Follow along as Natalie commentates on the first show of the 2022 DCI season, Corps at the Crest - San Diego! Stream the show LIVE on FloMarching at 6:30pm PT/9:30pm ET

Everything You Need To Know About DCI 2022

2022 Streaming Schedule   |   DCI 2022 At A Glance   |   2022 Production Improvements

Good evening everyone and thanks for joining me during today's live blog of Corps at the Crest - San Diego! The show kicks off at 6:30pm PT/9:30pm ET, and you can stream it LIVE on FloMarching here. Be sure to refresh this page once every few minutes for up-to-the-moment updates from the field.

12:50pm PT / 3:50pm ET

Before we get started this evening, here's some information about the 2022 DCI season that you may want to know ahead of this week's busy schedule.

• Rebroadcasts: EVERY show stream this season will have a rebroadcast with sound the following day! So whether you're watching in real-time or the day after, Flo's got you covered. Rebroadcasts will start at 12pm ET/11pm CT the day after the original stream day for all shows, aside from the San Antonio, Atlanta, Allentown, and World Championships streams which will begin at 10am ET/9am CT to accommodate the long list of participants. Check out the infographic below for all the relevant info about rebroadcasts for the season.
• We're in the process of securing more music rights than ever, which means that our audience can look forward to more archives with sound than ever before!
• You'll want to check out our streaming schedule here, so you know what's streaming throughout the season, and when you can tune in on FloMarching.
• Peruse our production improvements for the season here, and get excited for overall higher quality streams all season long.

That's all for now! Be sure to keep tuning in throughout the night, all leading up to the start of Corps at the Crest - San Diego at 6:30pm PT/9:30pm ET

5:50pm PT / 8:50pm ET

It's getting close to go time in SoCal! As a brief refresher for y'all, here's the performance schedule for the evening:

*Note that all times are PT and subject to change

6:30pm - Welcome and national anthem

6:40pm - Vessel

6:50pm - Impulse

7:05pm - Golden Empire

7:20pm - Gold

7:35pm - Intermission

8:05pm - The Academy

8:23pm - Mandarins

8:41pm - Santa Clara Vanguard

8:59pm - Pacific Crest

9:24pm - Scores announced

6:15pm PT / 9:15pm ET

The Corps at the Crest - San Diego stream starts in just FIFTEEN MINUTES! Tune in on FloMarching here!

6:30pm PT / 9:30pm ET - Welcome & National Anthem

It looks like a beautiful evening in Vista, CA! What a perfect backdrop for the beginning of the 2022 DCI season and DCI's 50th anniversary. The vocalist, Bianca, did a great job with the live vocal performance of the national anthem. Let's go!

6:30pm PT / 9:30pm ET - Vessel

Show title: The Power of One

• We're kicking things off with the first Open Class corps of the evening - Vessel from Long Beach, CA.
• I love the uniforms the guard has on. The red really pops against the grey and black of the corps uniforms and against the props.
• Now I'll be the first to admit that I don't know much about drums in general, but I really enjoyed that strong drum feature at the end of their opening movement. Lots of forward momentum built up over time making the end of that piece super exciting.
• I'm really excited to see this show come together over the next few weeks! Audiences only got a brief look into the 2022 production, so there's so much more to look forward to from Vessel.

6:50pm PT / 9:50pm ET - Impulse

Show title: Anew

• Impulse is always a fun Open Class corps to watch perform, so I'm incredibly excited to see what they put on the field in 2022.
• Love the pit highlight for this opening movement - good work, folks!
• This is the first corps of the night with some voice-overs - I think based on the show title and the storyline they're putting together, they fit very well!
• I couldn't find a repertoire list, but this opening tune sounds like a mash-up of a few songs with the theme from The Jetsons? How fun is that! 
• I see you baritone players playing 'Dear Theodosia' from Hamilton! The addition of the trumpet voice further into the tune sounds so nice paired with those low voices. This ballad is absolutely going to rock once all the nerves are ironed out. Fantastic job, y'all! Looking forward to seeing the rest of your show once it gets put on the field.

7:05pm PT / 10:05pm ET - Golden Empire

Show title: The Curse of the Ninth

• We're rolling along with our next Open Class corps - Golden Empire, from Bakersfield, CA! Looks like we've got some small circle platform props starting off on side one of the field along with a bench upstage on side two - let's see how those fit into the show concept/design.
• Starting off strong with a bass drum/front ensemble feature while the guard does some partner work on those circle props. There's some nice layering there with the elevation of the guard and the bass line while the horn line lays on the field. Very cool.
• We saw some great solo moments in the first two tunes - mellophone in the opener and a baritone/flugelhorn duet in the jazzy second tune. These soloists/small groups sound awesome!
• Love the addition of some color from the guard's flags to close out this ballad piece. This guard, on the whole, did a great job executing some difficult skills - congrats on a great start to the season, y'all!

7:20pm PT / 10:20pm ET - Gold

Show title: The Gift

• I. Love. An. All. White. Drum. Corps. Uniform. AND it has a full sleeve of sparkles? I'm sold. In spite of their name, Gold really pulls off the clean, all-white/silver look. I wonder if this is the final iteration of the uniform or if there will be more pieces (maybe with some color thrown in there) added throughout the season?
• We've got a red bicycle on the front sideline of side two and a full piano in the dead-center of the field... let's see how those fit into the show.
• I love how the corps is starting off around the edges of the field. The shape really lends itself to drawing attention to the (amazing) movement soloist who's starting off the show.
• Wow, what a killer duet right at the top of their opening movement that helps lead into a super-powerful opening hit! I love a good turnaround, step out into second position, and wail moment to bookend a musical phrase. 
• Wow, for their debut performance, Gold sounds FANTASTIC. That trumpet section is strong. Also, am I seeing this correctly - does this corps have FIFTEEN tubas?! 
• Is it really a drum corps season if someone isn't playing 'The Sound of Silence?' The trumpet soloist sounded absolutely beautiful - first goosebumps moment of the evening for me! 

And that wraps up our Open Class corps for the evening! I'll be back after intermission with our first World Class corps of the night - The Academy.

8:05pm PT / 11:05pm ET - The Academy

Show title: A World of My Creation

• Welcome back, drum corps fans! It's time to begin the World Class competition slate with The Academy!
• First thing I need to point out is all of the props and scenery that's happening on the field right now - we've got two large back-field screens, a small stage on side two of the field, and some smaller post props scattered throughout the field. Also, the uniforms the corps is wearing are really reminiscent of the signature purple coat Willy Wonka wore in the films - very cool tie-in to their theme.
• Talk about an opening hit! The Academy isn't messing around and starting right off with a huge brass moment and a flag feature. 
• It's really fun getting to see moments from the colorguard showing off the characters they're embodying. There's a lot of playfulness going on in this show that's making it that much more enjoyable to watch.
• Yeah, snare soloist! The corps is doing a really great job of playing with silence and music soloists throughout this 'Oompa Loompa' section. And having it all build to that really fun ensemble dance section? I'm here for it.
• The resolution of that pitch tilt into the solo trumpet moment was very cool. Big fan of this section of the show that focuses on the Willy Wonka character.
• Give it up for the low brass punctuating the end of that last tune - wow, what a fun show to watch! Big congratulations to The Academy for an incredibly entertaining start to their season.

8:23pm PT / 11:23pm ET - Mandarins

Show title: The Otherside

• These guard uniforms, y'all! WOW, I'm living for the individual styles and the pop of pink/red. They really stand out, especially when looking at them vs the corps uniform, which is mostly black with hints of blue and white throughout. 
• Okay folks, we've got TROMBONES entering the field! Let's see how/when that instrument change takes place. We've also got some interesting props at the front and back of the field, mostly on side one. I'm intrigued to see how those are interacted with during the show.
• Oh, this opening crawl onto the field is VERY fun. Lots of unique movements and follow-the-leaders from both the guard and the hornline, all while a soloist is playing an excerpt from (what sounds like) "Another Brick In The Wall" by Pink Floyd. 
• WOW, the introduction of the trombones happening right here at the beginning of the show. I absolutely love the texture of sound the slides allow for. BIG fan.
• Okay rifle line, I see y'all!  Your characterization and your work are extremely fun to watch. 
• I'm a big fan of these moving stage props. They add both texture and height to the field and allow for some fun solo/group moments throughout the show. I'm really interested to see how the usage of those props gets more refined as the show gets fine-tuned over the weeks. 
• We all need to collectively give it up for that trumpet soloist that led into this live vocalist moment. Holy wow. But like, also give it up for the vocalist too?! I can't imagine a more difficult job than being a drum corps vocalist.
• Oh my goodness, the end of this show was SO much fun to watch! What an electric start to the season! If you ask me, this show has the potential to be a fan favorite this season. 

8:41pm PT / 11:41pm ET - Santa Clara Vanguard

Show title: Finding Nirvana

• Welcome back to the field, SCV! We've missed you! We've got a LOT of metal props throughout the field that almost look like skeletons of skyscrapers/buildings, another all-white hornline uniform, and the guard in individualistic uniforms in a shade of purple that matches their show announcement graphics. 
• What a beautiful opening sequence full of intricate bodywork and individualized movement, all leading to a BIG, classic SCV opening hit. Wow, I've missed hearing this brass line live!
• This drill that weaves in and out of these props is CLEAN, y'all. Way cleaner than any corps has the right to be considering it's day 1 of competition. Let's go, SCV!
• This jazzy section is fun to listen to, and it really shows off the skills of both the hornline members and the front ensemble.
• What a fun section of music - a jaw-dropping snare feature into a killer trumpet trio where the players just get to scream? Yes, please. 
• I really like how there have been a few different renditions of portions of "Smells Like Teen Spirit" sprinkled throughout the show - it's been a nice easter egg and tie-in to their show title that you may not notice unless you're really listening for it.
• SCV gets a standing ovation from me - it's so great to have y'all back competing. 

8:59pm PT / 11:59pm ET - Pacific Crest

Show title: Welcome to the Void

• As the corps is setting up, it's hard not to notice some familiar-looking props getting pushed onto the field. We've got a Bluecoats prop from their 'Session 44' show, Pacific Crest's 2019 diamond props from their 'Everglow' show, a door that's reminiscent of the classic Cadets show 'The Zone,' a miniature Ouroboros wheel, and more. Is PC's show this year where old props go to die? Let's find out!
• The front ensemble is the MVP of this opening sequence. It's a big moment for them to show off while the rest of the corps makes their way to their set for the opening hit. 
• The voiceover talks about "echoes from the past" - that thought can be seen visually by using props from years past. I'd be interested to see a full transcription of the voiceover so we can see what other nuggets of information can be found within it.
• The battery is ROCKING! They're very clearly having a lot of fun with the music and this show. Oh, and have I mentioned that they sound realllllly good on top of that? 
• There's still a lot of this show that needs to be filled out, but I'm very much on board with PC's show this season. What a great way to end the evening's competitive slate - thank you, Pacific Crest!

Well, that's it, folks! Now it's time to wait for scores and that'll wrap up the first show of the 2022 DCI season.

Scores

World Class

1. Santa Clara Vanguard - 69.95

2. Mandarins - 65.30

3. The Academy  - 61.45

4. Pacific Crest - 57.75

Open Class

1. Gold - 53.00

2. Golden Empire - 46.75

3. Impulse - 33.95

It's been a blast celebrating the start of the 2022 season and live blogging tonight! You can catch a rebroadcast of tonight's show starting tomorrow afternoon at 12pm ET/11am CT. Also be sure to tune in tomorrow night for Drum Corps at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, California! The show starts at 6pm PT, and you can expect performances from Santa Clara Vanguard, Mandarins, and the defending World Champs, the Blue Devils.