Occasional Musings by Kevin Russell
My hiatus from my DCI tour is just about to end. The five-day pause was very refreshing and needed to restore me for the long journey ahead to several more shows. Taking the efficient and affordable Southwest Airlines from San Francisco to San Diego after DCI West was the right thing to do. Staying with high school buddies who migrated here fifty years ago … Continue Reading →
July 6, 2025 – Sacramento, California After a necessary reset, I am back on my 2025 DCI tour. Yesterday was a long day of travel that began when the alarm rang at 3:30 AM to catch the early bird special out of BTV. I flew the friendly skies to San Fransico from our humble little airport in Burlington, Vermont. Thankfully, the connection from Newark … Continue Reading →
You know when you have overextended yourself when you hit the wall, or in some cases, the floor. My grand plan to attend the first BAC show, Drums Along the Rockies in Fort Collins, Colorado, was interrupted by such an overextension. At seventy, all of those seven-mile runs, Peak-a-Week hikes, and long ski days in the Green Mountains have begun to catch up with … Continue Reading →
What is in a name? Last year the title of my DCI Tour blog series was The Long and Winding Road for DCI. This year, maybe it should be the Shoot the Wad tour, as I am all in on traveling back and forth across the country again for this obsession, but mostly by air. This year, I am stopping off in Michigan to … Continue Reading →
May 29, 2025 – Vermont State University – Castleton I’m sitting here on a hillside overlooking the campus of Vermont State University, Castleton, Vermont. The Boston Crusaders Drum and Bugle Corps are in residence for spring training for the 2025 season. It is 2:30 in the afternoon, and the horns are in block, meaning each section is dispersed around the immediate area. Professor Steve … Continue Reading →
August 22, 2024 – St. Ignace, Michigan Yay! I am in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. After a long and winding road trip from Vermont, I have reached my destination for the third phase of my summer tour. I am at the Little Bear Sports Center in St. Ignace, Michigan, the hub of activities for the North Country Trail Association Annual (NCTA) Celebration. If … Continue Reading →
August 12, 2024 – Grand Haven, Michigan Yup, I’m on another lark in Michigan. I left the drum corps world behind yesterday and headed north from Indianapolis on US Route 31. My first stop for a walk and some cultural heritage was South Bend, Indiana. This is where the Studebaker Brothers forged an auto empire from the humble beginnings of blacksmithing and carriage making. … Continue Reading →
August 11, 2024 – Indianapolis, Indiana This is sort of a reprise of the DCI Finals 2024 blog. It is a place to record my reflections on the events of the past few days and months following DCI shows. I will run the numbers when I return home, but last night was my 14th show of the 2024 season. I traveled to nine states … Continue Reading →
August 10, 2024 – Indianapolis, Indiana This is it, the final drum corps show of the year. Tonight, the final twelve drum corps will compete in the World Championship performance at Lucas Oil Stadium based on their placement from the semi-finals. Last night was another incredible night for drum corps. Every corps seemed to notch up the volume and intensity. Bluecoats remained in the … Continue Reading →
August 8, 2024 – Lucas Oil Stadium, Indianapolis, Indiana I am in the clubhouse in the oil can, Lucas Oil Stadium. This cavernous structure is the home of the Drum Corps International (DCI) Championships. Over 35 drum and bugle corps from across the country converged here to compete for high honors among their peers. Thousands of fans, alumni, and family members took their seats … Continue Reading →