Blue Knights Summer Tour Preview Part II
In our last edition of the Newsbrief Blue Knights Director Mark Arnold shared with us the highlights of the Corp’s first two weeks of their coming summer tour. In this edition, he shares some of the highlights of the next two weeks of tour following Drums Along the Rockies…
"We’ll be back on the road the day after "Drums"", said Arnold. "The show at INVESCO Field (Drums Along the Rockies) is the culminating performance of months of hard work by the members and staff, however, it really marks just the beginning of what will prove to be the most intense four weeks of their lives." The corps first competition after Denver will be in Great Bend, Kansas on Monday, July 17. Its’ been a long time since there has been a show in Great Bend, the home of former DCI member corps the "Argonne Rebels". "Argonne" will go down in history as having perhaps one of the most technically, and musically proficient brass lines ever. Former Argonne brass instructor Sandra Opie, and her husband and Director of the corps Glen, are both members of the DCI Hall of Fame. "Sandra had a tremendous impact on me when I was a young horn instructor," said Arnold. "I’m really looking forward to introducing our members and staff to these incredible individuals." After Great Bend the corps will be off to the warm environs of Texas.
"In spite of the heat I love going to Texas!" stated Arnold. "We have always had a lot of support in Texas, and several of our members through the years have come from the incredible music programs they have in the schools down there. Another reason I like Texas is because it seems every year a group of Blue Knights parents get together and treat us to a traditional "Texas Barbeque"… I would really be surprised if it didn’t happen again this year! (HINT, HINT)." The big show in Texas will be held at the Alamo Dome in San Antonio. "After spending days in the Texas heat rehearsing, the Alamo Dome is like jumping into a big glass of ice water", according to Arnold. "The competition really heats up and a major regional competition like this really tests the character of the corps."
After the Alamo Dome the corps will start working its way across the South to the next regional competition in the Georgia Dome in Atlanta, GA. One show that is noticeably missing from this years tour is the show in Biloxi… we certainly hope for their sake, to be able to return there in the near future.
DCI has never held a show in the new Georgia Dome in Atlanta. "This show will also be a major DCI regional championship and it comes at a time when the corps really start to "jell", according to Arnold.
"It’s an exciting time in the summer when the members start to feel comfortable with, and "sell" their program. After Atlanta, the corps will leave behind the heat of the south and beginning working their way up north to cooler temperatures.
(Stay tuned for part III of this series)
