Drum Corps show returns to NIU’s Huskie Stadium in DeKalb

DeKALB – The sounds of brass and ballads filled the air at Northern Illinois University’s Huskie Stadium Saturday as crowds filed in to check out the Drum Corps and its Midwest Classic.

The event has drawn thousands of spectators to catch the sights and sounds of the show in years past, and this time around appeared to be no exception. The Drum Corps International Midwest Classic held Saturday featured a lineup of eight drum corps from around the country, with teams heralding from Illinois, Iowa, Wisconsin and New Hampshire among others.

Daniel Belcher, director of The Cavaliers drum corps of Rosemont, was among those at the field at Huskie Stadium. Belcher said he feels good about how far the band corps has come this season.

He is wrapping up his first season leading The Cavaliers drum corps.

“We are in the middle of our season here,” Belcher said. “This is our last stop in the Midwest until towards the very end of the season when we come back to Indianapolis in the middle of August. So this is wrapping up a great chapter in the Midwest for us, and I think it was a great performance for us today and a great stadium. [We’re] feeling really good about the performance we just had today.”

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Members of the Blue Stars from La Crosse, Wisconsin, perform at the Drum Corps International Midwest Classic on Saturday, July 13, 2024, at Northern Illinois University Huskie Stadium in DeKalb. (David Toney for Shaw Local/David Toney)

The Midwest Classic takes place toward the end of the drum corps season for many.

In August, all drum corps will head to Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis to compete in the Drum Corps Championships.

“Especially, when I did the salute – this was my first time doing the salute to the audience – it took my breath away honestly,” Shaumney said.

Belcher said it’s clear that the crowds continue to be enthused by show that drum crops puts on year after year.

“The art of drum corp has really progressed recently,” Belcher said. “It used to be more of your military-style marching band, more of what you would think of traditionally, but it has in the last decade and maybe a little before that, really changed, been innovative and has become a whole production. There’s complex themes, motifs and touching on sensitive topics, light topics. There’s a whole array of what your show can be on and it has become much more of a choreographed artistic production more so than your traditional military-type marching band show.”

Paige Shaumney, a member of the Madison Scouts drum corps from Madison, Wisconsin, said she was especially moved by having the opportunity to interact with the crowd as part of her drum corps performance.

“Especially, when I did the salute – this was my first time doing the salute to the audience – it took my breath away honestly,” Shaumney said.

Shaumney’s drum corps director, David Lofy, said that seeing the crowd’s reaction to their performance was amazing.

“Every time we come out we want to make sure that we’re entertaining, that we get the crowd on their feet and that they have a great time,” Lofy said. “To have that opportunity yet again in DeKalb is amazing. It’s an incredible stadium with great fans. So we enjoy every time we get the chance to perform here.”

Here’s a list of the final scores from the Midwest Classic:

• Blue Coats – 87.050
• Phantom Regiment – 84.750
• The Cavaliers – 79.600
• Blue Stars – 78.900
• Colts – 78.850
• Madison Scouts – 74.750