Northern Arizona - Corps nearby?

[azscvfan]

I was also a campus tour guide for 2 years while at school. My information might be outdated, since its been a while, but I can help too.

[The Tsar]

I have no specific questions, just general things...I really don't know the area at all. The only time I was ever in Arizona was in 1998 for the Fiesta Bowl in Tempe, and I was only there for 3 days.

Looking for the kind of stuff you can't find on Wikipedia, things to do in the area, how the town is for a young(ish) male, gyms in the area, good restaurants...you know. The sort of stuff that that you can't find on a website.

I am interviewing for the Associate Director of Bands position there starting in Fall 2007.

[drumcat]

I have no specific questions, just general things...I really don't know the area at all. The only time I was ever in Arizona was in 1998 for the Fiesta Bowl in Tempe, and I was only there for 3 days.

Looking for the kind of stuff you can't find on Wikipedia, things to do in the area, how the town is for a young(ish) male, gyms in the area, good restaurants...you know. The sort of stuff that that you can't find on a website.

I am interviewing for the Associate Director of Bands position there starting in Fall 2007.

Well I don't think you'll have a problem with restaurants! The town has always been a passthrough, so there are lots of choices for a town of that size. Pretty much one of everything.

Gyms you'll have to look into, but they have an excellent fitness facility that you'd get to use for free... a lot of national olympic teams send their swimmers to NAU to train as well.

Their band program has been an up and comer for a while now. It was awful in the early to mid-90's, but has made leaps and bounds progress. Enrollment is growing, and there's good community support. It's the only show in town, really.

The drum corps thing is also helping it along. More than a handful of students are in Academy, and make the drive down every other weekend. Good luck!

[Tom Brace]

I have no specific questions, just general things...I really don't know the area at all. The only time I was ever in Arizona was in 1998 for the Fiesta Bowl in Tempe, and I was only there for 3 days.

Looking for the kind of stuff you can't find on Wikipedia, things to do in the area, how the town is for a young(ish) male, gyms in the area, good restaurants...you know. The sort of stuff that that you can't find on a website.

I am interviewing for the Associate Director of Bands position there starting in Fall 2007.

Flagstaff is very cool. Think Western mixed with hippies, mixed with just a cool eclectic place. They have a microbrewery and a separate brew pub. They have snow skiing and the summertime temperture is relatively cool for AZ. Again, the elevation is up there...but, if a corps were to headquarter there and could learn to blow there with strength and stamina....they'd light up a Midwest tour.

You are really 2 hours from Phoenix...2 hours from Lake Havasu (II/III show this summer!) and about an hour to the Grand Canyon. Also...about 2 hours from Monument Valley. Prescott...very nearby...is also another cool old western town.

Good luck on the job! NAU is a very good school!

[drumcat]

...but, if a corps were to headquarter there and could learn to blow there with strength and stamina....they'd light up a Midwest tour.

Academy and BK both do that. BK gets the natural location, Academy trains at elevation in Eastern AZ. :)

[azscvfan]

I have no specific questions, just general things...I really don't know the area at all. The only time I was ever in Arizona was in 1998 for the Fiesta Bowl in Tempe, and I was only there for 3 days.

Looking for the kind of stuff you can't find on Wikipedia, things to do in the area, how the town is for a young(ish) male, gyms in the area, good restaurants...you know. The sort of stuff that that you can't find on a website.

I am interviewing for the Associate Director of Bands position there starting in Fall 2007.

Hmm... lets see. Flagstaff is beautiful. Pine trees everywhere. Sometimes you can forget that you are in Arizona. I love the campus, especially north campus, the oldest part.

As far as things to do, I've only ever viewed it from the college student perspective, not from someone outside that group. They have their downtown Flagstaff area, right next to campus with all the bars. Then they have the east part of the city - I think that is where more people live that are not college students. Though they are building some newer residences that are really for college students closer to the campus. I think the restaurants are fine. They have your major chain restaurants (Olive Garden, Outback...) but then they have some state restaurants (only in Arizona) and some mom and pop type places that are usually very good.

I also do not know of the gym situation because I always used the school's. I think it has a very good facility. Its not quite like a 24 hour fitness, but I would say its better than the gym in an apartment complex.

Try the website www.flagstaff.com - I haven't been there in a while, but they do try to have things about the city and what to do - almost like a vistors page.

[xanhae]

It's a fantastic place. Feel free to pm/email me. It's not hot there. If you've never been, don't think Phoenix at all. It's totally different. Oh, and be prepared for more breath support; elevation = 7200ft.

I agree. I moved there from Dallas three years ago. Let's just say things don't act like they do at a lower altitude. Good luck trying to put butter on things, and hold yogurt away from you when you open it.

2 cents shown.

[crashhelmi36]

And, I think there is supposed to be a DIV2/3 show in Lake Havasu.

There is. I know we'll be there!

[ScribeToo]

Two part question here...

Anyone on DCP, by chance, attend Northern Arizona University?

And second...what are the closest corps to Flagstaff, AZ? Any shows in the immediate area (immediate, in Arizona standards, being 8 hours).

Nikk,

Flagstaff is only about an hour or hour and a half from Phoenix. Academy is there and they have shows down there. Flagstaff is kind of in the middle of the state so anywhere out of state is going to be about the same distance.. it's a relatively straight shot over to Central California and the inland HWYs that will take you north or south within a few hours.

Stef

[Whiskey]

Graduated from NAU too and live in N. AZ about 80 miles from Flag. I get there just about every other weekend to visit my brother and do my major shopping. You'll really enjoy Flagstaff and the vibe of the city. Although it feels a little congested at times, it is a college dominated town. You'll have a variety of local people from regular joes, to hippies, to Native Americans (Navajo and Hopi mostly), to of course all the college kids.

The NAU music program was okay when I went there, but has sort of picked up lately. Our ever favorite judge Nola Jones did a stint here for about two years and just recently left. I'm quite sure it was her and some other faculty that pushed to have a Bands of America Regional here for the last two years. NAU has a nice size dome where they play football, basketball, and hold other events, including their band day and the BOA event.

Nightlife centers around downtown (or at least what we call a downtown) Flagstaff on San Francisco and Beaver Streets. This is within walking distance from the college, but many people drive and park all over during the cold season. You aged out the same year I did I think (1994 right?) so doing the bar hopping thing is not quite my thing anymore, but I still check it out occasionally. There are many more other bars and places to hang at and you'll find what place is comfortable for you as each as its own vibe.

You'll see lots of the chain restaurants here like other places (Olive Garden, Oregano's, Outback, Red Lobster, Crackle Barrel), but there are also some great local ones too (Buster's, The Cottage Place, Sakura, Beaver Street Brewery, Flagstaff Brewery, Granny's Closet, Josephine's). Whatever you're in the mood to eat when you come for your interview, I can give you some recommendations.

If you get a job, you'll have access to the NAU fitness center for free. It's not too bad, but is not 24 hours. There are local gyms in town, but have never been to any. Mostly Flagstaff is known for its outdoor activites. You can make it to the mountains in 10 minutes by car and find many paths to hike on a nice day. Then there is skiing in the winter if we get enough snowfall.

As for drum corps, everyone has pretty much covered that area. BD stayed at a local high school a couple years back. No show, just stopping in for the day for some practice. You're in luck if you're here this summer. Shows in Phoenix, Tucson, Lake Havasu, and Alburquerque (which is not too far away). After this summer, probably not as many. I also always go to the So. Cal shows which if you leave in the morning, can usually get there by mid afternoon. There are times when I take a road trip to Denver or Texas. Flying out for championships is a pain usually since it's always in the midwest or east. Definitely more expensive for us out west to do it, but I always find a way.

BTW, it was just on the news the other day that NAU has about 20,000 students enrolled (its biggest ever). There are many satelite programs though so it's a little less on campus, but it sure feels like it when driving around town at times. Housing is also very expensive here and has been a hot topic and debate. The city wants to build more affordable housing, but many say Flagstaff will lose it's charm if subdivisions start going up. They're pricing teachers out of the market though. If there is anything else you would like to know, let me know. Good luck on your interview!

Edited February 16, 2007 by Whiskey