July 27, 2025 – Charlotte, North Carolina
9:00 AM
The cicadas are humming as I write. The temperature is a cool 85 degrees this morning. I am once again in the loving arms of the South, back on the Drum Corps International trail. After a respite from the tour back home in cool Vermont, I took a direct flight from the Queen City of the North, Burlington (BVT), to the Queen City of the South, Charlotte (CLT). I am visiting my younger adopted drum corps brother, Tim, and his family, just outside of Charlotte, NC. Later tonight, we will attend NightBEAT, the Carolina Crown Drum and Bugle Corps’ annual home show, at Wake Forest University in Winston-Salem, just north. It is not possible for me to convey in this short missive how much the Carolina Crown family has affected me personally. If you have followed my blog for the past eight years, you know this is a show I will never miss.
NightBEAT has become a staple of the DCI circuit and has run continuously since 1988, the year Carolina Crown was founded, except for 2020. It follows last night’s DCI Southeast Championships in Atlanta and attracts many of the best corps in the country. Alas, the Boston Crusaders chose a different schedule to tour through the Midwest on their way back east. Each year, the DCI schedule changes with the corps deciding which shows they will attend. BAC chose to go out west earlier this season, sweeping the California circuit, and then taking first place at the Southwest Championship. They did not attend the Southeast Championship last night. The Bluecoats won the Eastern Championship, defeating the Blue Devils, the perennial winner, by over two points. As the DCI world turns, the two highest-ranked corps, Boston Crusaders and the Bluecoats, will meet up next in the Boston area next week. I will be there.
Since I chose to attend three shows in California instead of the Midwest early this season, I have yet to see several corps in person. Tonight, will solve that problem. My first in-person experience from the 50-yard line will include Genesis, Music City, Crossmen, Spirit of Atlanta, Troopers, Blue Stars, Bluecoats, and Carolina Crown. Brother Tim and I will be in the epicenter of the stands to experience the late-season prowess of all of the corps on the field.
Before that, we will attend the Carolina Crown Hall of Fame induction ceremony on the upper floor of the stadium. This event is like an annual pilgrimage for me since meeting many of the board members during my first visit to NightBEAT in 2018 and attending the induction of Tim. I also enjoyed learning the history of the relatively young corps and writing about celebrating their 30th year of lifelong learning and excellence. Carolina Cares.
My first introduction to Carolina Crown goes back to 2012, the year I reentered the drum corps activity as a fan. Sitting in the sweet spot of the stands in Fort Edward, NY, for my first live show in 45 years, I was blown away by For the Common Good. Later that year, I sat in on my first rehearsal of a modern drum corps when I discovered that they were encamped near J. Birney Crum Stadium in Allentown. While checking out the stadium early in the afternoon, I heard the Copland piece and hot-footed my way to the rehearsal site guided by my wanting ears. Growing up as a percussionist in a brass family, my ears had never been so satisfied as when I witnessed this drum corps perform in the circle and on that field. I digress. Time to head to Winston-Salem.
3:00 PM – Wake Forest University, Winston-Salem, North Carolina
I’m in the 6th-floor Clubroom at Allegacy Federal Credit Union Stadium in Winston-Salem, the home of NightBEAT. Members of the Carolina Crown Drum and Bugle Corps leadership have gathered to celebrate the achievements of fellow supporters and induct new members into the Carolina Crown Hall of Fame. These deserving individuals are honored by their peers for their extraordinary service in providing the best possible experience for the students who come through their program each year. This type of ceremony takes place throughout the continent during the drum corps season. This activity provides a high-quality, life-changing experience for thousands of kids, thanks to the dedication of thousands of volunteers. These volunteers contribute their time to sewing uniforms, feeding the kids, driving trucks, selling souvenirs, and performing a variety of other tasks related to hosting a drum corps show. This is certainly evident in the many past inductees, all wearing their black collared shirts with gold embroidery of the Carolina Crown logo, whom I have come to know through Tim’s invitations.
One person who has influenced me is Charles Wilkerson, the founder, former president, and Hall of Fame member. Charles was very encouraging to me to keep writing back in 2019. I had been a little discouraged and was not quite sure that my writing had any meaning or purpose. When discussing this with Charles the morning after the show, he looked at me sincerely and said, “Kevin, you need to keep writing.” That was all the validation that I needed. These blog entries have been published by Drum Corps World magazine for eight years now. Each year, I meet new people who have enjoyed my take on this amazing activity. Many enjoy the tour vicariously through my stories. Thank you, Charles.
This year’s inductees include Tammie Dorn, Charles Long, Jr., and Larry Shane. Reading their letters of recommendation and hearing their stories and speeches is so heartwarming. These stories are similar to those that preceded them—stories of the challenges of the past and the challenges the corps face today. Most wear multiple hats. These individuals establish lifelong friends among the other dedicated adults who serve in drum corps. The countless lives these giving people have supported over the years have gone on to become great citizens, thanks to people like Tammie, Charles, Larry, and the drum corps experience. The kids move on, but the excellence endures in this great living-legacy corps of adults.
Time to clam up this device and head down to my seat on the 50 for some Drum Corps!
July 28, 2025 – Charlotte, NC
NightBEAT was a huge success. All corps completed their performance, though there was a brief rain shower that moistened us during the Crossmen’s show. The heat at 90+ was a factor. I was fortunate to head inside to the clubhouse during intermission, as Tim had secured me a VIP wristband. However, to experience the shows, I preferred my seat at the 50-yard line, 50 rows up. This 50/50 formula offers the perfect vantage point to observe the excitement below and the drill formations that morph across the 1.32 acres, all within the audio-rich zone. By this time in the season, the corps’ electronics technicians have tweaked their audio to perfection, too. Balancing the mics for the soloists, marching brass, drum battery, and the percussion ensemble along the sideline is required. I have observed staff members in the stands using iPads to control the soundscape from the field to accomplish that. Every stadium is different.
I will not attempt to review the performances, but I can say that my first viewing of the many corps present was a real treat. In a way, I’m glad to have experienced the late-season, well-rehearsed programs of several corps for the first time live this season. The Western corps that I saw in California have been changing, adding, and cleaning so much that it was like seeing them for the first time. This is how drum corps has evolved. As the season progresses, the programs continue to be embellished. As the kids’ conditioning improves, the programs can be extended to include more powerful, fast, closing statements. NightBEAT often features many new endings, some of which are seen for the first time. Rehearsals can be closed to the public when the corps work on the changes. Every corps is working to improve the General Effect, a key scoring category in this highly competitive activity.
I will say that Carolina Crown is no slouch when it comes to working hard to perfect their program. While we were in the clubhouse earlier in the afternoon, they were down on the field toiling away for hours in the hot sun. You could smell the rubber of the artificial turf baking as it must have been well over 100 degrees down there. “The Point of No Return” is another well-crafted visual and musical journey, portrayed with raw, unrestrained energy. This is a perfect example of art and music in motion, on steroids. These kids move and play the highly virtuosic book at full speed. No other corps moves and plays like Crown. There was a polished feel that is hard to beat. The visual tapestry of the uniforms, props, and accouterments is pleasing to the eye. This is a highly artistic show that, in any given year, could win them a metal in Indy.
The Crown organization does a fantastic job of producing NightBEAT. It was a pleasure for me to be immersed in and associated with such a fine group of dedicated volunteers. Nine thousand-plus attendees had the same pleasure that I did, and we all exited the campus safely thanks to the well-organized security. One nice feature of this show is the fleet of golf carts that transport people with mobility challenges from the parking area to the stadium. A minor ticketing issue was resolved by Greg and his dedicated Crown volunteers. The entire staff of Wake Forest University was pleasant and helpful. Thank you to all of you at the Crown organization who welcome me each year to this premium event and experience. I will be back.
It’s time to head home for a couple of days before departing for my two-week DCI auto tour starting Thursday, with a first stop in Lawrence for the Boston Crusaders home show. BAC is blowing away fans in the Midwest and will meet up with the Bluecoats. The weather forecast is grim. I’ll keep you posted.
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