August 2, 2025 – Cedar Creek Park, Allentown, Pennsylvania
It’s day two of the DCI Eastern Classic. We are all recovering from last night’s performance in the J. Birney Crum Stadium and post-show merriment. I’m sitting here in Cedar Creek Park in Allentown, Pennsylvania, under the shade of a spreading oak tree. This is a quiet spot in the park, far away from the activity near the stadium. Friday night in Allentown featured performances of eleven World Class DCI drum and bugle corps. These corps are comprised of 165 kids aged 21 and under who are the marching members, and 60+ adults of all ages who organize, transport, feed, instruct, and inspire. These individuals toil all summer long to perfect and produce amazing 12-minute programs for a very passionate and appreciative audience across the country. Last night we, the passionate in section R, all enjoyed the performances of eleven drum corps from all over the country, including: Spartans from Nashua, NH; Seattle Cascades, Dunbar, WA; Music City, Nashville, TN; Pacific Crest from Diamond Bar, CA; Troopers from Casper, WY; Blue Knights, Denver, CO; Colts, Dubuque, IA; Blue Stars’ La Crosse, WI; Phantom Regiment, Rockford, IL; Blue Devils, Concord, CA, and Bluecoats, Canton, OH.
The evening opened with a world-class performance by the Spartans and ended with the twice-world-champion Bluecoats, piquing the drum corps fans’ attention, though somewhat vicariously through observing. In between was a magical mystery tour of twenty-first century entertainment in motion at large. Each corps performed at the very highest level in their late-season form. Please consult the many fine show reviews in the upcoming issues of Drum Corps World for more details. All I can tell you is that my mind continues to be expanded each year that I visit Allentown.
Each and every performer pushed themselves, along with 164 of their fellow members, to portray the art and music in motion that they have long crafted. Boundless energy is exhibited from the conditioning of the many hours on the rehearsal field and lugging their stuff all over America. That certain swagger and panache are earned.
Tonight, 10 more corps will show the drum corps world what they’ve got going into the final week of the season. One such corps is the Boston Crusaders Drum and Bugle Corps. To say that I have an affinity for this drum corps is perhaps an understatement, though I love all of the corps. You don’t volunteer with the drum corps on the road for 23 days and not become part of the family forever. That is what happened to me in 2017 when I Ran Away with the Drum Corps, my first series of blogs published here. Since then, I have witnessed this incredible organization evolve, grow, and mature into a top contender with two silver medals to its credit. They are in the hunt for another medal, color undetermined as yet.
Allentown brings out the best, especially when Mother Nature provides a cool evening. Wispy clouds portended a rain-free evening with the waxing gibbous moon looking down. Tonight is expected to be another excellent evening for the testing ground for some of the best entertainment on earth. I’ll try to update you from the epicenter at the fifty. Meanwhile, it’s time to finish my walk around this amazing park and then hook up with friends and colleagues for some preshow merriment.
Peace out from Pennsylvania.
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