July 9, 2026 – College of the Canyons, Santa Clarita, California
I have arrived at the Student Center on the campus of College of the Canyons in Santa Clarita, the location of the DCI Gold Showcase. Student Centers are almost always open in the summer, where a traveling writer has the comforts of water, a bathroom, air conditioning, and WIFI. With some help from my friends, I picked up a rental car at SAN for three days to provide maximum flexibility. The agent at Budget upgraded me to a nice BMW SUV.
Once again, I took to the multi-lane concrete jumble of cars and trucks, doing the constant weave and following Siri’s instructions, and lo, 4 hours + later I exited to this lovely modern campus. While I walked to the Student Center, I passed the Santa Clarita Performing Arts Center, where newly graduated nurses were gathering with their families. I have a fondness for those who provide me with great care.
As luck would have it, I just purchased a ticket in the upper seats, side 1, 40-yard line. Yes, flying by the seat of my pants can work out. Now I need a place to stay, so I will try to book a hotel and then walk the lot. There are already many corps on campus. I’ll catch up with you later.
July 10, 2026 – Valencia, California
I am at a nice hotel in downtown Valencia, where I will catch up with you on last night’s DCI show. I booked it at the last minute, as I am on a reckless helter-skelter adventure, having decided to attend the show just this week. The setting sun was behind Cougar Stadium, providing welcome relief in the shade for those in the stands. However, at the opening of the show, the sun was pouring onto the field, and the sweat was pouring off of the Blue Devils B members as they exited the field as I arrived. I missed that performance because I decided to walk to the stadium instead of spending any more time in a car.
My method to stay cool was to take a dip in the pool first with shirt and shorts and start the 25-minute walk. The evaporation cooling on the wicking material worked great. I swapped out for a new Pacific Crest T-shirt purchased at the souvenir station.
Performances by The Academy and Pacific Crest closed out the first half of the show. Oh, how nice it was to hear the power of youth through the bells of the horns and off the drumheads as they forge ahead through the programs, glinting in the sun. Too early to tell, but these two corps may have a shot at finals night.
During intermission, I had the good fortune to run into Russell Tanakaya, a contributing photographer for Drum Corps World. He and his family support DCI and contribute their time, talent, and treasure to support Pacific Crest. I hope to have Russell contribute some of his photos for this blog in the coming posts.
The next corps to take the field after intermission was the Blue Devils. Before going back to my seat, I was swarmed by the Corps, taking advantage of the restroom before they proceeded to the field. Hydration is paramount, but what goes in must come out.
The field was painted with BD blue, with accents of pink within the loose legs of the uniforms as they strode and sashayed around the rectangular arena. This corps is true to its name, color, and traditional identity. “Zei” is a BD show, sight and sound. It is not uncommon to see wings appear in a drum corps program. As the season progresses, they will surely be pushing the show to a higher level. Perfecting it will be the key.
Following BD, Santa Clara Vanguard brought their imaginative spirit “With Reckless Abandon”, pushing drills to the max, where timing and precision are essential to avoid failure. They are learning the ropes.
Now it was the Gold Drum and Bugle Corps’ turn to shine as they took the field with a hometown advantage. Basking in the stadium lights, they sparkled and entertained us with “Luminus.”
Not quite done, the show had one more corps to take the field: the Bluecoats. Visiting the California circuit, they read the California crowd well with their hyperactive show “Gravity and Grace.” Sonic and visual expressions that emulate the variations of weightlessness and force permeate the program, almost dreamlike. I can imagine trying to watch this show live back east at midnight, not really knowing whether I was present or in that interstitial space between sleep and wake. These magicians have pulled a few more things out of their hats. Watch this show!
Now it’s time to take a nice long walk along the Santa Clara River before I head to the next venue. I’ll try to keep you posted.
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