This weekend, Fort Collins will host some of the world’s top marching bands as part of Drum Corps International (DCI), often referred to as “Marching Music’s Major League.” Drum corps from across the nation have dedicated countless hours in recent weeks to perfecting their performances for competitions throughout the summer.
The Colorado event, known as Drums Along the Rockies, has transitioned from its previous venue at Empower Field at Mile High to Canvas Stadium in Fort Collins.
Among the distinguished ensembles performing this weekend is the Blue Devils from Concord, California, currently the highest-scoring corps.
This year’s lineup for Drums Along the Rockies includes:
- The Battalion from Salt Lake City
- Santa Clara Vanguard from Santa Clara, California
- Seattle Cascades from Seattle
- Genesis from Austin, Texas
- The Academy from Tempe, Arizona
- Pacific Crest from City of Industry, California
- Troopers from Casper, Wyoming
- Mandarins from Sacramento
- Blue Devils from Concord, California
- Blue Knights from Denver
The Blue Knights, based in Denver, will compete and perform an encore during their home show weekend. They achieved a ranking as high as 6th in the world in 2015 and held 7th place in 2019 before the pandemic disrupted the season.
“You hear ‘marching band,’ and your gut instinct is to not think of elite athletes, which is what we have to become,” noted one instructor from the Blue Knights during the 2019 season.
Fans in Colorado can look forward to witnessing the Blue Knights alongside other world-class drum corps this weekend. The event will take place at Canvas Stadium, with doors opening at 6 p.m. Ticket prices range from $25 to $140.
Attendees can also enjoy the hornlines and drumlines warming up around the campus, with many ensembles welcoming public spectators.
For the best experience, however, fans are encouraged to be in the stadium to fully appreciate the sound and visuals created by the marching formations, props, color guard, and dancers.
“It’s athleticism combined with nuance,” a Blue Knights member remarked in the 2019 season. “They’re running in perfect formations, executing incredible feats with their bodies, while the music is so beautiful it feels like a concert hall.”
At the end of the season, only 12 groups will compete in the finals at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis. Currently, five of the groups performing on Saturday rank in the top 12, including the Blue Devils (No. 1), Mandarins (No. 6), Santa Clara Vanguard (No. 7), Troopers (No. 10), and Blue Knights (No. 12).
