How did you discover DCI?

[ann_and_scott]

I am one of the fans who did not actually march drum corps . . . I'm a flute player. I guess I discovered drum corps via osmosis. :-) Our high school band director took a handful of students (not me) to DCI finals in Birmingham. They came back enthusiastic about drum corps and a close friend (who may be reading this . . . ) began buying the albums and made audio tapes for me. So, for a couple years most of what I knew about drum corps was from listening to the tapes on my walkman. :-) The first show I went to was in Columbia, TN in 1983. The corps that left me with the best impression was the Colts, doing a Mississippi River show, and led by corps director Jim Mason!

In 1984 I was a sophomore in college and my friend was marching Phantom Regiment. I really wanted to go to see them at finals in Atlanta, but I had band camp for my college marching band. We were actually performing at a pre-season pro game that same day. I was late getting to the bus due to a roomate, and ended up having to sit with a freshman guy. I started talking about drum corps and he was also lamenting not being in Atlanta. I asked him what his favorite corps was and he said Phantom Regiment. I guess we have been "Ann and Scott" ever since. :-) In a few weeks we will have been married 22 years. We've attended finals every year since we've been married.

Ann

[Jay B]

In 1972 I decided to go to the VFW national championships in Minneapolis. I had gone to Miami(1970) and Dallas (1971), so 700 miles up I35 from Kansas and I'd enjoy another couple of days of Drum Corps at its best. What I didn't know, is that the Combine had become DCI, had already held their own championship, and that most of the top 12 DCI corps would not be in Minneapolis. I'll bet a good portion of the crowd was as surprised as I. Once I got over my disappointment of not seeing the Vanguard or Troopers, I really enjoyed the show. As I remember, the Cavies, Argonne, and the Bridgemen were there. After the show, I picked up a subscription to Drum corps Digest (I don't think it was World) so I would know what was going on.