[eric.hanke]

DCI Delight
Mini-concert offers preview of quarterfinals competition

Deborah Sederberg
The News-Dispatch

MICHIGAN CITY - The music in the front yard of Ames Field on Monday night was just a sample of the fun on tap for this afternoon.

The brass ensemble from Michigan City High School band opened the festivities with The National Anthem. Members of the MCHS JROTC presented the colors and Mayor Chuck Oberlie declared the Drum Corps International Quarterfinals competition open.

Presenting a tiny taste of the colorful shows to come, Legends of Kalamazoo, Mich., and The Velvet Knights of Pasadena, Calif., presented a mini-concert to the crowd's delight. The Velvet Knights got chuckles for comedic touches that included girls dressed as leopards and a boy holding a sign admonishing, "Please don't feed the animals."

Retired MCHS science teacher Kent Lange handled the microphone Monday as he frequently does for sporting events. Children and adults gathered on the lawn, on lawn chairs and some on the playground equipment to be enchanted by the music.

Nineteen drum corps will compete today at Ames Field, said Dan Acheson, executive director and chief executive officer of Drum Corps International, based in Indianapolis.

Acheson praised the organization and the warm welcome musicians feel from Michigan City.

He credited Mike Pease, who has been working with such shows for years now. Pease, who once played with the Maple City Cadets, still loves drum and bugle competitions.

"Mike makes it easy for us when we get here," Acheson said.

Joe Doyle, chair of the Summer Festival committee and co-chair Bill Greene were there to welcome the musicians Monday night.

Each corps has 70 to 80 members. In addition, some 30 to 50 adults - instructors, directors, chaperones, fans and cooks - travel with them.

The visiting corps are bunking in schools throughout the community, including Marquette Catholic High School and Westville High School.

After the free concert, people lined up to buy tickets, which are $15, for today's event, which begins at 2:30 p.m. Gates open at 1 p.m., and ticket booths open at noon. Refreshment will be available all afternoon.

"At these kinds of events, people come in for a while and then leave for a while and come back," Greene said.

It sure would of been nice to know about this free concert yesterday!!! Thanks Michigan City News Dispatch for keeping me informed of the happenings around town. NOT!!!

[Southsider2k12]

I just drove past there, and the place looked to be about half full.

[Southsider2k12]

http://thenewsdispatch.com/main.asp?Sectio...amp;TM=40343.77

Calif. corps wins DCI event

From Staff Reports

MICHIGAN CITY - A corps from California ran away with the first-place trophy at the Michigan City Quarterfinals Championship competition Tuesday at Ames Field.

The Blue Devils B, Concord, Calif., came away with a score of 93.55.

Right behind them was another far-west team: Vanguard Cadets, Santa Clara, Calif., with 92.25 points. Edward Morris, a La Porte native, works as its sound director while his son, Andrew, plays drums.

The following reveals scores for the remaining 19 competitors. The top 17 compete this week in Indianapolis:

3. Citations, Burlington, Mass., 91.20.

4. Teal Sound, Jacksonville, Ga., 89.10.

5. Capital Regiment, Columbus, Ohio, 87.60.

6. Revolution, San Antonio, 87.55.

7. Raiders, Wayne, N.J., 87.30.

8. Oregon Crusaders, St. Helens, Ore., 85.60.

9. Velvet Knights, Pasadena, Calif., 82.10.

10. Memphis Sound, Memphis, Tenn., 81.05.

11. Legends, Kalamazoo, Mich., 81.00.

12. 7th Regiment, New London, Conn., 80.10.

13. Music City, Nashville, Tenn., 79.45.

14. Colt Cadets, Dubuque, Iowa, 77.85.

15. Dutch Boy, Kitchener, Ontario, Canada, 75.30.

16. Racine Scouts, Racine, Wis., 74.30.

17. Les Stentors, Sherbrooke, Quebec City, Canada, 68.

18. Spirit of New Jersey, 65.45.

19. Blue Saints, Sudbury, Ontario, Canada, 55.15.

According to competition chairman Mike Pease, Michigan City and Indianapolis will host the finals through 2018.

[Southsider2k12]

http://thenewsdispatch.com/main.asp?Sectio...amp;TM=37056.04

Without a hitch
“These people never give us any trouble.”

Deborah Sederberg
The News-Dispatch

MICHIGAN CITY - Even the weather cooperated for the Drum Corps International World Championships Open Class Quarterfinals on Tuesday at Ames Field.

"We really lucked out with the weather," said Edward Morris, the sound director for the Santa Clara Vanguard Cadets of Santa Clara, Calif.

Mayor Chuck Oberlie was enjoying the music so much that he decided to skip the Michigan City Common Council meeting.

"Everyone has been so cooperative," said Joe Doyle, chairman of the Summer Festival Committee, which took the competition under its wing, and under the experienced directorship of Mike Pease.

Even a case of cancer couldn't keep Pease away.

"We're very pleased," Pease said of the event early Tuesday morning. "People seem to be enjoying themselves."

Doyle credits Pease's organizational skills for the smooth operation of the event.

Police escorted each group from the school at which it bunked to Ames Field.

"That way, no one got lost, the group didn't have to split up because of traffic lights or anything like that," Doyle said.

He made a point of checking parking lots around town, Doyle said, "and I saw a lot of out-of-state license plates, and not just from Illinois." He believes out-of-state fans visited stores, restaurants and Washington Park.

The Michigan City High School Band Boosters sold food and drinks at the event. Barb Wisthoff, president of the Booster praised Booster member Tammy Steinhagen. "Tammy volunteered to be in charge and I am so grateful to her," said Wisthoff.

Police Captain Steve Jesse said drum and music corps events are always orderly.

Smiling, he said, "These people never give us any trouble."

Leta Moradore and Phae Pearsall traveled all the way from New London, Conn., with the 50 members of their group, "Seventh Regiment."

They stayed at Coolspring Elementary School, and said they felt welcome in the community. Moradore is the mother of three sons who are members of the group, but Pearsall is simply an enthusiastic volunteer.

Competing in the DCI World Championships Open Class Quarterfinals Tuesday at Ames Field were 19 drum and bugle corps: Blue Saints, Sudbury, Ontario, Canada; Spirit of Newark, Newark, N.J.; Les Stentors, Sherbrooke, Quebec City, Canada; Racine Scouts, Racine, Wis.; Music City, Nashvile, Tenn.; Dutch Boy, Kitchener, Ontario, Canada; Colt Cadets, Dubuque, Iowa; 7th Regiment, New London, Conn.; Legends, Kalamazoo, Mich.; Memphis Sound, Memphis, Tenn.; Velvet Knights, Pasadena, Calif.; Oregon Crusaders, Portland, Ore.; Capital Regiment, Columbus, Ohio; Revolution, San Antonio; Raiders, Wayne, N.J.; Teal Sound, Jacksonville, Fla.; Citations, Burlington, Mass.; Santa Clara Vanguard Cadets; and Blue Devils B, Concord, Calif.

[Tim]

Hats off, again, to my old Maple City Cadets buddy Mike Pease. I'd bet if I was still there I'd be doing this with him, as we were both so into drum corps. I think it's great Michigan City has become so important in the drum corps world. I went to the show at Ames Field in 2007 - it was incredible. It's too bad local kids don't get to experience that like Mike and I did - it's a super way to spend your youth.