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Crossmen "Weekly Full Circular" 2010 Tour Notes
The 2010 Crossmen tour adventure will be documented in part with the frequent additions to the Crossmen "Weekly Full Circular" announced Crossmen Executive Director, Fred Morrison. In the vein of the "Crossmen Chronicles" from our 2009 tour and the "Daily Planet X" from 2008 we will document our adventures with stories and photos from the road. The first few anecdotes will be from our spring training site at NEISD's Blossom Athletic Center. We have been amazed by the feedback we have received throughout the past few seasons regarding the popularity of our stories from the road. Friends, family and fans have reported having their morning coffee while reading about the events chronicled on our web site with the annual tour journal. We look forward to reporting the interactions that occur during our 60 day Drum Corps International tour. Let the odessey begin!
Friday, June 18th, 2010
Today is the official start of our performance season. The 2010 Crossmen will proudly wear the uniform, some for the first time, in a public performance for our many family, friends and fans. Families have traveled a few hundred miles to witness their son’s or daughter’s first performance as a Crossmen this season.
Crossmen eXperience Day
Today is also our Crossmen eXperience Day. Noon brought with it a fun group of enthusiastic future Crossmen. Learning and playing music with the Crossmen in sectionals, a short visual block, leadership training, dinner from “Crossmen Catering” and performing in the stadium to an excited crowd. These kids are now on fire for marching band and drum corps!
Marching Music eXtravaganza presented by Cool Off and Crossmen Productions
Mark Chambers, Jaime Alvarez-Calderon and Hal Widsten did a wonderful job informing the crowd and announcing the evening’s festivities. Mark introduced Jaime as the Assistant Corps Director of the Crossmen. Jaime and Hal took turns relaying the night’s events and features. Hal related to the crowd the significance of the flag that flew over the stadium that night. Crossmen alum, Jaime Bennett, sent the flag to the corps. This particular “Old Glory” came with a certificate and photograph showing that the flag was flown over one of our bases in Iraq. Jamie is one of the proud service men protecting and serving our country.
After the national anthem it was time for the eXperience Day attendees to show off their skills to the crowd. They entered the field and each discipline performed their newly learned fundamental skills accompanied by the Crossmen. Each Crossmen caption head explained the various things that the groups performed and the process. It was drum corps 101 for the new fans to the activity.
Next up was the Alamo City Community Marching Band. They played many familiar marching tunes to the delight of the crowd. Thanks to director Juan Garcia and the ACCMB for a fine performance at Blossom for our MMe spectators. You can tell that they had a ball performing for our fans. They also took a few Crossmen mementos with them to remember their evening and stayed around to watch the Crossmen 2010 debut.
Jim and Linda Caldwell were up next. Jim, Linda and Hal related the unique story of the product development and founding of the Cool Off brand heat relieving towlette. The fans were given sample and product information as they entered the stadium. Now they were given the treat of hearing how a San Antonio based product was taking the retailers by storm. In a short time the product has found acceptance and shelf space in local food retailing giant HEB, CVS drug stores and Amazon among others. A magazine rollout is in the works. Cool Off won the retailers award recently for best new product at the national convention. Crossmen are very proud of this latest new relationship. We will make our new sponsor’s product available at the Crossmen souvie trailer during the 2010 tour. We look forward to expanding this newly formed, mutually beneficial partnering. Linda and Jim previously headed a San Antonio band uniform manufacturer and know the benefits of reaching out to the demographic that is the Drum corps International fan and participant base. Jim and Linda’s uniform company was a DCI sponsor in the 90’s. I can’t help but think how small our world has become. Thank you Cool Off!
The 2010 Crossmen next entered the field and set up for their premiere performance. A standing ovation greeted them. We were pleased with the crowd response during the performance. There was lots of applause and cheering throughout the show. After the competitive show debut the crowd was treated to a few corps standards including the corps song “Russian Christmas Music” by Alfred Reed. A stand still encore of the Metheny based Guidry arranged and written 2010 “Full Circle” music was the finale. The fans were asked to come on the track to meet the Crossmen prior to the end of the evening’s event. Taylor, Corey and Marla kept the Crossmen souvie Trailer rocking with sales until midnight. Next step the 2010 tour!
 Crossmen hornline waiting at Capital Building in Austin
Saturday, June 19 th, 2010
Tour Departure Day-Austin Preview
This is always a jam packed action filled day. The corps has not moved as a convoy yet this season and we have not loaded everything on the equipment truck or food trailer in the three weeks we have been at the Blossom Athletic Center. After the morning block the packing began. We made it work and even eliminated the need to pull the small utility trailer with the volunteer van this tour. We should save a little gas money this way and it will allow the van a little more flexibility during the trip.
The nine vehicle convoy made its way out of the Blossom Athletic Center complex at our intended 3:45 PM departure time. Our Wynne supplied motor coaches are spectacular as usual. With roaming satellite television, the four late model MCIs are arguably the finest equipment in DCI when it comes to corps travel. Lead driver Mike Lennox is in the staff bus, John Prock, Duke Finley and Arthur Sadler make up the balance of the motorcoach team. Scotty Wheeler is back in the saddle of the Crossmen equipment truck and Daniel Pennington is piloting the Crossmen food trailer this summer with co-pilot Mason Pennington. The volley van was driven by Corey Joachim Crossmen souvie man extrordinaire. Second year Crossmen member mom and volunteer, Tammy Bartley, is behind the wheel of the Crossmen mobile command center this week. As we left Blossom we look like 8 ducklings following mother duck with the command center in the lead.
We wish to thank our hosts Jerry Comalander, Irl Kinkaid and the entire Blossom administration and custodial staff for their generous hospitality while we conducted our fourth spring training at the NEISD athletic facilities.
We arrive in downtown Austin, TX after a quick Walmart stop in Buda for the preview. The steps of our state’s capitol building are an amazing venue for drum corps. This is the fourth time we have participated in the Preview and this year’s crowd was the most enthusiastic yet. After the performance and snack the Crossmen head for the Dallas/Ft. Worth area’s Birdville HS for some sleep and a rehearsal day.
 Our favorite Crossmen Moblie Command Center Pilot Tammy Bartley poses next to her ride. Yes, Tammy, I can drive in forward and reverse.
Sunday, June 20 th, 2010
Rehearsal Day- Birdville High School, Birdville ISD
It is a hot day in North Richland Hills, TX. Temperature is in the upper 90’s without a cloud in the sky. This is great drum corps training weather and not unlike our time at Blossom. Blair Stewart and Family have brought the anatomically correct bull shaped bar-b-que pit again this year and have the coals stoked and ready to go early in the morning. Blair already has the brisket in the pit for tonight’s dinner. Nothing like 8 to 10 hours of Texas home smoked flavor. Blair has decided to make this an annual Crossmen tradition. The memory of last year’s brisket dinner has all of our mouth’s watering in anticipation as we smell this year’s version in the process of completion. Crossmen bass one, Conner Stewart, had the misfortune of dislocating a knee cap at spring training in a freak off field accident. He is now helping prepare a meal for his Crossmen brothers and sisters. We miss his quick smile, wry sense of humor and look forward to his return next season.
The evening brought some much needed relief from the intense sun. The ensemble rehearsal was conducted to the delight of the many Crossmen metroplex friends and family. Crossmen design head, Wes Cartwright was able to watch the fruits of his and the Crossmen design team’s labor in a more polished state than his last viewing. After the run through we start the EPL (eat, pack and load) and head for Broken Arrow, OK with the scent of TX brisket that will have to stick with us until we return in late July.
Monday, June 21 st, 2010
Rehearsal Day- Broken Arrow HS, Broken Arrow, OK
The heat continues to follow us on our way north to our date with Toledo on Thursday for our first competition of the 2010 season. Broken Arrow is just as heat intense as yesterday in the DFW area. I can’t help but think that these conditions are good for our conditioning. If the Crossmen can endure this and get stronger in this caldron we think that the cooler climes up north will seem like paradise. The theory is that marching the show in the cooler climes will bring more energy.
Our hosts at the nationally renowned Broken Arrow HS complex have provided us with world class facilities. The stadium rivals any we see in the Lone Star State. The multiple Grand nationals champion band program has many things to be proud of including many members in the current edition of the Crossmen. The stands have many former and current Crossmen family members watching the proceedings. I bumped into last year’s electronics board operator, Ben White’s, mother after the run and she was thrilled with this year’s show. Mrs. White told me that she had goose bumps on many occasions while watching the performance. I think we may have something special this year based upon the initial reactions we have received from many family members and fans. We depart for Camdenton, MO at 11pm with our convoy of Crossmen vehicles. It is a sight to behold.
Tuesday, June 22 nd, 2010
Rehearsal Day, Camdenton High School, Camdenton, MO
We continue to make progress with music, cleaning drill and guard work. The improvement is noticed every day. Our friends at Camdenton are hosting us at the high school this summer. Last summer we stayed at the middle school and used the stadium for the clinic for the Missouri Bandmasters. The facilities are very nice as the building and grounds seem brand new. The Cool Off came in handy today as it was very hot and humid in the Lake of the Ozarks region. We work till 8:30 then EPL and head to our next stop in Indiana. We are taking 300 to 500 mile bites out of the road to Toledo and our first competition of the 2010 season. We are feeling good about the show but can’t wait till we receive our first read by the DCI judges. Tonight’s ride is one of the three longest of the tour. The sun will be up by the time we get to Huntington.
Wednesday, June 23rd, 2010
Rehearsal Day, Huntington North HS, Huntington, IN
The sun is up and bright by the time we roll into Huntington North. The Crossmen get to rest and stretch off the bus for about an hour before it is time to get back at it. The 530 plus miles are tough on the body while riding the bus but the show must go on. The day is pretty uneventful until ensemble. Mayor Steve Updike and many Huntington folks are at ensemble rehearsal. It is a pretty amazing turnout for ensemble. The crowd is very appreciative of our efforts. I visit with Mayor Updike for a few minutes in the stands. I was very happy to see him again. He watched our rehearsal last year when we stayed at Huntington North. When we left last summer he sent a police escort for us in order to help us get back on the road to Ohio. It was a fun treat for all of us. The Crossmen were being treated like celebrities lead by a police car with full lights and siren. Little did we know that we would get the same treatment but for a different purpose.
We were keeping our eye on the weather on the radar in the coach’s office at the stadium. The rough stuff was continuing to stay north of us. The layout at Huntington is a little different than most high schools as the stadium is on the main road through town but the high school is across the road and behind a commercial retail area. After dinner, showers and loading the trucks at the stadium the Crossmen would need to make our way across the street to the high school. The clouds were gathering but not threatening during dinner. Tim had the food crew set up the tables in the building next to the food truck. Everyone was finished eating and the equipment trailer was about to be buttoned up when out of nowhere it hit. Some rain followed by a 75 MPH gust of wind that lasted a few minutes but seemed like an eternity. Stuff was flying everywhere! We had all of the members take cover in the buildings at the stadium and Scotty had 6 or 7 in the cab of his tractor until it passed. A few were caught in limbo after crossing the street. Some dashed into a Shell station lead by Kara. Lee got caught behind a dumpster that took a full side blast of the wind. He got wacked with the lid but was able to get cover until the blast passed him. The ordeal shook him up pretty bad. While all of Lee’s adventures were happening, Jaime and I were loading the scaffolding and golf cart on the trailer. The wind was so strong that moving the scaffolding against the wind made it act like a wing wanting to lift us off the ground. We were almost done when Audie came running up to us and said that she couldn’t get the equipment truck door closed. It was pouring by now but the wind had subsided. The interior aluminum skin and wood panel on the driver’s side equipment truck trailer door was ripped off the door but still hanging on so that the door could not be shut and the ramp could not be raised. I ripped the panel and the wood off the door and threw it aside. After latching the wounded door to the side of the trailer, Audie and I raised the ramp and attempted to shut the doors. The driver’s door with the missing panel was bent and would not allow the other door to latch over it. By this time Jaime came to the trailer to help as he manhandled the rest of the scaffolding onto the trailer before it could be blown away by the wind burst. We need a 10 pound sledge hammer or something heavy to straighten the door so that we could finish closing the trailer and get on our way to Toledo. Jaime found a big metal piece of square tubing. He proceeded to repeatedly slam the bar against the door straight on and finally got the door straight enough so that we could close both. A police officer came by and told me that there were downed wires, trees and debris on most of the road on our normal route out of town. He had emergency calls that officers were attending to all over town. He said Mayor Steve Updike sent him to our aid in order to lead the Crossmen convoy out of town on a route that the mayor had personally surveyed to check that it was clear. We are in your debt Mr. Mayor. Thank you for your and Huntington’s warm welcome and thank you especially for helping us continue our journey on a very crazy weather night for all. Crossmen would also like to continue to rehearse in your fine town and entertain your citizens as you wish. It is truly our pleasure!
Thursday, June 24th, 2010
Show Day- Toledo, Ohio
Our ride to our Delta, OH housing site was under 150 miles from Huntington, IN. This was a walk in the park for the convoy as it is our shortest ride of the tour so far. Lots of floor time for everyone to make up for the long ride the night before. The rehearsal blocks were methodical and workmanlike. A little tinge of excitement crept in as the day progressed as everyone knows that today is our first show day of the 2010 season. We finally get to measure our Full Circle progress in front of DCI judges and spectators. Work that started in September2009 would be put into play on the field tonight.
We were a few minutes behind leaving the housing site and that was compounded by some heavy traffic. We were not going to have the leisure 2 hour prep time that we scheduled into the day’s program. To the gate we go! Is everyone going to have first show jitters or were we going to perform like we did in the day’s run through? The performance was in the middle. Not great but not a bad start to the season. What will the judges say? The audience was on their feet after the performance. The crowd responded with loud applause at multiple points throughout the show. It appears that we did entertain them. Our primary mission is accomplished!
You can’t compare year over year scores but we did begin this tour with a 5 point higher total than our first show in Toledo last year. The captions are satisfied that this is a good beginning to our 2010 journey. Full Circle appears to have legs. The work towards perfection will continue. Another long ride is in store for tonight after the show.
Friday, June 27th, 2010
Rehearsal Day- Bowie High School, Bowie, MD
Four hundred and ninety miles, looks almost as long as it is when you spell out the numbers. We survive another tough long ride. There are three 500 milers this summer. We just finished the second one and the third isn’t until August. This is a relief.
The sun is wide awake upon our arrival. The corps is allowed a little extra down time until wake up. Short day but good work is accomplished. The Cross ceremony takes place after breakfast but before rehearsal. All of the new members and staff circle the veteran members and staff. Tour Director, Joe Banegas and Assistant Corps Director, Jaime Alvarez-Calderon explain the meaning of the four points and significance of the new members addition to the Crossmen family after performing their first show as a Crossmen in Toledo last night. Crossmen parent, Tom Cannady has hand made, painted and assembled the crosses the last two years. It is a labor of love that we are all very grateful for.Thank you Tom!
Aaron Goldberg is back with us after forty hours away. He is certain that the brass is going after it. “They are working hard, positive about the program and working aggressively to perfect their parts.” says the Crossmen alum and third year brass caption head. After snack and a little down time the corps settles in for eight full hours of floor time. This is music to the member’s ears.
We have lots of old friends visiting us in Maryland. Tim Shear is running the food truck while Evan gets a few well deserved days away. Michele Williams (also on since spring training), Leslie Tucker, the Terrys and the Fields are back in drum corps mode helping prepare the meals and attacking whatever other job needs attention. Recent ageout Garrett Morrow has been on for a while and seems to really enjoy his time helping. The Linns have met up with us in Maryland after Craig spent a bunch of time at spring training in San Antonio working on maintenance and odd jobs on the equipment. The Houston couple are always willing to chip in and seeing them 1700 miles from home only drives that point home. We are very grateful to the many people that make it possible to accomplish our mission.
 Tim "Sparky" Shearer making things happen with the welder and also in the kitchen. Thanks Tim!
Saturday, June 26 th, 2010
Show Day, Arlington, VA
Today was interesting. Getting ready required some welding to one of our pieces of field equipment. It seems that we snapped two of the plates that hold the wheels on one of the carts when loading last night. We carry a small wire feed welder in the box truck for emergencies. I can use it in a pinch but major surgery is not my forte. Volunteer head-chef, now “cracker jack welder”, Tim Shearer, spent the time after breakfast till 10 minutes prior to departure saving our bacon by re-attaching the wheel plates and reinforcing two others so that we would have all of our equipment for the show tonight. By the looks of things they will survive a nuclear attack! I have known Tim for four years and never knew that he was a fabricator/welder by trade in his early days of employment. He told me afterwards that his staff at work would not believe what he was doing for us either. We have visual proof for his staff. He now lives in a suit and tie world and welding gloves and helmets are in his distant past. Thank you Tim! You did not miss a beat. Pancakes in the morning followed by beads of weld in the afternoon. You are a talented guy and a veritable superman. Mild mannered account chief turns into iron worker with a flip of the switch! I can see the headlines now in the Daily Planet.
The trip to the show went well. We arrived on time and in good order. Jaime and Joe built enough cushion that our ten minute delay leaving the school after the completion of the welding and loading work did not affect us. The performance was a little more timid than Toledo. We had a delay in the electronics booting up due to a generator hick up. The corps was ready to go but had to wait till the board was booted up and ready. This shook confidence a little. If there is a positive it is that we now have experienced a quirk and can recover if necessary. We continue to receive great crowd response in all of the right places. I think we have a drum corps show. Many thanks to the design team: Mark Chambers, Jaime Alvarez-Calderon, Wes Cartwright, Leon May, Aaron Guidry, Michael MacIntosh, Carol Chambers, Ray Ulibarri and Tom McGillen for giving us something special to work with. The show is smartly written, technical yet performable. Aaron’s music is entertaining and fun to listen to as always.
Sunday, June 27 th, 2010
Laundry/ Free Day- Washington, DC
The corps has another full night on the floor after our show night in Arlington. We have a short block in the morning and then go about the business of getting everyone to the laundry for some much needed attention to their wardrobe. The air is fresher already! We EPL for lunch and get on our beautiful Wynne coaches for a trip to the washateria. Tour director, Joe Banegas, organizes the day’s activities and identifies two of the largest laundries I’ve ever heard of. With over 100 machines at each the corps is able to knock the cleaning job out in no time. The trucks are “on their own” and they head to New Jersey. The souvie team of Taylor, Corey and Marla stop at Taylor’s house for a visit with Allison. Allison is “hating” not being on tour this summer. Her new job responsibilities are keeping her off the road till she can steal some vacation time closer to the end of tour. The motor coaches, volley van and mobile command center hang out at a Wal-mart north of DC while the corps is in Washington for some well deserved free time. Nothing like a three or four hours in our nation’s capital to rejuvenate our minds and bodies and to also remind us what a great country we live in. After the rendezvous is completed we head the 200 miles to Pemberton High School for a rehearsal day on Monday.
Monday, June 28 th, 2010
Pemberton Township High School- Rehearsal Day
I wish I had a lot to report for today but shortly after our wake up Maureen came by and kidnapped me for 26 hours. Maureen’s family has vacationed on Long Beach Island in New Jersey for the last 60 years. Usually the town of Surf City would be the location of the rental house. This year Harvey Cedars was the location. Our housing site in Pemberton was a short hour drive from the beach house. My sister in law, Linda, my mother in law, Alice and Maureen made the drive to take me off tour for a bit of a break. This is the first time in my 4 tours with the Crossmen that I have played hooky. It feels strange leaving my Crossmen family while there is work to do. It was great to see Maureen. We have been on tour for 9 days already. I usually don’t get to see her until we swing aback through San Antonio in late July. Maureen spent some time visiting with her 150 kids plus staff and admin. I can tell that she misses everyone. As far as my time away is concerned, the lure of having breakfast sitting in a restaurant with my family, a few hours on the beach followed by a shower in a house instead of a locker room sounds nice. I even got my laundry done. Life’s simple pleasures!
Other than my brief escape, I think that it safe to assume that rehearsal went well and we are working each and every day to improve our performances.
Tuesday, June 29 th, 2010
Pemberton Township High School- Show Day-Ewing, NJ
I am back on campus by 11am and I am happy to see Lindsay Firth and her mom and dad, John and Fran. Lindsay brought ice pops for the corps. It was a special treat that everyone enjoyed on a hot humid day. As a former Crossmen Color Guard member, Linds knows what is important to the members after a hard day’s work.
The EPL after ensemble went along fine. We are getting to understand how to be efficient with our allotted hour and half prior to departure. Showers are taken, food eaten, horns polished, school cleaned and inspected, dishes washed, trucks and motor coaches all loaded and ready to depart for the show.
Lion’s Stadium at the College of New Jersey is a nice drum corps venue. The turf field with good size grandstands and ample parking made for a nice evening of drum corps. The stands were pretty full.
The staff and members were pleased with our performance tonight and are ready to make the trip to Fort Ann Central School housing site and our next show in Fort Edward, NY. We depart @11 and make the trek through the night for our 5 am arrival.
Wednesday, June 30 th, 2010
Fort Ann Central School- Show Day- Fort Edward, NY
It is a little brisk when we arrive in Fort Ann. The night time temperature is in the mid-fifties upon our arrival. Everyone is wearing their Crossmen hoodies to keep warm. The Fort Ann Central School housing site is one of our favorites. Pete and his great group of volunteers always make our stay here special. The day starts with a breakfast meal donated and prepared by the local volunteers. We are stuffed with pancakes, bacon and eggs. Member’s and staff’s eyes widen when they see the chocolate milk cartons that accompany the meal. This is a great treat for all including Evan and the food crew. They get a few extra minutes of shut eye and a welcome break of a meal prepared by others.
Rehearsal time goes according to plan. We eat dinner and load for the show after ensemble. We don’t have to pack the food truck as it will remain at the school. The 11 miles to Ft Edward and the show go smoothly. The stadium at Ft. Edward is a throwback to earlier drum corps days. The combination football/baseball stadium is unusual in its layout as the stands jut out toward the performers on either side of mid-field. During the time between warm-ups and the show many of the staff, drivers and admin go to our favorite ice cream stop on tour, “Frozen Dreams”.
Show time brought an enthusiastic crowd. “Full Circle” was well received. The staff did not think that it was our best performance tonight but were ok with the jump in score. We loaded snack in the motor coach bays prior to leaving Fort Ann so the members chowed down after getting out of uniform. After some free time at the stadium we load and make our way back to Fort Ann.
Thursday, July 1 st, 2010
Fort Ann Central School- Rehearsal Day
We are greeted at sunrise to another cool and clear day in New York for rehearsal. Progress is made in all areas. Crossmen are working hard to perfect the “Circle”.
Our host, Pete Bly, comes to our rescue by taking one of the vibe control rods to a local machine shop to drill and re-thread the set screw. Pete also receives packages for us throughout our stay and runs various errands for us. The man can’t do enough for his Crossmen visitors. Thank you Pete!
The end of ensemble brings the EPL dance and convoy line up for departure. The members are getting to see tour as the norm instead of a foreign “rite of passage” that they must learn to conquer. We are becoming a stronger drum corps family. Ten days on the road living together has a way of forging those bonds. On to Bristol!
 5th grade trumpet player, the Crossmen's favorite fan, Maddie Wilson and I pose in front of the Crossmen Mobile Command Center. Maddie collects and saves money for her favorite cause every year that we can remember. The pot of money grows each year just like Maddie. This year Maddie broke her record for us again. She donated over $180.00 this year. The total is 50% larger than last year. It is moments like these that we are reminded how we touch people's lives. We are looking forward to the day that Maddie marches trumpet with her favorite corps. Thank you for helping us get down the road Maddie. We love you!
Friday, July 2nd, 2010
Mt. Hope High School- Bristol, RI- Show Day
Crossmen are very familiar with the Mt. Hope High School housing site. This is the fourth year out of the last four tours that we have stayed here. Scotty tells me that we have stayed here the last 7 or 8 years. The school doubles as the show site for the Bristol DCI show. It is also the jump off point for the Fourth of July Parade here in Bristol. Since the 4 th is on a Sunday the parade will be on Monday the 5 th this year. We will only stay here tonight this tour and then move to New Bedford after the show and EPL.
We had a great day of preparation for the show today. The staff and members were all smiles after the run through. The run was the best performance to date. Things are clicking all around us now. You can feel a confidence building in all areas of our corps. Everyone is coming together and strengthening our bond and “Unity” in our common cause. Making the Crossmen a better drum corps than we were last year is the common mission.
The performance was well received by the crowd. Announcer, Paul Cain, does a great job of prepping the crowd to be excited about our activity. He gets the crowd to participate in the announcement, “Crossmen you may take the field in competition.” I believe that our Crossmen feed of the crowd’s energy and give it back to them in the form of a more energetic and a higher level of performance. We need to bottle that energy!
After snack and all of the work that it takes to get the convoy prepared to travel we head out of the lot for a short drive to New Bedford.
 Maddie poses with Crossmen Drum Major Mike Roche after Bristol show.
 New Bedford Whalers Marching Band watching Crossmen horn line in the center of the "Circle."
Saturday, July 3rd, 2010
Dartmouth Middle School-New Bedford, MA- 4 th of July Parade
Breakfast at 7:30 am and then it is time to load the Wynne Coaches for a short ride to the head of the parade route. We are to be staged by 9 am. This leaves us plenty of time for warm up and preparation for the mile and a half parade route. The first group will step off at 11 am. We are in the last group and step off first in that group.
During warm up, the horn line had members of the New Bedford middle and high school bands sit in the center of the circle while Gary conducted the Crossmen horns in their standard preparations. Prior to concluding the exercises Gary opened up the session to questions by the Whaler Band to the Crossmen members and staff. I am sure that it was a thrill for the band members to hear the power of a world class drum corps up close and personal. It would not surprise me if one of those students becomes a member of our corps someday.
The parade was fun for the Crossmen. The drumline started their groove and as the parade progressed they began to open up and get into the emotion and it started to look like a Crossmen dance party while they were playing “Street Beat” behind the guard and horn line. I had a good view of the goings on as the golf cart brought up the rear with water bottles for the corps. The people watching the parade were dancing and grooving to the drum beat also. It was a blast to watch the smiles and energy coming from the audience and the corps were contagious. Crossmen are entertaining the crowd. Why should I be surprised!
We return from the parade, eat lunch and start the first rehearsal block of the day. After the block spaghetti with meat sauce, salad and fruit were served for dinner. We have ensemble rehearsal till dark then snack. The days are becoming routine. Hard work is the new normal.
Sunday, July 4th, 2010
Dartmouth Middle School-New Bedford, MA- Wakefield 4 th of July Parade- Fort Taber concert- Fireworks
What a great memorable day for our Crossmen members! We start with a two hour rehearsal block in the morning. The corps packs for the parade in Wakefield, MA. After an hour and a half ride we arrive at the parade staging area. The atmosphere is carnival like. There are marching bands, drum corps, clowns, bagpipes, a USA Tai Kwan Do dojo in their white fighting gear and a Korean musical group in full colorful regalia. All groups are warming up getting ready for their parade performances the sounds were conflicting but fun in their own way.
We step off on the parade route and are greeted by a very enthusiastic crowd. The mile and a half parade route seems to fly. Once again the drumline is grooving and entertaining the spectators at every break. The corps also performs our march to the delight of the crowded sidewalks filled with 4 th of July revelers. After stopping to perform before the TV cameras and the review stand dignitaries we go to the lot and eat a snack load and head to Fort Tabor for some free time and a concert for the town of New Bedford.
We arrive at Fort Tabor and are amazed at the number of people there grilling, pick-nicking and just enjoying the holiday. We are getting star treatment as we roll through the gates of the park with an escort. The Crossmen are in street clothes as our hosts have prepared hamburgers, hotdogs and chips for the members and steaks for the staff. Mike Lyman is the grill-master cooking the New Bedford donated burgers, dogs and steaks on our host supplied grill.
The historic Fort Tabor site is an awesome backdrop for our night time 4 th of July concert. Brian Martins, our New Bedford host, has really rolled out the red carpet for the Crossmen. He opens up the heavy wooden doors into interior to the Robert E. Lee designed fort. It is like entering into hallowed ground. There is a mysterious feel to the darkened 150 plus year old structure. The 20 foot walls extend 4 stories over our heads in the interior. The floor of the fort is grass lined and you can see the cannon and gun ports stacked three stories high pointing towards the water on three sides. It is obvious why this was a strategic defensive vantage point since before the Revolutionary war and was an active fort until after WWII. A park pick up is backed into the opening created by the heavy wooden open doors and flood lights are fired up in order to give us the light we need for warm up after the Crossmen horn line enters the interior. It gives us chills as the horn line warms up. The beautiful sound is unlike any we have heard. The acoustics unlike any venue we have witnessed. This experience will remain with the 2010 Crossmen for a lifetime.
The concert site outside of the fort is a new experience for us. Mike Roche is equipped with purple glow sticks in order to conduct. The fireworks are his backdrop. The corps is able to watch Mike and the rockets’ red glare illuminates his shadow. The timing of the fireworks and the music is uncanny. You would think that it was scripted. The designated small ensemble played the Star Spangled banner for the gathering audience after the pit played their melodic warm up. Baroque Samba, Thunderer March, Full Circle followed the playing of our nation’s national anthem. The concert was concluded with our corps song, Russian Christmas Music. The drumline entertained the crowd with our cadence. It was one last dance party before getting out of uniform, packing up and enjoying the cookie dough ice cream supplied by Brian and staff. Brian spoke to the corps relating that the town of New Bedford used to be a hot bed of drum corps activity. The town has not had a corps since the New Bedford Whalers went inactive in the early seventies. There are efforts by the local city managers to bring the Crossmen back to this celebration each year. The town of 100,000 has adopted the Crossmen as their own and will be pulling for us in Indianapolis. The corps erupts in cheer to Brian’s announcement. Brian encourages Crossmen to think of New Bedford as a sister city to our home town of San Antonio. Thank you Brian! You and New Bedford are great hosts. We will be back soon. This is one experience that we will not forget.
Monday, July 5 th, 2010
Dartmouth MS-Bristol Parade, Bridgeport CT, Show Day
It was an easy Monday morning for the Crossmen. After an early breakfast we EPL’d and headed for the Bristol, RI 4 th of July Parade. The Bristol Parade is the oldest continuously operated 4 th of July parade in the nation. This year’s version was the 225 th edition. The head of the parade route for the Crossmen is at our familiar housing site of Mt. Hope HS. We bring the convoy into the parking lot to unload with the intention of sending the equipment right after unloading to the end of the parade route in order to rendezvous with the corps. We load up the golf cart with the water bottles and three 10 gallon Cytomax coolers filled with ice water. Everything was going smoothly until the call to enter the parade route. I clipped the curb when U turning the golf cart and snapped the steering. Great! 150 Crossmen are going to be without water if we don’t think of something quickly. Jamie calls for me on the radio looking to place the cart at the back of the corps as they take the left hand turn onto the parade route. I have to tell him that I clipped the curb and broke the cart. I send the pit with the coolers. They come back at Jaime’s instruction for the three coolers. Fortunately the Air Force National guard folks that followed us in the parade volunteered to carry our coolers for us. All of this happened in a span of about 3 minutes.
Now that we know that the corps will be fine our attention turns to getting the golf cart back to the vehicle staging area. The convoy is being told to leave the lot and head to the rendezvous point. I plea for some time for if the convoy leaves we will not have a way to get the cart back to the trailer being pulled by the command center. Mike Lennox comes to my rescue. As I drive forward towards the trailer he is turning the front wheel with his foot in order to steer the cart. We travel the half mile at a snail’s pace but we get there and push the cart onto the trailer. Now we can head to the rendezvous point.
The reports are that three and a half mile parade route is lined 7 or 8 deep with happy enthusiastic revelers celebrating our great nation’s birth. The parade usually is on the 4 th unless the 4 th falls on a Sunday then the parade is moved to the following Monday. The 5 th of July, 2010 is just as exciting as last year’s 4 th. The corps meets us at the pick-up point a little tired but smiling at the thought of the crowd’s reception of the Crossmen as they made their way along the route. Marching past a marina, a post card like view of the ocean and many Victorian era homes with yards of people waving Old Glory and just having a grand old time is the order of the afternoon. Now we must head out of Bristol and meet up with the food truck for lunch. The Evan, the volunteers and the food truck are set up in a Wal-mart parking lot on our route to the competition in Bridgeport ,CT. After lunch we make our way down the traffic jam of the century on I 95. We are traveling at 25 miles per hour if we are moving at all. The drive that would normally take 2.5 hours takes 4.5. Fortunately Joe and Jaime have built lots of time into the schedule. We arrive with a full two hours of warm-up time plus the show is pushed back 30 minutes to allow people to get to the stadium due to extreme traffic problems in the area. The stadium does not allow pit carts so if we are to pick a day to have a broken one today is the day. We receive a nice reception and ovation from the audience. After snack we saddle up and head to the Biglerville High School housing site in Biglerville, PA. The seven hour jaunt is without incident. Time to get some rest!
Tuesday, July 6 th, 2010
Chambersburg, Show Day
The morning started with the first workers awake showing up outside the gym. Each morning at a new housing site the field lining crew gathers at the equipment truck and digs out their equipment. Three fields are quickly and precisely lined for the day’s rehearsal. The scaffolding crew assembles their three story aluminum tower starting one hour before the rest of the corps rises for the day’s work. These tour jobs allow for less sleep sometimes but are out of the way early.
After stretch and run, the corps attends to their stomach with the morning fare ready as they finish their physical training. We have many volunteers that have come in for various durations of time to help feed our drum corps. The food crew is usually the first out of bed and the last to lay their heads on the pillow at night. Evan Woods is their leader and has done a wonderful job planning and helping the crew prepare four meals a day for 200 hungry souls since spring training began.
During the morning block, Jon Cherry takes me to a golf cart shop. The 15 mile ride was worth the effort as they have the spindle assembly we need in order to fix our pit cart. Back at the school Ted, Arthur and I do our NASCAR pit crew imitation and whip off the broken assembly and whip on the new one in less than 20 minutes. After a brief test drive we certify it as race ready. One problem solved.
We have a business like rehearsal day prior to EPL and our trip to the Chambersburg Show site. Things at shows are becoming routine. We warm up, go to the gate and do our jobs on the field. We are getting more comfortable with each performance. The members are enjoying their time in front of the audience. After the performance, snack and a little free time, it is time to pack up. We depart the show site at 11pm. On to Dallastown for a rehearsal day!
Wednesday, July 7 th, 2010
Dallastown HS, Dallastown, PA-Rehearsal Day
The Dallastown educational park complex is one of the nicest facilities we visit each summer. Our hosts are always very accommodating and help us with the many errands and chores we attend to throughout the day. Many of the band students from the high school and middle school are in attendance for our rehearsals. Dallastown Band Director, James Dougert encourages his students to watch the Crossmen rehearsals as a motivational tool for his students.
While the Crossmen rehearse various projects are attended to including welding the wagon handle on the food truck wagon and repairs to the bed of the golf cart. During one of the meals, Mike Lyman sets up the wide screen TV from the souvie booth and his HD video camera for the corps. They get to watch themselves perform their show from a high camera vantage point. This is a very useful tool as members pick up on things that they are not totally aware of on the field but can adjust after seeing it from above. After ensemble we EPL and head for the Linton Middle School housing site in the Pittsburg area.
Thursday, July 8 th, 2010
Linton MS, Penn Hills, PA- Show Day-Pittsburg, PA
Crossmen started the day in the usual fashion. Field liners are up and preparing the boundaries for rehearsal. The scaffolding crew are up and working. The food crew started food prep for the morning meal. We will be leaving this housing site after ensemble and heading to the show site at the Baldwin High School Stadium in Pittsburg.
Rehearsal goes well. We EPL and head for the stadium with what we think is time to spare. Then we enter the traffic jam from Hades. If you know Pittsburg you know that it is referred to as the city of bridges. Not only bridges but traffic and tunnels are encountered on our route. Tour Director, Joe Banegas makes a mid-route adjustment as the stadium run report by our talented souvie crew lets us know that traffic was building as they went along the planned route. I know Joe saved us 40 minutes with the adjustment. The traffic only cost us 15 minutes of warm-up instead of the 55 it could have. We perform at our allotted slot in the performance schedule. The mood from staff was generally good. We have a long trip to Michigan ahead of us so the plan was to position the trucks and buses to leave at 9 pm and Mike would stay behind for the drum major retreat and ride on the RV to the next housing site. Best laid plans! After retreat Mike and I walk back to the parking lot and find that one of the motor coaches was stuck at the bottom of the hill exiting the neighborhood from the back gate of the stadium complex. From the looks of the grooves cut in the street John was not the first person to “high-side” a truck or motor coach there. The middle axle on the passenger side had its tires off the ground. This was not going to be an easy fix. We are going to need a big wrecker to pull us out of this one. John was not happy with himself and we all encourage him and tell him that things happen and we were going to recover just fine. Our Wynne motor coach crew has been the best driving team we have experienced since the move to TX. These guys are professional in everything that they do. They have developed a real love for our members, staff and drum corps. They are family now. We are going to act as a team and extract ourselves from this dilemma.
After a 45 minute wait, the tow truck arrives. It was the biggest and baddest machine of this type I have ever seen. It is bright white with orange flames with strobbing lights everywhere. The driver hops out after receiving instruction from the police officers at the scene and proceeds to hitch a chain to John’s coach’s tow hook after the members on the guard bus are directed to a yard a safe distance from the action. The first tug of the chain yields a broken chain! It is time to get the heavy armor out of the truck’s storage bins. The size of the links on the new chain is double the original. As the truck PTO is engaged, the chain is slowly and gently pulled toward the wrecker. John is behind the wheel as he directs the front of the coach out of the mess. It is like everything is happening in a slow motion ballet. We are free!
The Crossmen convoy loads up and proceeds to the rendezvous point with the other three coaches. Mike, Duke and Arthur have made their way to a truck stop in order to pass the time. We are finally on our way to Schoolcraft, MI. We adjust the schedule for tomorrow in order to reflect the new best laid plans!
Friday, July 9 th, 2010
Schoolcraft High School, Schoolcraft, MI- Rehearsal Day
Although starting a little later than originally planned due to the motor coach delay the night before the rehearsal day gets started and the Crossmen continue our march towards the second half of tour. The process becomes rote for the members but to the fresh eyes of staff that are rotating in, “Full Circle” has legs. We are improving each day. Everyone is positive and moving forward and looking for good things to happen this season. The Kalamazoo show will be the first event that we have competed in this season with more than 8 corps in attendance. It is nice to have a rehearsal day prior to a big show in order to prepare and not have a long drive to the event followed by a short rehearsal day.
The Schoolcraft band director and administration welcome us and make our stay a very productive one. After a long rehearsal day and snack the members are ready for 8 hours on the floor and uninterrupted sleep.
Saturday, July 10 th, 2010
Schoolcraft High School, Schoolcraft, MI- Show Day, Kalamazoo, MI
Another exciting show day is on the agenda for today. We conduct our morning and afternoon block with little delay. There is a brief 5 minute shower but nothing to stop our show preparations. Our trip to the Western Michigan University’s Waldo Stadium is only 14 miles and it goes without a hitch. With 12 corps in the lineup including some open class corps we are in for a great evening of drum corps in a very drum corps friendly stadium. The home side of the stadium is built into the side of a hill. The box is very high and the video platform is above the judge’s box. Mike has agreed to use the corps HD video camera to tape the show for the benefit of the staff. We are finishing our plans for the three rehearsal days prior to the Minneapolis Regional. The plan is to put in the revisions and changes that have come from our own observations and judges tape critique so far this season. The video tape will greatly aid the process.
Shortly after our performance, the Crossmen member leadership including: Mike Roche, Leighanne Fields, Matt Valentine and Jack Baker participated in a new program initiated by Susie Ferreira, DCI Group experience specialist. The program named “Meet and Greet” involved several members of the Madison Scouts and the 4 named Crossmen. The corps members would go into the stands and talk to some of the high school students and fans. The students would ask questions of the corps members including: How long is your season?, What do the Crossmen have for vehicles to get around on tour? and How do you become a member? This program will help fans see how accessible the participants in our activity are. The fans are used to seeing everyone in uniform strict marching formations, eyes front and not talking. This way they will see that our activity is populated by normal young people that are doing what they love. It makes drum corps achievable for the students attending the DCI events. The goal is that some of them will attend auditions in the fall.
After snack and the drum major retreat the Crossmen convoy heads to Fairfield, OH.
Sunday, July 11 th, 2010
Fairfield Freshman School, Fairfield, Ohio- Rehearsal Day-Laundry Day
The trek to Fairfield from Kalamazoo takes a little over 5 hours. One of the nice things about this housing site is that it also doubles as the show site for Monday’s show. We rehearse for two blocks and then it is time for laundry. I promised the member leadership way back in spring training that we would go out to dinner some night and talk about the state of the 2010 Crossmen. Each of the 13 leaders found a friend to do their wash while we went to our pow-wow. All 14 of us piled into the volunteer van and headed to the Olive Garden a few miles away.
Everyone had a good meal combined with pleasant conversation. It is a pleasure to actually sit in a chair in a nice restaurant and be waited on. After the appetizers and the main course we brainstormed some ways to improve how we do things and how to better motivate the balance of the membership for the stretch run. These young people are wonderful to be around. They only want the best for the Crossmen and they will do whatever is necessary to make good things happen this season. They understand the value in not waiting for good things to happen but spending the necessary effort to make it so.
We finish our evening with desert. I pay the tab and we pile back into the van for the ride back to the housing site. We arrive at precisely the same time as the Wynne coaches coming back from the laundries. It is almost 11 pm and time for lights out. The members get another night of 8 hours on the floor. This is almost heaven to them.
Monday, July 12 th, 2010
Fairfield Freshman School- Show Day
The wear and tear on the corps is greatly minimized when we get to stay overnight after a rehearsal day and prepare for a show. It is further reduced when that show day is at our housing site. We are really catching our breath and rehearsing with some extra energy due to the fact that everyone has had another full night on the floor. The timing of this extended stay is perfect for us. We could not ask for better hosts at Fairfield. Visual caption head Aaron Bailey is loving it as we are close to his home and he got to sleep in his own bed a couple of nights and visit his office. Aaron is in the computer business during “real life” but dedicates his summer and one weekend a month to making the Crossmen better marchers. Aaron and his staff of very competent visual techs are working overtime to help us improve. A local news crew stopped by and filmed a piece on the Crossmen and the DCI show. you can view it by clicking the link: http://www.wlwt.com/news/24228478/detail.html
We have a good show tonight and settle in after snack for another 8 on the floor. We will get up early tomorrow and head for Chicago for a free day. The members are really ready for a free day from all things drum corps.
 Crossmen Drivers: Arthur, John,Debbie,Garrett,Mike and Duke on Navy Pier in Chicago. Greatest driving team in DCI!
Tuesday, July 13 th, 2010
Fairfield Freshman School- Free Day- Navy Pier in Chicago
EPL and an 8:30 am departure put us into Chicago’s Navy Pier at 1:30 pm central time. The members pick up an extra hour with the time change from Ohio. The trucks head on to the next housing site in Harvard, IL while the van, 4 Wynne Motorcoaches and Mobile Command Center head for the pier. After dropping off the members, volunteers, a couple of admin and staff the convoy heads for a Target shopping center to park. The Target manager is kind enough to let us park our vehicles at the back of the lot for the day. The van then carries the drivers and balance of the admin team back to the pier. The members are not restricted to the pier and as long as they travel in groups of four or more can explore the area of Chicago near the pier. Deep dish Chicago style, pizza ice cream, a little shopping and a good old fashioned walk around the city were the most common things the Crossmen family did this day.
I took the drivers to dinner at an Italian place on the pier as a thank you for the job “well done” up to this point of the tour. These guys and gal are fun to be around. They genuinely like each other and they look out for each other. Our convoy is equipped with two way radios. Each night you can hear the drivers chatting about the days’ events or the cars they use to own, where they live, their families or how they are enjoying themselves being part of the Crossmen. They keep each other’s minds occupied so that the time goes quickly for them. Driving for 7 or eight hours night after night can take its toll if you are not around friends. I love this team!
Prior to picking up the members, Joe, Audi and I meet with the balance of the drivers and head for the Target. We leave the lot in a line after exchanging pleasantries with the security guard that kept an eye on our stuff. He wanted the short version of what drum corps is all about. Usually that comes from Joe, Audi or I. this time John gives him the brief education on drum corps and Crossmen. It didn’t take john long to be an advocate for drum corps.
We scoop up the Crossmen at the pier at 11 pm and head for Harvard, IL for two days of planned show, guard and music changes.
 Kayla and Mykail wearing their "Make A Change" gear.
Wednesday, July 14 th, 2010
Harvard High School, Harvard, IL-Change and Rehearsal Day
During our last three tours it became obvious that we can count on needing to make mid-course corrections to our show depending on early season judge and staff feedback. We have planned a block of days since March of when the time would most likely be needed and most important to fit into the schedule. We are at that point in the tour. Buckle up Crossmen. Our next three days include music, guard and visual changes and additions to improve our show.
After having a laundry day in Fairfield and an entire free day in Chicago the corps seems ready to tackle the tasks at hand. We have a visit from a local photographer and writer and expect that there will be a Crossmen article with photos in the local Harvard paper in early August.
Rehearsal is intense and full of new work for the guard most of all. The attitude from all sections is lets attack this stuff and get it clean. Kayla and Mykail are sporting their new “Make A Change” t-shirts and are really in the spirit. They work very hard to improve our guard.
The Minneapolis regional is our next big event and we want to show the world that we are ready.
Our hosts at Harvard High School are very accommodating. We have a pretty good sized audience for ensemble and open the souvie trailer to sell a few items to our new friends from Illinois.
We finish ensemble, have snack and go to bed. I feel that the members are exhausted but in great spirits. They know we are improving and that takes hard work.
Thursday, July 15 th, 2010
Harvard High School, Harvard, IL-Change Day ll and Rehearsal Day
Kayla and Michael are sporting their new “Make Changes” t-shirts for the second day. They made a pact that they would wear them until all of the guard changes are in. The white shirts with large purple letters are hard to miss. They are having fun with the conditions and I am sure that the guard will do their best to see that they don’t have to wear the shirts for too much longer. This whole drum corps thing we do is very difficult. Having a little fun along the way is a requirement. We are very proud of the work ethic of our guard staff. They are doing a great job.
By the end of the day all new work is in. We have a day in Owatonna, MN prior to the Minneapolis Regional show day to polish all of the new pieces of the puzzle.
Joe received a call from a reporter from Owatonna looking to do a phone interview for a feature article on the corps in the local paper. Crossmen supporter, Bob Fields, has been calling and writing two weeks ahead of our arrival at stops along our route. This has resulted in newspaper articles, TV interviews and visits from local politicians and community leaders contacting us and welcoming us.
We have another nice crowd at the ensemble rehearsal. Their applause makes us grateful and happy. The routine after rehearsal is EPL, showers, on the bus and then pass out! Another day of our 2010 tour is in the record books.
Friday, July 16 th, 2010
Owatonna High School, Owatonna, MN-Rehearsal Day
It is beautiful cool day in Owatonna. We have forgotten the 100 degree days of spring training in San Antonio. You need a hooded sweatshirt on in the morning if you go outside here. This is probably a result of our still being acclimated to the three weeks of spring training in the TX furnace. The conditions in Owatonna allow everyone to be more comfortable in every task they attempt today. Scotty picks up the local paper, the Owatonna People’s Press, because he saw the photo of the Crossmen on the front page. There are two well written articles over two days describing the DCI regional competition and the Crossmen. They also delve into the what, when and whys of our time at the Owatonna HS over our two day stay. Online copies can be viewed at http://www.owatonna.com/news.php?viewStory=118817 and http://www.owatonna.com/news.php?viewStory=118868. As a result of the articles, we see many people stopping by to see what is going on in their quiet community. The neatly parked, white nine vehicle Crossmen convoy decked out with Crossmen and Crossmen sponsor logos also says that Owatonna has special visitors.
As the day progresses we see partly cloudy conditions. At one point we receive a 5 minute drenching and go right back to work. We are cleaning the changes with a passion. Everyone knows the value of a great performance at the regional.
That night we have a crowd estimated to be close to 300 in the stands for our ensemble rehearsal. Our host, band director, Peter Guenpher makes an announcement during the break before the run through praising the Crossmen for their work ethic and their talent. Director Guenther expresses his gratitude to the community for coming out and showing support for their Crossmen guests. He also promotes the fact that there is a big regional in Minneapolis on Saturday with 23 groups performing and that the Crossmen souvenir trailer is open for business. These are the types of opportunities that help promote our activity and help increase the DCI fan base. The comments from first time observers always include how dedicated and talented these 150 young people are. We are making DCI fans and creating awareness one town at a time.
Saturday, July 17 th, 2010
Owatonna High School, Owatonna, MN-Minneapolis Regional Day
The weather forecast for today is definitely looking challenging. The Crossmen are set to arrive @ 2:30 pm at the stadium in Minneapolis. Joe takes me in the van to the DCI board of directors meeting. We leave Owatonna at 6:30 am for the meeting that starts at 8. The DCI meeting is located at a hotel within walking distance of the TCF Bank Stadium. The board meeting is scheduled to end at 2:30 so I make my way to the stadium afterwards on foot.
It is so nice to have a group of admin people that allow you to take care of other business items while on tour and you know that the convoy will be there intact and on time at the stadium. I have to remind myself that all of them are in their early to late twenties. They are always in a no win situation while on tour. If things go flawlessly it meets the expectation of all involved. If there is a hick up all eyes are on them looking for an explanation. There are so many things going on behind the scenes that members, parents, volunteers and staff are unaware of. That is our goal. We do the extra work and no one knows that there was a problem. Each of the admin team has experienced working 24 hours straight on occasion taking care of Crossmen business. You don’t get the proper thanks for your efforts but that is not your motivation for coming on board in the first place. Many thanks to: Jaime, Joe, Evan W., Audi, Rico, Ernie and Evan F. We cannot go down the road without you. You make it painless for me. Thank you for all of the sleep interrupted nights and extended hours you work day in and day out. We love you guys.
Now for the regional marathon in Minneapolis! The Crossmen warm up goes according to plan but we break out the plastic covers for the pit as the sky is darkening. We get to the cover of the stadium as the rain begins to fall. The pit and corps enter the bowels of the stadium and wait for our performance time. The tornado warning sirens start to sound after Spirit comes off the field. The doors are closed and we wait. During this time we put a call out to our drivers and volunteers encouraging them to get shelter in the Marriucci Center across from the parking lot per DCI instructions. Dan Acheson, DCI executive director has his eyes glued to the weather radar reading the current situation and looking for any windows of time to sneak another corps or two on the field. Dan’s tea leaf reading is right on. We go on the field as he predicted and find the skys are blue and the clouds are moving away.
Due to the delay we are afforded 10 minutes of warm up time. It was a sight to behold. The battery is in the right end zone playing through their warm up. The pit is playing their melodic warm up to the applause of the crowd. The horn line is arced and facing back field arched around the fifty yard line. Bones is in the stadium centered in the back grandstands. I am sure the horns see our ghost like symbol as they prepare and are energized by his presence. Brass caption head, Aaron Goldberg, has the Crossmen brass play their corps song warm up exerpt of Russian Christmas Music. I have goose bumps witnessing all of the proceedings. I think that this performance is going to be a good one. Showtime!
The energy and emotion of the performance is at the highest level we have seen this season. We exit the field to a thunderous applause from the larger than expected crowd.
We serve the evening meal after the members get out of uniform and pack up. We are concerned about more storms so we secure things in the food and equipment truck early. Good thing as here comes another gullywasher with sirens blaring and lightning flashing. Our intent was to leave by 9 but would have to wait for the storm. All of the staff and members are safe and sound in the stadium or the arena.
The storm passes but the event is called due to a noise ordinance and more storms on the way. We are disappointed that we did not receive a score for our efforts but under the circumstances are happy to have been able to perform. You must give credit to Dan and the DCI staff for their ability to get over half of the performing corps on the field during this very challenging day.
We depart for Kansas City at 10 but our storm adventure is not through. We make multiple stops as we head south on I 35. Joe is at the helm all night making the calls. We rest the drivers for a couple hours at one point as this big red mass on the weather radar is just ahead. The safety of our 200 Crossmen family members is our first concern. The last couple of hours of the trip is smooth sailing into our Smithville HS housing site. The weather didn’t hurt us but definitely left a mark. Joe finally gets to sleep after 28 hours. His is a heroic effort.
Sunday, July 18 th, 2010
Smithville High School, Smithville, MO-Rehearsal Day
The convoy rolled into Smithville five hours after our original schedule due to the weather delay and multiple rest stops. This throws the schedule out the window for the day. Jaime and Joe have plan B already on the board ready to go. The staff hops off their Wynne motor coach and proceed to help unload and set up the food truck as the corps was given 90 minutes to rest on the floor before wake up and breakfast. Teamwork is a beautiful thing. The added help will give Evan, Donna and the rest of our volunteer food crew time to prepare the morning meal for the corps. We are staying at Smithville tonight so the members will make up for the lack of floor time then.
The Bartleys live close by and Crossmen trumpet, Ethan Bartley is greeted by a large group of friends looking to offer support and to hear some of Ethan’s adventures from tour. It is good to see Tammy, Ed and Tristan Bartley again. They always give us a lift. This family has given lots of volunteer hours to the Crossmen the last two seasons. We wish we had a hundred more volunteers just like them.
One of the recent traditions that we have brought back this year is Mr. Clean. Our rendition of Mr. Clean wears an aussie and sits on the Jarvis model 15 drum major podium reminding everyone that cleaning the show is our primary focus. Mr. Clean is usually purchased at the local Wal-mart and is a bright florescent color. This year’s version is bright orange and is very visible from any position on the field. Today is cleaning day with a capitol “C”. The staff and members are relentless in their pursuit of perfection.
The run through in the stadium has the support of 100 people from the local community looking to witness cleaning of the Crossmen 2010 production “Full Circle”. The temperature has receded some and the conditions are pleasant compared to the hot and humid stuff from the afternoon. Our host, band director, Troy Cronkhite, has gone above and beyond to make our stay a great one. He is on the scene ready to jump on any problem that may arise. Thank you Troy!
After snack the corps settles in for a good night’s sleep.
Monday, July 19 th, 2010
Smithville High School, Smithville, MO-Show Day
The corps wakes up after a solid 8 hours on the floor. Rehearsal is brisk and upbeat. Mr. Clean is showing his effects as the drill forms are more readable than ever. The music changes are tightening up. The guard is better every rep and we are working together as a solid team. This weird drum corps life we lead seems normal to all of us by now.
We EPL and head to the show site that is 20 minutes away from the Smithville HS. The convoy receives its parking instructions from tour director, Joe Banegas, and we line up with the Wynne coaches with room in order to be ready to leave prior to the drum major retreat. This will allow us to capture enough time to give us proper rehearsal blocks in preparation for the show in Arkansas.
The Crossmen came to play tonight. We can see improvements in every area. The Ron Vaughn manufactured castanets are an innovative feature that came through in tonight’s performance. This is the second show that we have had them on the snare drums. Mounted to the Crossmen snares they set the stage for the Metheny works. Sounding like the prominate hand clapping in the original music, they offer a Latin like flavor. Ron is a well known producer of percussion items for the movie industry and for the world’s prestigious symphony orchestras. His high end products are used in many of today’s motion picture sound tracks by the world’s best foley artists. The cool thing for us is that he was able to attend tonight’s show and see his handiwork on display and in use. The castanets he built for us each come in their own wooden case. My first reaction to seeing them is that these are a work of art.
Ron and I met in person for the first time at this show. This is also the first drum corps event that Ron has ever attended. His first words to me regarding our show were ”That was impressive!”. Another tidbit that many are not aware of is that last season Ron’s company manufactured the wood blocks that were mounted to the snares for the 2009 Forbidden Tour. He builds the finest specialty percussion items.
The exit from the lot by 9 pm goes well. All but the RV escape and get on the road to Arkansas. The RV with the remaining admin and drum major Mike Roche on board leaves the lot after retreat at 10:30. Most of the time we can make up the departure difference by the time the corps arrives at the housing site. Tonight we arrive ten minutes after the corps. Debbie was at the controls of the RV again tonight. She has done a tremendous driving job for us this last couple of weeks.
Special thanks go out to the Bartleys for providing pizza for snack at the show. We look forward to seeing all of you in Indy at Championships.
Tuesday, July 20 th, 2010
Greenwood HS, Greenwood, AR-Van Buren-Show Day
Crossmen have not done the Van Buren show before and this is our first visit to a show in Arkansas since 2003. Arkansas is the home state of Crossmen euphonium player, Travis Cannady. Travis has been a fixture at Crossmen for a few years. His father Tom has taken over the manufacturer of the crosses each member receives after their first performance. These crosses are a symbol that they are and will always be a member of the Crossmen family. You can see each member wearing them around their neck with pride. Alumni members can be seen at various events proudly showing their allegiance to their corps. The preparation of each cross is painstaking work. After they are cut out of wood, each cross is hand painted with multiple coats of enamel. They are black on one side and red on the other. An eye hook is installed after a tiny pilot hole is drilled. Then each necklace is hand tied from black chord so that it can be adjusted snugly around your neck. The adjustment makes the Crossmen symbol visible after putting it over your head. Tom’s work is a great service to the corps. We wish to take a moment to express our gratitude to Tom and his family for taking on this project. It is a real service to the Crossmen. Thank you Tom!
The show in Van Buren goes smoothly. We have a good performance. Tonight the trip takes us back to our home state. You can feel a momentum building as we head for Dallas.
Wednesday, July 21 th, 2010
Birdville, HS-North Richland Hills, TX-Rehearsal Day
It is nice to be back at Birdville, HS. We are greeted by many family and friends as the corps rises for breakfast and the start of the day’s work. We have many day volunteers arrive to take some of the pressure of tour off of the current traveling crew. Tonight the laundry will get done as another two weeks has passed. Many of the Dallas area members will get to spend time with family and have their clothes washed at home so that they can have a sit down meal with the folks and catch up after the rehearsal day.
We are very grateful to the Birdville ISD administrators and especially the Birdville HS administration and band directors for allowing us to be guests at their fine facility. The use of their great turf stadium is a valuable tool to our continued improvement on the field. Crossmen offer special thanks to low brass instructor, Gary Barnard, for helping to facilitate our stay.
Thursday, July 22 th, 2010
Birdville, HS-North Richland Hills, TX-Show Day
Today’s show is the beginning of the South West series culminating with our Sunday night performance in San Antonio. Each of the world class corps will spend one night in Dallas and one night in Houston. They will be split in numbers to allow for two distinct lineups. There will be two great nights of drum corps in the three major metropolitan areas of Texas over the course of 4 days. The finale is a performance in the San Antonio Regional on either Saturday night or Sunday night. The San Antonio event is usually a one day event in the Alamodome. This year the Dallas Cowboys training camp has preempted our ability to use the dome. The TX heat prevents a single day show as the potential for 100 plus degrees in the middle of the day would be brutal for both spectators and corps members. The DCI staff came up with the next best solution to the dome by splitting the corps over two nights at the regional. The site of the event is the newly constructed Rutledge Stadium in the Converse Judson ISD.
Each night is like a home show for the Crossmen. The Dallas crowd welcomes us to the stadium to with a rousing ovation. Their appreciation is shown throughout the show. We are treated like a home town favorite and the corps responds with their best performance to date. Tonight we leave after the show for stop number two of the Texas swing. Houston will bring more Crossmen family members to our housing site.
Crossmen colorguard member Piper Jones father Greg is a videographer by trade. Greg volunteered to videotape our arrival and document out two hour warm-up sequence prior to step off at the show in Dallas. To see this video and gain a little insight to the work that goes into putting the corps on the field prior to our performance follow the link: http://www.facebook.com/l/6a103FyWvEVR4WXBqo_i3Zcpixw;www.youtube.com/watch?v=FqCbb8wjsA4
Thank you for a great taping and editing job, Greg. We will cherish this one.
Friday, July 23 rd, 2010
Claughton Middle School-Houston, TX-Show Day
I can hear the bell ringing with the announcement “Round Two of the DCI Texas Showdown is about to begin.” We are working and fighting to improve. The new guard work and staging is very effective. The music revisions, horn moves and the spin move with the crash chord are getting the responses we are looking for from the audience. Each competition brings an increase in performance comfort level. Everyone is working hard to improve.
This morning we receive a welcome visit from our friends and new product sponsor, Jarvis Marching Equipment. Mr. Jarvis, Jennifer Grissom and a couple of the techs from the Jarvis manufacturing shop are here to evaluate the equipment they supplied us with at the beginning of tour.
We are using many very well designed pieces of Jarvis equipment on the field this summer. The model 15 podium is probably the most visible. The podium doubles as a transportation cart and a drum major podium. The feature that we like the most is that the platform gives us a professional look on the field as we have a sign that displays the classic Crossmen logo to the audience along with the Jarvis logo. The scissor lift design is easy to raise and lower. The hydraulic cylinders allow the weight to be balanced and require very little effort. There are two locks so that when in the up position the lift feature is secure. There is a ladder positioned at an angle that drum major, Mike Roche, can ascend in a normal comfortable manner.
The other Jarvis pieces we are using this year include carts for our three Yamaha Motif 7 synthesizers, a rolling drum set platform, three conductor stands, a conductor platform and a durable rolling frame for our Yamaha Glockenspiel. All of these Jarvis supplied pieces of equipment are powder coated black as was our preference. We are very impressed with the Jarvis equipment and the Jarvis customer service. Our Jarvis relationship is based upon Crossmen functioning as a rolling product test bed, provide product R&D feedback and creating national exposure for the Jarvis brand. Visit http://www.jarvisonline.com/ for product information. Tell them the Crossmen sent you.
We have a normal arrival and a good showing in round two. Each Texas show is a homecoming for us as the bulk of our members are Texans. The crowd response is always great. Friends and family gather again prior to departure for the third and final round. Maureen and Denise made the drive earlier in the day in order to see their Crossmen kids rehearse and compete again. I drive the Yukon home while the convoy makes its way to the Madison HS in San Antonio. Our friend band director Phil Flynn is there to greet the Crossmen. Two rounds down and one more to go.
Saturday, July 24 th, 2010
Madison HS-NEISD Heroes Stadium- San Antonio, TX-Rehearsal/Family Day
Ok, I must confess it was nice to sleep in my own bed for the first time in over a month even if it was only for six hours. There was work to be done so the alarm went off at 7 am. Paperwork and preparations for the balance of tour were the order of the day for Maureen and me. I had not done laundry either so that was on the menu along with a much needed haircut. We arrive at the North East Independent School District’s new Heroes Stadium. The Crossmen are already at work. Mr. Clean is occupying his place of honor next to Mike on the Jarvis podium.
Evan, Joe and Maureen have planned the first ever Crossmen Family Homecoming Dinner for tonight. We have over 150 RSVP’s for the new event. Pasta with meat sauce, salad and lots of family provided desserts decorated the serving line. We can’t forget the drum corps staple peanut butter and jelly sandwiches as an added menu item for the extra hungry.
After the corps goes through the food line the family members take their turn. We stagger the line so that the corps can get to ensemble rehearsal and family can watch while eating their meals. After rehearsal there is a little time to visit prior to the corps getting on the Wynne coaches for the short trip to Madison for some much needed rest. Tomorrow is a big day and we can sense an increase in purpose by the corps.
Sunday, July 25 th, 2010
Madison HS-NEISD Heroes Stadium- San Antonio, TX-Regional Day
The San Antonio show day is always an electrifying and exciting time for the corps. With so many members from Texas and the San Antonio area in particular the energy is up as family and friends give positive reinforcement to the members, staff and volunteers. It is like being hooked to a battery charger giving renewed life to our storage cells. This day will carry us a little further down the road towards Indy.
After the ensemble rehearsal at the beautiful Heroes Stadium the corps loads, showers and eats prior to getting on the Wynne coaches for the ride to the new Rutledge Stadium show site. The show site is a little challenging as there is lots of new construction in the parking areas with buildings and new roads popping up all around. We have a mile walk to the stadium from the warm up zones. The stadium is gorgeous but the area around it is like a war zone. The DCI folks have their hands full but make the best of the logistics for the show. This is where we miss the air conditioned Alamodome. The temperature is in the upper nineties but the humidity is relatively low. We have performed in tougher conditions. We forget all about the heat when the corps is introduced and the crowd responds with cheers. Another Texas home show, there is nothing like it. We leave our home town and are on the way to Birdville HS.
Tuesday, July 27 th, 2010
Airline HS-Bossier City, LA –Almost Rehearsal Day
Now this one is going into the weirdest day of tour history books. Hang on! We arrive at our Airline HS housing site with little fanfare and a sense of normalcy. We have stayed here in the past when there was a show in Monroe. This year the Monroe show was cancelled in March so we asked for and received permission to stay for a rehearsal day at the home of the Bossier City Vikings. Bob Fields’ advance work secured some newspaper and TV publicity and even a promise by the Bossier City Mayor’s office to present us with a key to the city. Then the wheels fell off.
It seems that there was a misunderstanding between our band director host and Joe regarding which of the baseball fields we had permission to line as a football field for percussion practice. It turns out that the softball field was ok but the baseball field was a no-no. Our crew squeezed through an opening in the fence and lined the baseball field as instructed.
The baseball coach was not happy and called the principal. The principal told the band director that we had to leave. We had to be gone ASAP. The principal and administrative staff were in a safety planning meeting with the chief of police. I asked the band director to remind the principal that the mayor was to come by at 4:30 pm to present a key to the city. The band director calls Joe back and relays that the mayor was called by the principal and we needed to be gone by noon. He was sticking by the principal’s decision. If that wasn’t bad enough, along comes the burley assistant principal accompanied by a tall police officer. They wanted to speak with the person in charge. It did not matter that the field lining was an honest mistake nor that the white stripes would be gone at the next grass cutting. They were also concerned about liability if someone was hurt hopping the fence. I did not know at this time that there was a hole in the fence that anyone could have walked through. The field liners are used to doing what is necessary to get their job done in time for breakfast. The gates to fields are not always unlocked. Personnel are not always on hand to open the locks for the fields we have permission to use. It wasn’t bad enough that they had already told us we had to vacate the premises. They wanted to make sure I knew how upset they were. The vice- principal peppered me with leading questions. He was not impressed with my responses. The police officer wanted to reinforce the fact that we needed to be gone by noon. “Are you prepared to go with me to my jail if you are not off this property by noon”, he says. I simply say, “Yes I am. If we are not off the property by noon you can take me to jail.” I have never been threatened with arrest in my 55+ years on this planet. This is quite an amazing turn of events. We have gone from receiving a key to the city to eviction in the matter of a couple of hours. We have never been treated to such a runaway train of emotions at a housing site.
But it isn’t over yet. We now have a couple of new visitors looking for a pound of my flesh. The muscle bound principal and the stately chief of police are here to talk to the person in charge. After a ten minute question and answer period the principal asks the chief of police if he was satisfied that we would be gone and that he had no further issues. The chief said that he was indeed satisfied. It became obvious during this latest line of questioning that the principal was not informed of the total duration and extent of our use of their site. The lining of the baseball field would probably only been the beginning of our issues. It seems that the administration at Airline is new and our friend the band director was our only common denominator. In his defense he only wanted to grow the bond and relationship with the Crossmen and help to strengthen his band program with our example of hard work and excellence. The response from the administration to our gaff was little to no show of compassion for an honest mistake. It is too bad. I seem to remember our great state receiving people from Louisiana when the terrible storms hit a few years ago. It looks like the Texas based Crossmen will have to look elsewhere for shelter from the storm.
To our members’ and staff’s credit everyone rolled up their sleeves and got us out of dodge by 11:30 am. My clean record is secure for another day. We turn this misadventure into a positive as we are on our way to Ashland, AL early. It is a 10 hour drive. I challenge the Crossmen over the radio to have a great rehearsal day and be prepared to give their best performance in Gadsden, AL. We encounter a few furious rain storms on the way. Evan comes up with a plan for feeding the members their normal regimen of four meals a day. We call ahead to truck stops along the way obtaining permission to set up and feed the members and staff in their spacious lots. What we lose in rehearsal today we gain in rest and eight hours on the floor for the members. The rehearsal day in Ashland will be long but productive. The end to the strangest day in recent Crossmen history ends well.
Wednesday, July 28 th, 2010
Ashville, HS, Ashville, AL- Rehearsal Day
Three rehearsal blocks today means that the Crossmen are going to have their fill of drum corps rehearsal. The Ashville band director and staff have gone above and beyond in their preparation for our two night stay.
One of the details that I left off yesterday, the strangest Crossmen tour day in recent history, is that the scaffold/golf cart trailer lost an outer bearing on the left side. John smelled burning rubber as we were making our way down the highway. Joe pulled the convoy into a Wal-mart within 75 miles of our destination. We did not see anything wrong on John’s coach. As the RV made a slow turn in the lot the wheel fell off. The outer bearing in the hub was vaporized, gone , history! The rubber smell John detected was the trailer tire rubbing on the fender. We are lucky the wheel waits till we are in the lot to exit the trailer fender well.
After a few minutes to survey the situation we send the rest of the convoy with half of the admin team on their way. The box truck waits with the RV to lend a helping hand. We unload the scaffolding into the box truck and retrieve the jack and jackstands. Joe is on the computer looking for a trailer parts place in case they are still open. We eventually send the box truck with Taylor, Corey and Taylor’s father Roy so that the corps can rehearse with their tower if we take most of the day to run down parts and fix the trailer. Our volunteer RV driver, Bob Unfried, Joe and I are going to spend the night in the Wal-mart parking lot because the parts places don’t open till after 7 am. The corps reports their safe arrival in Ashville. We hit the McDonalds close by for a midnight snack before retiring for the night. The next morning Joe and I head to the largest trailer parts place either of us has ever seen. We pick up what we need with spares in case of another mishap while Bob waits with the golf cart and trailer. Bob has a visitor while we are gone. Bob’s son Jonathan is in the Air Force. Jonathan has recently returned from Iraq. Bob’s son lives close by and brings his tool box when Bob calls in case we need tools to complete the job. We all chip in to get the trailer back in shape, reloaded and on the road. We say our goodbyes to Jonathan and head for Ashville.
The rehearsal day is productive. We are sure that the corps is tired but better in every way. Lights out brings silence as the corps is quick to fall asleep after a long day. Our hosts at Ashville are spectacular. They see the value in our stay at their school. We have officially recovered from the rough handling in Louisiana none the worse for wear and tear. It is nice to feel appreciated again.
Thursday, July 29 th, 2010
Ashville, HS, Ashville, AL- Gadsden, AL-Show Day
We are well rested from our eight hours of floor time. The short rehearsal day leading up to the run through and EPL is productive. The ride to the stadium is uneventful. The two hours of warm up time goes by without a hitch. We have become a well oiled machine. I can’t put my finger on the exact time of this transformation but it must have been a gradual steady stream of improvement to get us to this point. I am really proud of our young people. We are constantly reminded by others of their politeness and genuine happiness. They are enjoying the journey and handling the bumps and bruises along the way. The members have grown up before our eyes. This is what I live for. The payday for this hard road is the development of our young people. All things are possible for them. They are building life skills and lifelong relationships.
We do discover another casualty of our journey from Louisiana. It appears that the souvie trailer has lost an outer bearing on the left rear axle. The trailer was serviced prior to our departure from our spring training site in late June. We expected a flawless journey in this department. Taylor removes the left rear tire and the souvie gang shuffles the load in order to take weight off the back axle. He is going to make the trip on three wheels at the advice of the Wells Cargo trailer people. I locate a dealer that can do the repairs in the morning. Taylor will limp there after the show and be ready when the doors open. The souvie team is always prepared for whatever is thrown at them. Never a complaint they just dig in and plow ahead. It doesn’t surprise me as they are all Crossmen ageouts.
Friday, July 30 th, 2010
Adairsville HS-Adairsville, GA-Rehearsal Day
This place is “ginourmous” and beautiful! The rolling land here makes for a unique setting with hills in the background. The school is about five years old and has all of the amenities you can think of. The Adairsville band is waiting for us when we get up in the morning. They are the friendliest bunch we have met to date. The band director and his students go out of their way to visit with us and make us feel welcome. We have been invited back for next tour already and we have been here less than 5 hours. What a great feeling.
We are working hard. Preparation for the Georgia dome event is intense. The first 30 seconds of the show is converted to preshow with the announcement coinciding with the build to the first major impact. Room for the announcement is created by the lower pit and percussion music volume after the castanet intro. The show has been written this way from the beginning but the move of the announcement will occur for the first time at the Atlanta Regional. We worked through the timing of set up and the first and second announcement tonight prior to the run to insure no penalties. Everything worked like clockwork. We are in good shape for tomorrow’s performance.
After our run though and snack the Cymbal line performed their I & E show for the corps and staff in the Adairsville HS Auditorium. They received a standing ovation from the corps and staff. For I & E the cymbals we awarded a score of 90.0. They finished 3 rd Academy and Santa Clara Vanguard. SCV scored a 90.5. It is obvious why the Crossmen placed so well. The production was very entertaining and well done. After the performance the corps settled in for another full night on the floor. Big day tomorrow!
Saturday, July 31 th, 2010
Adairsville HS-Atlanta Regional-Show Day- Georgia Dome
Joe shuttles me to the Georgia Dome by 10 in the morning. There is a DCI Voting Membership and Corps Managers Meeting scheduled for 1 pm in meeting room #3 of the dome that I am attending. Joe needs time to get back to the housing site after dropping me off. He treats the trip as a stadium run and “Fred shuttle”, killing two birds with one stone. The DCI meeting concludes just as the Crossmen arrive in the lot. Joe, Audi, Evan, Rico and Ernie have the well oiled machine that is our convoy in the lot on time. Everyone is going about their normal pre-show preparations when I arrive at the RV. The equipment truck is a 10 minute walk from the corps parking lot. It is positioned near one of the loading docks of the convention center adjoining the massive Georgia Dome. The pit is positioned in one of the interior walkways of the complex out of the sun and there is a cool breeze as they warm-up for the regional.
DCI contest coordinator, Scott Litzenberg comes by on his golf cart and asks to relay the message to get everyone inside the covered areas of the convention center as a big rain storm is coming. The rain hits hard. The water is coming down so hard and entering the storm sewer so fast, we watch a manhole cover dance of off its seat in the road as if it did not weigh a thing. The runoff is displacing the air so rapidly that its only escape route is to raise the cover in the air like a toy. It is pouring!
The rain does not affect our step off time as the Crossmen are under cover continuing our warm-ups. We enter the field and are amazed at the size of the crowd. This is a very well attended event. It is the largest Georgia dome crowd that I can remember and they are ready to cheer! We have our best performance to date. As we exit the stadium we see that the sun is shining and we are spared the drudgery of loading in the rain. The corps has snack, some free time and leaves the lot for the next destination. The well oiled machine is heading to the Carolinas. Special thanks to our housing hosts the Adairsville HS Administration and the Adairsville Band and directors.
Sunday, August 1 st, 2010
Fort Mill High School- Fort Mill, SC-Show Day
The ride to Fort Mill was an easy 250 miles. All is well. No misadventures with equipment. We are set up for a two block rehearsal day and a short trip to the NightBeat show tonight hosted by Carolina Crown. The Fort Mill HS is no stranger to housing corps as Crown uses it for some of its winter camps each year. I know that I will get to see my friends on the Crown food crew, Ronnie and Susan Murphy. My first real DCI touring experience was with Crown in 2004 and 2005 as a volunteer. Susan, Ronnie and I have kept in touch ever since. They maintain a positive attitude no matter how challenging things might be. Ronnie’s jokes will always make you smile.
The Rock Hill District Stadium is the site for tonight’s show. We have been here before and know the where and how to go about getting parked and set up for warm-ups. The grass field behind the stadium fills with motorcoaches and trucks. The grandstands fill beyond capacity. Before the night is through, not only are the front stands full but there are a few hundred people sitting in the back grandstands. There are people everywhere.
The Crossmen perform to the very receptive crowd and receive a great reaction throughout the show and a rousing applause upon conclusion. The corps is more competent with each passing day. It is hard to believe that we are in the month of August already. Time has flown by us. We are in the home stretch with a few shows and the Allentown Regional remaining before we head to Indy and Championship week.
I am able to spend some time with the Susan Ronnie and Reina before the scores are announced and we depart for our next destination. The special relationships you develop with this vagabond lifestyle are very rewarding. You can capture a little bit of home wherever you go.
Monday, August 2 nd, 2010
Salem High School- Salem, VA-Rehearsal Day-Laundry
The set up for us in Salem is a little different from our norm. The Salem High School is a distance from the stadium on the fairgrounds that doubles as the show site. The Command Center, Food truck and Equipment Truck stay on the grounds of the stadium parking lot while the Wynne motorcoaches and van stay at the high school at night. Crossmen will rehearse and shower at the show stadium. The stadium is part of the James E. Taliaferro Sports and Entertainment Complex. This facility houses a minor league baseball park, field house and football stadium among other sports venues. This week the site is also hosting a big dog show at the field house. Drum Corps and Show Dogs what an interesting combination!
Today’s schedule calls for two blocks followed by laundry and free time. The weather is unseasonable cool for August in Virginia. It is very pleasant for everyone involved. You can see why the Smoky Mountains are called that as there is a hazy cloud cover draped over the hills in the background of the facility. The show stadium seats over 7,000 and is a new turf field. We hear the place will be sold out.
The corps will get 8 hours of floor time in preparation for tomorrow night’s show. The members should be well rested and smelling fresh with a new batch of clean clothes. The last laundry day of the season has been logged. Less than two weeks left of this life changing journey together. Cherish it Bones!
Tuesday, August 3 rd and Wednesday August 4 th, 2010
Salem High School- Salem, VA-Show Day and Fairfax, VA-Show Day
The Crossmen spend a productive two blocks in the beautifully maintained Salem stadium. Rehearsing in the show site stadium really allows the corps to get familiar with their surroundings and the feel of what it will be like tonight less the crowd. After ensemble the Wynne coaches and trucks must be re-parked in the corps parking area on the other side of the field house where the dog show is being held. The corps goes through the normal warm up cycle in preparation for the show and proceeds to the gate. They are welcomed by an over flow crowd. This event is sold out and there are people sitting on the back grandstands and in the grassy hill past the far end zone in order to catch the show. The Salem promoters have done a great job bringing drum corps to their town. The Crossmen perform their best performance to date and receive an ovation for their efforts.
After the performance the corps goes through the post show cycle of getting out of uniform, loading equipment and instruments, eating their snack and hanging out at the show. I see various groups of Crossmen talking with the show dog owners about their animals. They are sitting on the ground near the portable pens admiring their favorite breeds and learning what show dog circuit life is all about from the owners and breeders. Drum corps educational opportunities are not limited to music and marching. We head out after the drum major retreat. On to Fairfax for Virginia stop number two.
Well its déjà vous all over again! About 1 am John smells tire smoke coming from the Mobile Command Center trailer. The equipment truck, the box truck and command center pull over. The rest of the convoy is sent on its way. Upon further investigation Joe diagnosis the problem as a broken main leaf spring on the driver’s side of the trailer causing the suspension to drop the tire so that it subs on the inner fender. We limp two miles to a truck stop at the next exit. To compound things it is starting to rain. We retrieve the jack, jackstands, welder and tools from the box truck as the rain picks up to a downpour. The box truck with Taylor and crew and Scotty and the equipment truck are sent on their way. We are going to spend another night in the RV waiting for the sun to come up so that we can get parts and put the trailer back together in the morning in order to join the corps ASAP. This time I am afraid that we are in the middle of rural Virginia and the parts could be hard to come by.
The sun comes up. Joe searches the internet for utility trailer parts and low and behold there is a trailer parts place 6 miles from our temporary truck stop home. What luck! Laird unhooks the trailer from the RV. Joe and I get to the store and find everything we need. We purchase parts for the other side also. The Crossmen pit crew with the addition of Laird Bourdon, as RV pilot and wrench, goes to work. After a trip back to the store for a couple of tools and u-bolts we finish the job by 11:00 am. The corps is in MD rehearsing. They will EPL at 2. We determine that we need to meet them at the show site instead of trekking 1 ½ hours past the show only to turn around and head south to Fairfax. This allows us to make the 100 mile drive with ease. A break at a truck stop up the road for a shower and lunch rejuvenates all of us. We arrive at Fairfax in plenty of time. This allows us to give the corps a heads up on the parking situation at the spread out venue that is George Mason University. We warm up and make our way to the field. The pit is staged in the end zone and the corps is at the gate at the opposite end of the field. Scott Litzenberg is show coordinator and comes over to me to tell us a storm is rapidly approaching. He is hesitant to send us on and wants to send everyone to the field house adjacent to the stadium. After quickly covering all of our pit equipment we hear an announcement that everyone needs to make their way to the field house for cover including the spectators. The rain dumps on the field but everyone is safe inside. The atmosphere is party like with everyone in the spacious building waiting for the storm to pass. There is a directors meeting under the DCI tent outside after the rain passes. Scott assures us that the field is in great shape and the rain is done for the night. We all agree to go on. The schedule is adjusted with the Crossmen warming up on the field and performing at 9:10. Scott’s weather predictions hold up. The pit entertains the crowd with their warm up and receives an applause at its conclusion. Show time brings the Crossmen’s best performance of the season. We pack up afterwards, pleased with our efforts. The tour is taking us back to our roots in West Chester, Pennsylvania.
Thursday, August 5 th, 2010- Valley Forge Military Academy, Wayne, PA- West Chester Show Day
We arrived at our Valley Forge Military Academy housing site in good order. This campus is very spread-out and filled with many historic looking red brick colonial style structures. VFMA has been the scene of a few movies made over the last couple of decades. We see a few signs around the property pointing out directions to a film crew. We wonder what is up with that.
The morning at VFMA was very pleasant. Temperatures have been in the low seventies to mid-eighties at the hottest part of the day. Rehearsal is on the football field at the opposite end of the sprawling facilities from the food truck and the sleeping quarters for the corps. The golf cart came in handy for the transportation of meals and supplies. Lunch was transported up to the football field in order to save the members the mile and a half long walk across campus and the mile and a half walk back to the field, conserving rehearsal time and energy.
Joe reported that the 40 minute drive to the stadium was without incident with the exception of low branches on the last portion of the show directed route.
Robbie Robinson, Crossmen founding director and his wife, original corps mom, Charlotte, offered to pick me up at the academy after rehearsal and make a home cooked meal for me and then we would ride to the show together. I was pleased to see that Gisselle Montreal and her family were at the Robinson’s also. Gis is the first and only women snare player in Crossmen drumline history until Kali Ridal joined the Crossmen this season. Gis marched in 1982 along with Mark Thurston and Rob Robinson. Gisselle also related her drum corps history that included an all female Canadian corps called Les Châtelaines. She started marching snare there in 1976. I am always amazed by the people I meet in my Crossmen journey. So many good people have been involved in this corps since its inception. What is remarkable is the passion they still have for the drum corps activity and specifically the Crossmen. Gis’s family , Robbie, Charlotte and I pile into her mini-van and head to the West Chester University Stadium for the show. This is a bit of a homecoming for me as WCU is my alma-mater. I am a proud member of the Class of ’77.
We arrive at the stadium to find the Crossmen convoy is parked and ready for action. The gatewalk, performance and return to the convoy are becoming pretty rote by this time in the season. We were very well received by the crowd even though the staff thought the show was a little safe and down on energy. We pack up and leave after the drum major retreat. We are going back the VFMA for some sleep.
Friday, August 6 th, 2010- Valley Forge Military Academy- Rehearsal Day-Homecoming Dinner
Today is another pleasant, dry and sunny day in Eastern Pennsylvania. It is so much more comfortable when the conditions are like they are today. We have a lot of alumni visitors and volunteers today. The Crossmen Alumni Association, NE Chapter provided dinner today. The Philly fare included hoagies and TastyKakes. Last night at West Chester the Alumni provided snack at the stadium including Rita’s water ice and Philly soft pretzels. We have so many alumni supporters from around the country. It is great when they come out and mingle with our current members, volunteer and share their tour stories. My favorites include push starting the Jersey transit buses that served as member transportation up until 2006 and winning the 1981 VFW National championship. There is a large group in and around the Philadelphia area due to our 32 year history here prior to the move to San Antonio in late 2006.
We have no lights in the stadium so it will be an early rehearsal night. When the sun goes down, we are going to be done with the ensemble rehearsal. About 15 minutes prior to the run though a few guys with radios approached me wanting us to stop our rehearsal for 20 minutes so that they could film their shot. Turns out they are shooting a television pilot on the other end of the campus and the corps is too loud and interfering with their production. We settle on a seven minute break after I go up top and talk to the caption heads. The TV production team sends a crewman with a radio in order to call back to the director and give us the countdown so that we can continue the business at hand before the sun goes down. It is the first time we have given a “filming break” during rehearsal instead of the normal water break. Maybe I haven’t seen everything yet!
The corps has some time to themselves to work on any performance issues they may have. Lights out at midnight brings a quiet stillness at last.
Saturday, August 7 th, 2010- Valley Forge Military Academy- Allentown Regional-Hall of Fame Induction
J. Birney Crum Stadium is the hallowed hall of drum corps. The place is dripping of drum corps history. For over three decades the stadium has hosted the DCI Eastern States Regional Championships. Crossmen refer to the place as their 2 nd home show along with the San Antonio based South West Regional Championships. This is the stadium where in 2003 the Crossmen alumni rented a cherry picker so that they could raise Bones up over the back stadium wall and light the Crossmen specter with floodlights to the delight of the crowd. People are still talking about that one.
Today in Allentown is a special event for all Crossmen as they have their annual picnic in the park adjacent to the stadium and the Crossmen Hall of Fame Induction ceremony is to be conducted there this year. The convoy arrives from our Valley Forge Military Academy housing site in Wayne, PA on time and together. The Wynne coaches line up in the park with the other corps buses. The equipment truck, food truck, mobile command center and van are parked along the street in front of the stadium. The corps, dressed in halves, makes their way to the alumni tent. They form an arc at attention looking the part. They are a drum corps through and through. I am so proud of them as they stand there perfectly still waiting for the ceremony inducting Grant Davis and Dave Oechsle. Robbie Robinson, Crossmen founding director, made the introductions of the inductees. After hearing Robbie’s accounting of the two men’s unselfish contributions to the corps over many years it leaves no doubt as to why they have been elected to this elite group of Crossmen faithful. The corps is allowed to relax and immediately Gisselle makes her way to the snare line to introduce herself to the 2010 line. I ask her to pose with Kali in order to capture the moment when the only two ladies* to ever play snare for the Crossmen meet. The next thing I know someone is calling all Crossmen present and former snare players together for a photo op. There is 36 years of Crossmen history standing together. The moment gives me goose bumps. Next we hear the call for bass drums, colorguard and brass players to huddle up for a picture with their perspective groups. This is an amazing time together. We are bonding like the family we are. There is an excitement I haven’t seen before at these get togethers. We are all feeling it. This is a special day for sure. The family tree is long and growing. The common thread is binding us across 36 competitive seasons. The stories of touring are never ending and laughter fills the air. We hate to break it up but we have a warm –up to do. Some comment to me that they would probably never have agreed to bring the corps to this ceremony as it occurred at such a big competition. I think that it did more to prepare our members for tonight’s performance than they realize. The feeling that they are part of something very special is more concrete that ever. They have seen and met their history in the flesh. They are a continuation of a long line of Crossmen. We are so proud.
Tonight’s performance is energy filled. The Crossmen are supercharged tonight. The crowd is filled with Crossmen faithful. We know it because we saw them in the park. The members come out of the stadium knowing that they laid down a good one tonight. We allow the convoy to stay till after the drum major retreat. Tonight Mike Roche is dressed in a special throwback Crossmen Drum Major uniform. He is wearing gauntlets, cape, neckerchief crossed sashes and white aussie from the late seventies Crossmen uniform. He is mobbed by the members for photos after leaving the stadium. He is all smiles. We load up and head to western PA. Today was indeed a special day.
* I found out after the Homecoming report that there was a third young lady to march snare in 1987. Her name is Georgia Fulboam.
Sunday, August 8 th, 2010- Mercer High School- Mercer, PA-Rehearsal Day
The small but welcoming North Western Pennsylvania community of Mercer has opened their doors to the Crossmen for a stop-over rehearsal day as we make our way to Toledo for our last show of the season before Championships. A reporter from the local paper interviewed me and some of the members for an article explaining the Crossmen and our mission. We have some curious towns people stop throughout the day on order to investigate the source of the music. The Mercer Band director has gone out of his way to make our stay as pleasant and comfortable as possible. He encouraged his students to come to the ensemble rehearsal to watch us practice. Our stay was approved by a vote of the local school board. Music education is important in Mercer. The facilities show their pride and how they value the performing arts. It is nice to see this in rural America. Mercer is developing well rounded young adults.
Tonight after the run through Tour Assistant and Crossmen camera man Rico Gomez has a video projector with the Allentown performance loaded into it shinning on the white exterior of the Food Trailer. It is like drive-in movie night for the corps. Everyone takes turns eating their snack while watching the latest great performance in the historic J. Birney Crum stadium in Allentown as we EPL.
We have a four hour ride to our next destination, Pike-Delta-York Middle School our first Toledo housing site when we made the initial trip to Toledo in June. We have come “Full Circle”.
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