phantom Regiment 2010 - Into the Light 49) Santa Clara Vanguard 1989 - Phantom of the Opera 50) Santa Clara Vanguard 1999 - Inventions for a New Millennium 51) Santa Clara Vanguard 2006 - Moto Perpetuo 52) Santa Clara Vanguard 2007 - ! (Eureka) 53) Santa Clara Vanguard 2009 - Ballet for Martha 54) Santa Clara Vanguard 2013 - Les Misérables 55) Santa Clara Vanguard 2014 - Scheherazade: Words 2 Live By 56) Santa Clara Vanguard 2015 - The Spark of Invention 57) Santa Clara Vanguard 2016 - Force of Nature 58) Santa Clara Vanguard 2017 - Ouroboros 59) Santa Clara Vanguard 2018 - Babylon 60) Santa Clara Vanguard 2019 - Vox Eversio 61) Troopers 2021 - Unleashed 62) Troopers 2022 - VorAcious 63) Troopers 2023 - To Lasso The Sun This is a lot but all of these shows show how amazing this activity is. You can message me if you need links for any shows or have any questions about being a British drum corps fan lol.

[@uhcharlie_4]

bro doesnt want him to see Blue Devils 2017- Metamorph

[@MuseSoundsScoreandSounds]

@@uhcharlie_4 HOW DID I FORGET ABOUT THAT?!?!

[@D_ROK_719]

Add Phantom 2008 - Spartacus to the list. That whole show still lives rent free in my brain. The brass was top knotch that year and im a snare guy

[@MuseSoundsScoreandSounds]

@@D_ROK_719 bro I don’t know how I missed that show when I was making the list.

[@dizdawgjr34]

Wheres Bloo '23 (Garden of Love) and '22 (Riffs and Revelations)?

[@snackboy]

I met a family from England at one of the East Coast shows who flew in just for the competition. From what they were telling me, DCI is working on starting up a DCI Europe and their daughter wanted to see what it was all about. So hopefully it's coming soon to England and the rest of Europe very soon.

[@allenorganist2011]

Imagine having to memorize all that music. I loved marching when I was in high school.

[@Ryan-dz7mg]

People come from all across the world to march in drum corps, so yeah it does have more to do than the USA

[@TheFuryKat]

Absolutely, I’ve marched with people from Canada, Japan, Germany, and England. Possibly more than that, but those are the ones I can remember

[@beesnort3163]

I would pay to see this better than any celebrity concert! This is one of the greatest things I’ve ever seen! ❤❤❤❤

[@eaglebac]

Thank you for sharing such genuine and heartfelt comments about an activity that I have participated in and loved for over 20 years!

[@Michaellee4047.]

If you really want to get into Drum Corp, check out Bluecoats 2023 The Garden of Love. Truly one of my favorite shows in all of DCI!

[@mrsir6112]

Yesss. And then SCV 2018 for sure

[@Stonkzy]

Yes! Their 2022 show too, my favorite of that season

[@FrillyBlueJay]

Bluecoats 2014 and 2016 are the two shows I always return to when I need a pick me up!

[@DeliriumDelve]

Bluecoats and blue devils are the greatest corps imo, but that Carolina crown brass

[@tori3395]

It was so coo!l I got to see them from the second row for this performance and man... It's a wall of sound

[@WEDurhamPE]

The Corps you are watching has won more “World” Championships in the history of DCI than any other corps by far. The kids audition for the Corps each year in the fall. By January, they are learning the music. By April the drill/dance is generally learned. Then it’s hours and hours and hours of rehearsals to clean up the performance down to the most minute details.

[@Joshcar05]

Marching band is pretty huge in the US. I was in competitive marching band in highschool, just for reference, we had two weeks of 12 hour practices before school started, and then 3.5 months of 3 hour practices every day after school and 8 hours on Saturdays. A couple of people from our band did DCI, they compared it to a military bootcamp lol Here's our finals performance my sophomore year that we won the competition with if you're interested to see what a highschool level looks like. kzbin.info/www/bejne/Y5C8Y5epi6ufa7ssi=59UFx3DRANvkSdsv

[@melissalavey]

Thanks for watching drum corps. I love how you noticed the work, discipline, and coordination that go into the performances. I also loved that it brought out some emotion for you. That’s what it’s all about! ❤ Five year performer, married a drum corps guy, our kid marched, we volunteer. It definitely shaped my life.

[@matthewwhaley874]

It was funny how you mentioned the discipline. While the activity did start in the military, it became what it is today because churches and Boy Scout troops started forming these groups to compete during the summer specifically as a way to keep young boys off the streets and out of trouble in the summer months! Now there is only one all male drum corps left - The Cavaliers.

[@jonathandumas6506]

So the piece that is under the snare is called a scoop, and yes it’s to help push the sound up. As a former DCI drummer, you sleep, eat and breathe your show. Practicing every day and night for hours. Greatest time of my life.

[@412foto]

to remember all of that choreography and also to remember all of the music and then to do it at the same time...insane!!

[@bernicearthur8655]

My daughter was in Marching band in high school, 10th to 12th grade. They practiced 5 days a week starting on the first Monday in August. They practiced for 8 hours a day. Once school started they practiced after school for 3 hours 3 afternoons a week. They worked hard and were fantastic, often pulling off difficult maneuvers and difficult pieces of music while marching. My daughter loved being in the band.

[@christopherday3138]

The bass drums coming into the stadium is what made me want to be a drummer as a kid. It shakes your soul. The bottom piece on the snare is called a scoop. And yes it throws the sound right at the crowd. Makes a huge difference in how clean the drums sound together. A kick ass performance is the best feeling in the world!!!!!!

[@taniaquesada-vargas4013]

Being in a marching band has always been an unfulfilled dream, as the school i went to in my home country didn't have one, so i enjoy so much watching these performances. I frankly don't know how they don't run out of air while playing and marching/running all over the field. Hats off!!

[@heathermetz6576]

Never attended DCI but I have always known about the Blue Devils. Way to go. They never disappoint.

[@xmaniarock1138]

I definitely recommend you check out Bluecoats 2019 “The Bluecoats” where they use music by The Beatles

[@_Tsagaglalal_]

just wanted to add that we learn our entire shows in roughly 3 months as well

[@JulieHoffstadt]

They never stay the same, either. Nonstop tweaking.

[@craigsphillip]

Charlie, what a brilliant and infectiously joyous reaction you have posted about the Blue Devils! Your reaction and observations about this performance of theirs are such a delight to see because you recorded your reaction simultaneously to your viewing the performance, in real time. Your awesome reaction was made extempore, straight off the cuff, and with genuine honesty. It is also a great matter of pride to us Americans, who have always enjoyed drum corps, and who understand the amount of commitment and effort required by all the youth working and performing in drum corps, that you are visibly enjoying their work, their ability, and their incredible talent on display. It is thrilling to see that you accurately perceive this exact, incomparable talent and ability that these kids bring to drum corps. And, of course, watching your emotional reaction to the Blue Devils’ rendition of Joni Mitchell’s “Both Sides Now” is powerful. You’ve endeared yourself to us because we see you becoming a fan of drum corps; we see you become one of us with your viewing this performance. Thank you for your reaction video, for your enthusiastic reaction to the Blue Devils’ performance, and for the invaluable endorsement you have brought to every one of those kids marching on that field. Your reaction made my day, and I am supremely grateful that you shared it with us on YT! And great good wishes to Mike for suggesting it to you! Drum Corps - Human Fireworks, Baby!!

[@mrrodgers5871]

DCI (Drum Corps International) does have some international corps perform (obviously, cost to travel over the ocean gets prohibitive). There is Drum Corps United Kingdom on your side of the pond! Drum Corps is also in France, the Netherlands, Belgium, Tiawan, South Africa, Japan.... lots of kids coming together to do the -ations at incredibly high levels of achievement. I marched DCI in the 00s, and taught the 00s and early 10s. I can't encourage you enough to check out more drum corps, and check out different 'eras' of drum corps (the first years of electronics being used, when mics were first allowed, the pre-mic era, the era when the bugles were in the key of G instead of Bb, when the bugles only had two valves, etc). It's a very rich history of an extremely niche musical activity.

[@zesolodar]

when you were talking about the coordination to put it on and being in sync its pretty amazing. one of my fraternity brothers was on the marching band for a major d1 university. i know their not at the level of this but it would amaze you how much and hard they actually practice to perfect this stuff, even at a college level. its like practicing for a professional level sporting league

[@Chaazmo]

The snare heads in particular are made of a fiber weave (hence why it looks like carbon fiber) and are tuned SUPER tight. They're the only ones done that way, and is what's responsible for that sound. (source: i was in drumline in school and seriously considered trying out for a DCI corps) Would highly recommend checking out a snare solo or two to see the amount of different sounds you can pull out of the drums.

[@kaleyyates3365]

I think one thing that should be kept in mind for people who aren't Americans is the fact that these kids did this all throughout high school as every school has a marching band that performs at (American) football games. These people have also been playing for an average of 7 years prior to joining dci.

[@lovemesomeslippers]

This actually isn’t school marching band. This is not school affiliated, it’s nights and weekends and summers on top of school. I started in middle school, they can start young with what they call “feeder” corps. What we watched is the culmination of tears for most of them.

[@drumingtothetop]

Hello, Drum line member Here from the Seminole high school Warhawk marching band. The snare drum "heads" are made of Kevlar (Aka: bulletproof vests). Kevlar can withstand a lot of tension so they can tune the drum to get that "Snappy" sound, the drum is tuned between a C and D. (C# is the choice for many higher-level groups such as the blue devils). Bass drums and tenor drums (Aka: the ones with 5 or 6 drums on it) use Mylar, Mylar is also used to make space blanket material, emergency blanket material. The tenor heads are the same as the Bass Drum heads, but they are tuned to different notes depending on what drum they are playing. Hope this helped!!😊

[@lostinroachdale]

In the not too distant past there was a UK corps (cannot remember the name for the life of me, I'm old and forgetful) that participated along with Beatrix from the Netherlands. Drum Corp Japan split off as a separate entity in the mid nineties and has several competing corps in a slightly scaled down (performance area) version. There are still several Canadian corps that compete (Division II & through DCA all age corps) so it is still truly international. Unfortunately it is an insanely expensive endeavor to field a competitive drum corps. Also realize that this particular video was their victory run, this was the last time that these kids were performing this show for this season so it was just for fun and a little bit more laid back; if you get the chance search and watch their actual competition run. These kids also pay tuition (upwards of $5,000 American) to belong to these groups once accepted. The auditions for the Division 1 corps begin in November (US Thanksgiving weekend) of the previous year with camps and weekend intensives until May when they report for the full summer. They will work on this show from May until finals in mid August. Great video!

[@hamblinta]

I’m glad you watched this and appreciate the amount of hard work and dedication it takes to do this. These kids work hard all year long learning not only the music but the marching and formations they use to put on this show. They travel all summer long to competitions all over the country. All of this takes money so there is a lot of fund raising that goes on as well. I am 62 years old but I remember belonging to Suncoast Sound back in the late seventies and let me say it was a blast.

[@itsame1139]

Wow, this brings back memories! My brother played the timpany in our high school marching band. They actually won the Grand National one year and many of the kids went on to march with the Blue Devils. These kids devote so much time and effort into this. It's incredible to watch.

[@DisasterAuntie]

I very much enjoyed the Blue Devils' performance and your commentary. It's great to hear that this is well thought of, outside the US as well. I was in a drum corps (since disbanded) similar to this one in the late 80s, competing against the Blue Devils and many others like it. In my school and community bands and orchestras, I played flute. In drum corps I've done a year at melodic percussion (the xylophone, marimba, and other 'keyboard' looking things played with mallets). But most of the time, I was one of the dancers. We dance with these tall flags, short flags, batons, ribbons like in rhythmic gymnastics, rifles, sabres, and sometimes with no equipment. It's great fun, but it's also exhausting; yet at the end of the season, you'll be fitter than you've ever been in your life. A few things you might find interesting, or so I hope. You can join a drum and bugle corps (btw it's pronounced "core" because it's French, not like "corpse") as young as 14 years old, and you age out at 21. This isn't taken as a class or school activity at all, but is an extra thing you take on. Most DCI corps meet up for one or more weekends every month of the school year. You don't practice together every day, because many people in the same corps may live up to 300 miles apart from one another. You arrive at your base location via bus, if you're not local to that place. My corps had people from Spokane, Washington, all the way down to Grants Pass, Oregon -- that's a 598 mile difference, or 9+ hours by car or bus, in case you're interested. Practicing up to 14 hours a day, and it's EXTREMELY physical, and requires INTENSE mental focus and emotional fortitude. When summer comes, you get a week or two of daily intense rehearsals before you go on the road to begin showing. You'll perform in sports stadia all over the nation on tour. Every year a corps will create a new show, and you practice just that one show until it is -- as you saw -- pretty well perfect. Some of the members also play these instruments in school or community bands and orchestras, or learn dance/gymnastics and that; but a lot of people learn specifically for drum corps. Drum corps get little to no outside funding, only what the members pay to get into the group and whatever they can raise (or, sometimes, donations by alumni). We never flew anywhere; we were always on buses that stank and had no air conditioning. We didn't stay in hotels, but in school gymnasia, in sleeping bags on the floor. A tiny handful of adults kept us in check, but mostly we were made to be mature without their guidance or help. Even the field direction is by one of the corps, not the adults. We poured everything into practices, and then when we had nothing left, we took our nothing into our shows, and eventually we found that "everything" was a lot more and "nothing" became smaller and smaller a consideration. There are no substitutes. You play every single show, no excuses below a broken limb that actually interfered with your ability to stand and hold your instrument or flag -- and sometimes, people played even with a broken limb, if they could. If there's a "hole" left in the formation, you get docked points; which means if someone's out with a broken limb, everyone has to compensate on-the-fly for their absence, so that the show still looks as perfect as ever and no judge notices anything different. The way you get to be that synchronized is by watching and absolutely *knowing* where the rhythm is. When you're spread all across the field, you can't trust what you hear, because a person playing at the other end of the formation will hear your sound a couple of seconds after they hear their own; it's impossible to know how you sound until you see the videotape afterward. So you have to watch the drum major (the director while you're on the field of competition) once to know the beat and HIT IT precisely, trusting that the audience is only hearing one big sound rather than a lot of little disparate ones. While you're performing, you love one another as deeply as you've ever loved anyone or anything, and that's how you stay synchronized and keep the proper intervals between yourself and those beside, before, or behind you -- even if you can't stand one another as soon as the show's over! It must never show, during the performance or any time when you're in uniform. If people see you and can recognize you as being in the same corps, they need to feel like you're close family members, not strangers who just get to gather once or twice a month. They need to know that if they wish to perform a mischief on one of you, the other 100+ members of your corps will have your back, so they better hadn't. Because again, there's no adult coming to save you, and you're far from home, and teenagers are frequently victims of crime if they're seen to be alone or small in number. Nowadays it's different, but in the 80s and 90s there were NO scholarships for marching bands or drum and bugle corps participants. No awards, other than within DCI competitions. Newspapers and television seldom, if ever, covered a single one of our performances, not even if we were the year's winners. School newspapers didn't interview us, and most never even knew what we were doing on the weekends. There was no recognition other than from one another. Nothing you could "get" for it. The only reason we worked, sweated, blistered, cried, bled... was for love of the art form and the feeling of accomplishment during and after every single show, however well or poorly you were scored by the judges. Well. I say "no reward," but that's only true if you don't know that performing IS the award. I've sung opera onstage in a professional capacity, won an international high school jazz competition, and performed from early childhood through university in various bands, choirs, orchestras, theatrical productions, televised football games, and at Disneyland. And performing with Drum Corps International is the biggest performing rush I've ever had. Nothing beats it. Nothing.

[@jenniferherring1837]

Marching band, DCI and WGI are huge in the US. WGI host competition across the world and have several countries that compete. This 2024 Championship we had 4 different countries competing.

[@leyshkamarrero9895]

oh man!!! Blue Devils were sooo amazing! Of course, they're the best... but when I tell you Mandarins '23 had me utterly GOBSMACKED!!!

[@lorendaven]

It actually is international! Corps from Europe, Asia, Latin America, and anywhere other than the US and Canada are grouped into the International Class. Corps from all classes compete together but are ranked separately!

[@jeffreydheere4737]

Kevlar heads (Falams) on the snare drums take a high torque crank to withstand the tension. The bearing edges are metal and that top of the drum can be it's own unit without the wooden drum shell. In the past when kevlar heads just started coming out, we tried to crank them down and the wooden shells would collapse inward and pull out the lug casings. The 'scoops' under the snare drums are called scoops or projectors and help push the sound out towards the crowd as well as carry one more place for branding and advertisement.

[@lj54896751]

I love seeing drum corps getting positive recognition! Thank you🫶🏻

[@chrisb5823]

A recording no matter how good can never go justice to the energy of seeing it live. If you can only do it once - do it.

[@definitelynotcainan3353]

"We have nothing like this in the UK"... Sadly correct, but only recently so. Up until the pandemic, there was in fact a relatively thriving drum corps activity in the UK and Europe. Was it to this level? No, but it was still really good and entertaining. Guessing by your accent you are based south of the Watford Gap... down there you has The Senators from Eastleigh who had literally dozens of UK and European championships. Venture a bit further up the M1 and M6 you had The Company who boasted several European championships. In Birmingham you had last years Eurpopean champions a group called Beeches and up in Staffs you had the corps that I (an American living in the UK) marched in called The Kidsgrove Scouts who won the European championships 4 times, most recently in 2019. Both Kidsgrove and Company also performed in America as qwwell. THroughout the eighties and nineties there were literally dozens of drum corps in the UK. The main difference however being that in the UK there was no age limit and we were weekend warriors as opposed to 70-80 days straight of 12 hour rehearsals. Still, good drum corps nonetheless. Unfortunately, the pandemic killed off the activity in Europe. Anyways, Here's a link to kidsgrove 2017... kzbin.info/www/bejne/iYLQnICrYtlkrNk&ab_channel=CliveVassell

[@silvermineband2719]

DCUK is actively recruiting for 2024, according to their website.

[@lezliegeary9298]

I marched for three years in the late 1970s was the era of Bonnie Ott . It was the best 3 years of my life amazing experience.

[@judigrumm7190]

This is a perfect example of the civilization and CULTURE of America!🇺🇲

[@pxevo2418]

I marched 7 years in this particular activity in the states. It, without a doubt, gave me the lessons of discipline, teamwork, accountability, and hard work that have shaped my life ever since. Those foundational principles still guide my career 17 years later.

[@mmmbetter55]

I hope you get a chance to see a DCI show in person some day. It's a very powerful experience to hear a hot line at full blast. And I'm a drummer.

[@bdfan4ever]

Subscribed cause you reacted to drum corps.

[@thomassicard3733]

Extreme passion. desire, talent, dedication, coordination and ADRENALINE.

[@reaperssoul4731]

This is a reminder of the best in humanity, working hard together in one goal to be the best they can be, performing their gifts to other humans.

[@LyricMontgomeryKinard]

You truly can't imagine being in the stands during a competition. To feel the sound vibrate in every one of your bones! But it's not the kind of loud that makes your ears bleed for days, it's the kind that makes you feel you're about to be beamed to another planet. Look at this kids RUNNING while they still play such mind-blowing technical music. Most of us can't even walk without the mouthpiece jostling around. It is worth a trip to see them! And this is in an indoor stadium - which I dislike because it bounces the sound around and muddies it up. It's the crispest, tightest, lush sound outdoors! Thanks for doing this video!

[@blipp3062]

It’s cool to see the reaction of someone that’s not aware of drum corps! My son marched snare with Carolina Crown that year and The Cadets this summer and I can attest to the incredible work ethic all these drum corps kids and leaders have. It’s definitely a resume builder. (And it’s even better in person!)

[@msmrsro]

I’ve been to a handful of these competitions as a spectator. Was an event we picked up from my father. It’s changed quite a bit over the years, a lot more theatrical. We all have our favorites, but Blue Devils have always been phenomenal.

[@deniseduncan7363]

When it got just over halfway and they were playing Both Sides Now I totally choked up and got teary eyed. So good!

[@howarda1000]

I have never watched your videos, but you quickly sounded like someone who does a good job of turning thoughts into words. For this to stump you so hard is amazing, welcome to the fandom!! Even after participating for almost a decade in various levels, yes, it is still unfathomable.

[@shannonnicole949]

I played trumpet from 5th grade through graduating high school, I can’t even imagine running and playing my instrument at the same time, I smacked myself in the tooth once with my mouthpiece and thought my tooth was done for so I would never make it trying to run and lift my instrument to my face without injuring myself😅 This is another level, as a former band kid it brought me to tears watching this performance, I can only wish I had been so talented❤

[@shauncarmer4307]

Thanks for being such a good dude! Positive vibes! Also the most cracky of the Crack on those snare drums comes from what's called a rim shot. When the stick strikes the head and the rim simultaneously (for those unfamiliar). Awesome reaction video!

[@darcyjorgensen5808]

Welcome to DCI: Drum Corps International.

[@Diego_Mo]

Finally!!! Someone new reacting to Drum Corps!!! This was an amazing reaction, and I promise you won’t be disappointed with all of these shows! Please react to Phantom Regiment 2008 - Spartacus

[@beckyjoadams4206]

Welcome to drum corps! What started with military bearing years ago has become creative and very much a newer art form. The competitions are fierce! And, yes, we rehearsed for many, many days and hours!

[@RogueCorps]

7 year snare player back in the 80s-90s. I can't speak for others but we had a couple practices a week and weekend camps through Winter, added full weekends in Spring, and once Summer season kicked in, practiced 10am -10pm every day. It's mind blowing how far things have come since.

[@DerrickHarrison-uw9uk]

The plastic under the snares is called a scope, and it is used to project the sound of the snares

[@tanisherwood3128]

Sometime ago (80’s or 90’s) when PBS showed DCI Finals a drummer was monitored and the results compared to running a marathon in 13 minutes. Former Glassman, practice all day on parking lots. We were tough. Long bus rides. Also marched in parades. We gave our all. And the thrill of competing is awesome. Winning is astronomical! And so much credit goes to those not on the field. The directors, the staff members, the moms and dads, the bus drivers and community support.

[@No_Named_Nobody]

Drum Corps is next level in general and Blue Devils is one of the best even then We’ve gotten to see them live a few times and every time is such a treat! All the crews are fantastic!! There are a lot of High schools and colleges that are very… I hesitate to say the word similar because they aren’t on that scale unless they join Drum Corps. But in high school, Band camp starts in summer before school even starts so we can learn the music and routine. In college, they’re learning a new show every week. It’s so much fun to do!

[@DinNDee]

Most of these kids have been doing this since about 8th grade, so about 12 or 13 years old. I was in the marching band in high school. It was fun and hard and we all loved it. Loved playing at football games and loved competitions on the weekends!

[@shawnsimpson2356]

The thing on the bottom of the drums are called projectors and they do exactly what you sais they project the sound out to the crowd. To answer your question on bout how long they rehearse to ge that in sink with each other this show was performed at the end of a 8 week performance scheduled running from the first week of June to the first weekend in August with 3 to 5 shows each week, but the start learning the show in early November the year before they meet together 1 or 2 weekends each month from November to April then have spring training in May to get ready for the season. Rehearsals run about 12 to 16 hours a day every day during spring training . Once the season starts in June then will only have one or two rehearsal days a week because they have to travel between show sites. As for travel they use travel coaches, all of their instruments, props, gear, and uniforms on a tractor trailer, and they also have a mobile kitchen to feed everyone. They also do not stay in hotels most of the time they sleep on the busses or in high school gyms

[@beccaknerr5871]

I marched with Spokane Thunder in the early 2000s. DCI is such an adrenaline rush! These kids give their whole summer to do this! They start additions in early spring and spend weekend training. Once the school year is up, it becomes 24/7 DCI!

[@gothamsangel]

I was in marching band throughout highschool, and the one thing that we have to keep in mind is that no matter which way we are walking/running, our instrument must always face the audience while playing. In the times you see the members running towards the back, they arent playing, but once they start playing they are faceing the front.

[@gamestersparadise9121]

I haven't marched in many a'year and every time i see a DCI video or HS killing it at halftime, i get taken back. Beautiful reaction to an even better performance. 😊

[@TheCharlieSmithChannel]

Personally, I think my reaction was better than the performance.... Joke 😂

[@dustyatterberry9441]

My son is marching in a DCI corps this summer. These kids are *tough*. They're practicing for 12 hours a day, seven days a week, for the month of June, sleeping on gym floors. Then in July, they'll start touring, 3-4 competitions a week (only 6 hours of rehearsal on show days) and rehearsing on days they don't perform, sleeping at least part of the night on a bus as they travel between shows. They get time off every couple of weeks to do laundry and a few free days over the summer, but they're mostly go, go, go for 2 1/2 months, nit to mention several weekend camps in the winter and spring with assignments in between.

[@Tophadoodledoo]

The UK had, at one point, a drum corps circuit. The Kidsgrove Scouts were a standout in the early 2010s Historically corps from Europe, Canada, Japan, and China have also come to the US to compete; however they usually end up competing in a separate class from the US corps due to the age restrictions and other rules that differ; typically corps from outside the United States don't have an age restrictions. Otherwise they competed in Drum Corps Associates, the all age circuit in the US (that itself had merged with DCI as the All-Age Class). With DCA international corps were able to compete head-to-head with the US corps.

[@alecbruns4123]

Highly recommend to watch pulse percussion 2017!! They are a top WGI group, essentially the same type of group as the blue devils, but only percussion during the winter inside arenas. It's an incredible show!

[@RobertoPlamenco]

I saw this encore performance and it was awesome live. I think it was their best one. Everyone looked liked they were having fun. The snares and quads were all skills.

[@alynch12]

I’ve had the pleasure of marching and instructing percussion at a high school level. Spent a good amount of years dedicated to the activity. It made me very emotional to see your reaction. We really do take for granted how impressive it is because we get so close to it. Thanks for the reminder. Best of success with your channel.

[@nancyskomars1230]

This is very American. Did this in high school (60 years ago) and it was great fun but much simpler. We did do an Octoberfest themed halftime at a football game and we had to learn to count out the 8 steps between lines in German and yell it out. To this day, I can count to 8 in German and that's it!! We also did parades. It's good to see the art form alive and evolving!!

[@missflowerpower8724]

This is amazing. Usually the show is more marching skits. The dance and synchronization of the flags and dancers is very creative. ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️

[@InimicalWit]

6:22 I was never part of the color guard; and I totally agree. The precision they have, throwing those objects is nuts 😅😆💙

[@rygregory]

Japan, Canada, UK, and the Netherlands have or continue to compete in DCI activities. So yes, International/World. Also, this is not the US Marine Drum & Bugle Corps. (Though, they are definitely a drum corps.) Judging by your title, though, it seems you realized that after the fact. Come see them live! It’s even more impressive. There are tons of DCUK shows nearby that you could even see live! ❤

[@TheCharlieSmithChannel]

Oh yeah I'm aware they exsist in other parts of the world. Are other nations actually competing in this championship though? Yes I realised after haha. The person that made the request wrote US marine drum and bugle corps.

[@rygregory]

@@TheCharlieSmithChannelThey try but with rising costs it becomes increasingly hard to have 100+ people travel every year. Even DCI here in the US has been struggling with inflation while also still trying to keep the costs down for the kids. It’s tough. This a very expensive activity to run. The other countries have leaned more into their local organizations: DCE (Europe), DCJ (Japan), and DCUK (UK) probably due to costs. The Blue Devils used to send a group (Blue Devils International) out to the various Tattoos in Europe every summer. But again, rising costs. 😢 You should check out The Company Performance Ensemble based out of Barnsley. They’re great! They’ve competed in DCE and won multiple times.

[@katekoske9314]

@@TheCharlieSmithChannel in this specific championship it was only the US and one Canadian group.

[@patriciavernon9795]

I love drum corp! I had one brother that played snare and another brother that played contrabass. These are some of the best musicians on the planet and rudimental drumming is a different animal than playing on a drum set. There is nothing like being there live and having that wall of sound come straight at you, goosebumps every time! I am a bit of a traditionalist though being older and am not a fan of the singing being added but I do like the fairly recent addition of including the trombones. If you get a chance to see this live you should do it! Thank you for giving this music form more exposure!

[@seanmcbride8864]

Love watching people react to Drum corps, thank you ❤