KANSAS CITY SOLD OUT

It has been a while since there was a show in Kansas City!
I remember coming here for DCI Championships in the Arrowhead stadium back in 1989 and saw SCV win the championships with their Phantom of the Opera show.

I don't think there have been too many shows out here since.
Tonight was a very good event! Apparently they like drumcorps in this state. The show sold out tonight. About 4000 people came to see the "Brass Impact" show. They even $5 tickets for the back stands! How about that! But hey... who wants to sit there??!!

Pioneer have a pretty cool show! Opening to the sound of gospel. Pleasure seeing Donnie Allen again - I marched with him in the Empire Statesmen in 1992. He has written their horn charts for the last number of years and is doing a fine job. I couldn't believe the corps is marching 15 members from Mexico this season!
But,... they also have three members from South Africa in their ranks. Corps director Roman Blenski sponsors three or four members from the Field Band Foundation every summer and has them march in his corps.




I was just in South Africa earlier this year to help two field band projects get started in the towns of Dordrecht (yes, there is a town with the same name as mine out there) and Indwe. Good to see this international programme Pioneer has had with the FBF for many years has such a great effect ans impact on these members and the FBF organization in general.


Crossmen are performing a Pat Metheny show. Great music. Still very dirty though. Loved hearing "Minuano" on the field. that's not an easy piece!


Liked Madison Scouts better than I did at the previous show I saw them. "Slaughter on Tenth Avenue" is a fantastic piece! New york Skyliners use to rip your face off with that!



Phantom Regiment had a great performance: "Into the Light", with music by Michael Kamin. Beautiful and elegant as always. Especially liked their drumline tonight! They are working on a major comeback after their disappointing placement in 2009.

With the strong wind in and around the stadium Blue Devils had some trouble with their mirrors. I wonder if they have a back-up plan if the weather is really bad and the wind is too strong. They will probably only use the movers (the metal frames that hold the mirrors). The show would definitely look a lot different, and would no doubt lose a lot of points. Fortunately only about 5 or 6 mirrors fell over.


The Colts, being the show host, went on last, and did the encore concert too.


Best thing about the evening?? Ran into Jubal-fellows Joury & Kitty, who are on tour with Phantom Regiment for the remainder of the summer. They're working in the souvenir trailer. Will see them again tomorrow.

Leftovers in the parking lot and out of here!!! Back on the road to Edmond (Oklahoma).

Enjoy,

HK