"That group we had our fingers crossed on...They won it!"

        ~ Sofia Carr, 8 years old

Driving through Nashville, IN, antique capital of the Corn Belt, corps nuts were contemplating cutting edge drum corps, not antiquity. Yet, Phantom Regiment's "Spartacus" sure racked up colossal numbers in the points column to win OUTRIGHT the DCInternational Championships in World Class. I had an urge to watch an old Kirk Douglas movie sipping a Pepsi. The Indiana University stadium had an eerie resemblance to the Roman Coliseum with the unfinished construction to add seating to make the stadium resemble the original Horseshoe at Ohio State University in Columbus, OH. Arriving early on Wednesday, I checked out the stadium with its brand new lights and dropped my chin chops upon peering down on the spanking brand new yard-lined carpet. You'd think the old turf disappeared into a sinkhole. Who Cooked up this new recycled tire field so rapidly? The stadium is the star of Indiana, built by a crew of fine masons.

After Phantom won, I overheard a little girl on a cell phone jabbering faster than a boxer sweating at a speed bag. Sofia Carr, 8, told her cell mate, "That group that we had our fingers crossed on -- Yeah, them -- They won it! Blue Devils won that other thing the other night, and I think Phantom was second."

Gina Carr, 11, Sofia's older sister, piped in, "I want to be on the Phantom Regiment...Whatchamacallit...Yeah...color guard." Their father explained that the girls' aunt, Jenn Carr, was in the '92 Freelancers and '93-'95 PR. I overheard that Sofia's and Gina's dad is a Cadets vet.

Matt Briddell, DCPlanet's "Galen," wins the prize for best sarcastic logo. Bridell has added to his DCP signature a sign "Hell," with icicles dangling and added "Yep, Phantom Regiment won."

My Open Class Semifinals contest review will appear in the September issue of DCWorld. Here's another twist on it: When the fan$ are asked "Who are Super Fans?" I immediately thought, "All these happy faces in the stands who showed up at 8 AM (or 10 AM for Finals) are 'Super Fan$.'"

For 40 days and 40 nights, caravans of corps traverse the interstates to Dublin, Fairfield, Boise, Stockton, Hoover, Alamodome, Murfreesboro, Georgia Dome, Jax State, Charlotte, rainout in Sevierville, and more. After that, the 2008 corps wound toward the championships in Bloomington, IN, via A'town, Niagara Falls, Buffalo and Michigan City.

Dave Eddleman, DCI Open Class honcho, talked about the Open Class competition in Michigan City, IN, the preceding Monday as corps traveled to Bloomington, IN. Regarding ticket sales, Eddleman stated, "My guess is 1,500 to 2,000. We were welcomed like royalty."

Kyle Schuckmann, Cavaliers percussion, has one proud grandmother, Norma Boiman. She shared, "I haven't been able to see (Schuckmann) much this summer. He's a music major at the University of Dayton. He'll work with the Centerville High School band."

CHS is a past Bands of America champion. UD is 10 miles from my Miamisburg, OH, hometown. UD typically hosts the Winter Guard International Championships. Bishop Kearney HS, Rochester, NY, and Miamisburg HS know how to win at WGI. Fred Miller of FJM, Inc., a DCI sponsor, was a UD drum major before being president of the United States Twirling Association.

Lukas Bratcher, Oregon Crusaders euphonium, looked back, "The tour has been fun, actually traveling to the East Coast, almost the coast. Last year, we only did the West Coast. The long bus ride was worth it."

Beatrix booster Rene Meijaard shared, "We're the first European corps to make it" (getting into the DCI Finals).

Colts Director Greg Orwoll and I talked about the Colts' season. Orwoll, DCI Hall of Fame inductee, gets the Big Picture. He has endured and done remarkably well as the Colts persevered this summer after the December loss of Bianca Vocke as she returned from a guard contest in Iowa. Erin Reichle, injured in the accident, bravely returned to the Colts guard. Congratulations to Reichle and all the Colts for an amazing year!

Dennis Cole, Bluecoats volunteer, was a visitor to every corps campfire, multitudes of sacrifices or at least chats, and got filled to the brim with history by SOME verbose gents. Cole is working on a Kent State University, OH, doctorate thesis involving ethnic horn cleansing...uh, ethnopulsation...ethnomusiclogistics...one of those cultural high-fallutin' studies about how the cavemen evolved into Blousemen, then receded into control freaks despite it being an alfresco venue, all in the name of cultural chords. Cole is probing our performance pulse, investigating why we do the things we do so well. Cole ponders how the drum corps niche activity has evolved from bugles sounding military commands in the key of G around the Mediterranean to B-flat in Inglaterra to "Sweet Georgia Brown," 1918, to"España Cani," to "Slaughter on 10th Ave," "Rocky Point," to music accompanied by parlaying parlando.

Alan Armstrong, Atlanta CorpsVets visual honcho and former Spirit of Atlanta star, was enjoying the souvie area with his lovely wife Ginger and daughter Caitlin. I also spotted Frank Dorritie chatting with Steve Vickers, DCWorld publisher, at the DCW booth. Dorritie is a multiple winner of DCAssociates soprano soloist award in Individuals & Ensembles. Later, I saw Dorritie's cousin. (Well, it looked like a Dorritie resemblance.) I also saw John "Cupcakes" Curran's cuz (another weird resemblance).

VK DM Lezcano wins, natty shark horns in on VK diablo pit viper

While Mayra Iraheta, Troy Emmons, Thom Willett et al. may not have been ecstatic about the Velvet Knight's 81-point placement, they were beaming with pride when Blair Lezcano took drum major honors in the Open Class. Lezcano stated, "If you don't have confidence to make mistakes, how can you have confidence to succeed?"

Fan$ focused on a petite shark gaining on a red-suited Velvet Knights devil racing across the rocky ridge tops of Hendersonville, TN, at the DCAssociates show August 2. Grinning through future necklace pendant teeth a week later at the DCI Championships, Natalie Salvatierra, bubbled, "I just joined the corps four weeks ago as assistant drum major. Being the shark is a VK symbol. It's certainly a hype. This year, the shark eats the devil."

Humberto Marquez, VK front ensemble zoot suited devil, sneered, "It's been very, very nice. It's been cool being the devil. I'm a vet. It's my second season."

Ed, a fellow Homestead Hooligan, his wife and impish infant, turned heads driving to IU and water parks with New York vanity tags: "VK 2KOOL." This tag has been featured in a "Need More Be Said" photo in DCW, www.drumcorpsworld.com .

Speaking of quotes, Christina "Mav" Mavroudis-Dempsey was queen of the peak of Corps Entry Hill as she camped out interviewing scads of performers as they left the field. Mav's husband, Ed Dempsey, wared the soft laptop files that make the field performance stupendously appear on the Jumbotron. Dempsey also works many major events for both DCI and DCA like the Georgia Dome and the DCA Championships this upcoming Labor Day weekend in Rochester, NY.

USMC D&BC plays 'Stars and Stripes' on the IU Jumbotron

Standing under the Jumbotron while the USMC Drum & Bugle Corps played Cuban "Malagueña" during Finals, DCW Publisher Steve Vickers asked Mavroudis what was the loud hum emenating from the Jumbotron. I piped in, "That's Ed humming along to "Malagueña."

I was as close as a gnat to a gnu when the Marines marched off the field, looking sharp and snappy. They uphold the heritage of vets like Bill Howard, father of Blue Devils Drum Major Brian Howard. For moi, the USMC D&BC brings back memories of SSG. D.T. Penn. Chief Warrant Officer Brian Dix and I had a great chat about the performance and past visits at 2006 DCA Arnold, MD, and other sites. Thanks Marines and all military for defending our dwindling rights.

Cavies Alumni Bully into Semis

I'll never forget the Cavaliers Alumni. What special memories. Representing vets like Don Avery, percussion, at Semis vets like Dr. Fred Olin, DCWorld writer, and Scott "Hulka" McCoy, Music City Legend snare instructor, astounded the crowd. 

For not posting during Qtrs., Semis, and the fan$tastic Finals (Translation: What a Finals!!), I blame all the Open Class and World Class corps for being so entertaining, the DCI Staff for being so accommodating (I can't thank the dedicated DCI staff who spend most of their time cooped up in the drabgraywejustrenteditforthisweekmodular"building" enough, Diane, Dayton et al., also Dan Acheson, Sue Kuehnhold, Laura, Gene and Carol O'brien, Steve Anderman, Brandt Crocker, Joe Courtney, all the red shirts which confusingly includes the IU staff (Gawd, the IU staff alone earns a shot at DCI returning to this Big Ten university where jazz is wunnerful), Lindsey Smith retired Army with security, and that DCI guy who speaks with an accent proudly toking his nub during rare breaks...Harry Heidelmark, Francesca and Jeff DeMello, Hans Kloppert, Mike Ferlazzo, Jag Anthony, High Octane Super Fan from Cincy, friendly Al Chez, a li'l Natalie nurse shark which saved the earth by chasing off El Diablo, Mayra 'n Troy, Thom WilleTTtttt, Jeff Mitchell, John Phillips, Gene M., Dr. Dave K, Greg Gilman, Doug "Dugada" Peterson, a fit Crown Point man, Steve Auditore...I also had little time due to encountering so many fantastic folks in the souvie area, answering questions about spectacles, selling DCWorld subscriptions and history books, Beatrix, SOME of the bestest guys I've ever met from California to Dunkirk and Jamestown, NY -- Bob, Tim, Carl, Mike, Rick, Moffett, -- all hot dogs but no Pop, smiling faces in the corps parking area including a still working hard Paul Collins and the Horn Doc, lingering at the Star of Indiana and Cadets tents, FJM's Marlene Miller, Dynasty's Al Murray, Bob 'n Annie, Whitney 'n Jody, Jerald 'n Dan, Dan 'n Beth Landbo and Madison Scout Joe Madden, Oregon Crusaders euphonium Lukas Bratcher, failing to interview Teal's pit star Anna Pitman, failing to interview SCVC's pit ham guy with the long ponytail, Steve Vickers, Jeff and Jody Collins, Dr. Fred Olin, Roman and Sue Blenski, Donny and Timmy Allen, the Martin bros, Mac and JoEllen McEntire, the beaming fan$ who sat around me, and the Homewood Hooligans who kidnapped me late every night preventing me from hiding out on a puter. Also, how can one think of posting when taking in the spectacles of the patriotic displays of national flags at the retreats?! I also lost time chasing my kidnapped backpack which went off on a trek, always knowing exactly where it was.

"People who cannot recognize a palpable absurdity are very much in the way of civilization." ~ Agnes Repplier, "In Pursuit of Laughter"

As I venture to Rochester, NY, for the DCA Championships Labor Day weekend via Pensacola Beach, then Atlanta for two DCA shows, I ponder about how it's fantastic to have 59% music majors in DCI but am puzzled at why they are tuned down like governors on NASCAR racers at Talledega. Let 'em rip alfresco. We heard it if one strained your ears from The Cadets, Blue Devils, Cavies, Bluecoats, Jersey Surf, Teal Sound and more. The Cadets even "crossed the line" like a Johnny Cash swagger with a high brass hangover -- Heaven's to Merkatroid. Thank you, Cadets!

However, the theme of '08 was to rarely feature the musicians who soared. The 16 tubas of Carolina Crown could have given even more I know, but seemed harnessed to blend, control intonation, and deliver a Star of Indiana type magical moment, pleasing to the ear.

In a DCWorld August issue interview by Mike Ferlazzo, Brian "Gio" Giordano, Crown tuba, wryly stated, "I think with the 16 (tubas) we're going to be able to push the box all the way back at Bloomington. Hopefully, we'll topple it over and shatter some glass."

High Octane Super Fan, hollered from a near front row seat upon hearing a just-below-the-stratosphere rip that reminded one of a music city legend, "Whoever played that note, please raise your hand!"

Stephan Anderman, Music City Legend admin staff, handled traffic in the DCI show staff seating. 'Tis not an easy job. It was great to visit with Anderman. CorpsVets Executive Director Dave Stollberg and Big Ken Huff, CV contra, made their annual trek to DCI, as did Jearold and Dan Sheets, CV sops.

Wandering back from corps parking to the PR Coliseum, I encountered corps nuts. One lady stood by a car with tags from a state with lots of Washington, D.C., commuters. She stood by the car grinning impishly as she covered the "IA" at the end of the state name. A gent glanced at her and said, "Cute, I get it."

IU had a superb staff that welcomed all ticket buyers. My personal fave was Lindsey Smith, a retired Army vet, who worked for a private security firm. Smith works with no handicaps. He has a son who plays mellophone in the IU Marching Band.

Dutch Boy and Beatrix earned the "Cozy" for best honor guards in the Open Class Retreat, while Carolina Crown and the Blue Devils win my choice as the sharpest A-teams in the World Class Retreat. Thanks to all, including the Raiders, for being so patriotic.

Lying in bed quite late after the DCInternational Semifinals, the torch lit in my noggin as it donned on me that the delayed seating construction looked just like the Coliseum I had visited in Rome. The next day I asked DCWorld photographers Francesca DeMello, Harry Heidelmark and Hans Kloppert to please try to get shots of Phantom with the "Coliseum" in the background. Talking with Kloppert, I noticed that a DCI photog was taking in my comments that the PR drum major scene on the podium in the closer would be a classic photo...Sure enough, that was the angle he shot, and I'm delighted. How perfect. How we shall all remember aught eight!

Upon leaving Bloomington and the Homewood Hooligans and saying goodbye to Dr. Whitney Eure, '86-'88 Spirit brass, and Jody Knight, '85-'87 VK, '88 SCV French horn, Bob and Annie Sullivan and I ventured south to Nashville, TN, where I had left my car with Dave Leland, Renegades bari, and Vicki. Leland and I talked corpsdom non-stop before I wore out more of I-65 to go on to Pensacola Beach, FL, for key lime pie.

Corps nuts -- The season is not over! This weekend, say "hi" Saturday at DCA Douglasville, Atlanta CorpsVets home show and Sunday, 6 PM, Alpharetta, GA, for Alliance's hosted contest and other DCA shows, www.dcacorps.org . See y'all at DCA Rochester Labor Day weekend for the all-age championships.

Dr. Whitney Eure, '86-'88 Spirit brass, "The anticipation is palpable. Decibels are our friends. If you can hear the voice-over, it's not loud enough."

Jody Knight, '85-'87 VK, '88 SCV French horn, "I haven't been this excited about nationals in years, since I marched.

Bob Sullivan, super fan, Atlanta via Ontario, "The anticipation of this year's Finals is tempered only by the advent of next year's rule changes, un-drumcorpslike rules changes."

Publisher's Note: Cozy's Corpsdom features updates from the world of drum corps as only Cozy Baker can deliver ..... in his own unique style and presentation. A featured Drum Corps World reporter and contributing columnist for many years, Cozy travels the country as a competitive marching member, instructor, observer, and commentator on the state-of-the-activity. The opinions expressed in this column are strictly those of the author. (Cozy mug photo by Christina Mavroudis-Dempsey.) You may write to Cozy directly at mailto: This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it This email address is being protected from spam bots, you need Javascript enabled to view it .