Historic Clifton venue makes memorable DCI Tour debut

CLIFTON, New Jersey — For drum corps fans — and followers of all-age drum corps especially — the New York metropolitan area serves as a hotbed of history.

Embedded in and around the northern portion of New Jersey lie generations of active and former drum corps organizations, fans, performers, and memories. 

And in all of the above categories, many originated in Clifton as part of the annual “Drum Corps Grand Prix.”

Nestled amongst the neighborhood streets of Clifton, Columbus High School’s Clifton Stadium serves as one of the oldest venues on the 2024 DCI Tour, in terms of its longevity for drum corps events. 

Hawthorne Caballeros general manager Alan Katz, whose organization hosts the show, noted that the Grand Prix dates back to 1965 and has taken place in Clifton Stadium for the last 58 years. 

 

“A lot of us have it in our DNA to be here for drum corps, so we’re working to keep the show alive,” Katz said. 

Saturday, the historic venue made brand-new history; it hosted a Drum Corps International Tour event, serving as a seminal step in the inaugural season of DCI’s All-Age Class. 

At the 2024 edition of the Drum Corps Grand Prix, corps from all levels of the All-Age classification, as well as multiple alumni ensembles, one SoundSport team, and New Jersey’s own DCI World Class representative, Jersey Surf, offered audience members a smorgasbord of marching music. 

“This show actually started as a junior/senior corps show, so it’s interesting we’re getting back to that again,” said Katz. “Historically, it was a hotbed. We had the Bayonne Bridgemen, we had the Muchachos, and this was the show — and it still is the show — for everybody to go to every year. It’s a big reunion.” 

 

WORLD CLASS

1. Jersey Surf » 63.700

Performing near the top of the evening’s lineup, Jersey Surf made its 2024 debut in front of an appreciative home state crowd. Just recently completing spring training rehearsals, Surf is the last of DCI’s World Class corps to get its start this summer. 

“We just had our first preview show last night,” drum major Hannah Miller said. “So I think that kind of set the tone for how the rest of the season is going to go. The crowd tonight was fantastic, really friendly, and being the only World Class corps in the lineup was kind of hype.”

According to Jersey Surf operations director Rich Klimowicz, Clifton carries its own history for the Jersey Surf, making it a fitting place for the Camden County corps to make its 2024 debut. 

“We love being here,” Klimowicz said. “There are generations of people here who have been a part of the Jersey Surf and drum corps in general.”

Following their Clifton appearance, members of the Jersey Surf will join their fellow DCI World Class corps at upcoming events in Texas, appearing in the Lone Star State for the first time since 2019.                 

 

ALL-AGE — WORLD

1. Reading Buccaneers » 85.850
2. Bushwackers » 84.000
3. Hawthorne Caballeros » 81.950
4. Hurricanes » 77.750

After starting out the season on top, June 29 in Shelton, Connecticut, the Reading Buccaneers maintained an advantage of nearly two points over the All-Age field on Saturday, while earning high scores in all captions outside of percussion. 

The Bushwackers, in second place, strengthened their advantage over the Hawthorne Caballeros, outscoring the host corps by 2.45 points. The Caballeros managed to tie the Bushwackers for second in overall music. 

“It was one of a kind,” Bushwackers drum major Kevin Ramsey said about Saturday’s performance. “I love the energy this crowd brings.”

The Bushwackers’ strong showing on Saturday, which included top marks in the percussion caption, builds upon an impressive start to the 2024 season. After ending last summer seated behind Caballeros in the Drum Corps Associates standings, the Bushwackers kicked things off in Shelton with a slim lead of 0.15 points.

Similarly to many of the experiences of All-Age Class corps on this year’s tour, Ramsey says that the reorganization of corps into DCI’s new All-Age Class has motivated the corps to strive for higher goals. 

“DCI is a whole different ballgame,” Ramsey said. “I see every individual, every staff member just upping their game this year.”

The Connecticut Hurricanes rounded out the All-Age “World” competition in fourth. 

 

ALL-AGE — OPEN

1. Fusion Core » 73.650

One of several DCI All-Age corps hailing from the Garden State, Fusion Core served as the lone representative of the All-Age “Open” classification on Saturday. 

Fusion Core posted a score of 73.650, improving on its season-opening score by more than seven points. 

Compared to their Shelton performance, Fusion Core drum major Jenna Foley says that Saturday night marked the first time the corps had its complete production on the field in competition.

“We have really been putting in the hours and the work,” Foley said. “We had a long tour of Maryland where we also spent a lot of hours and work, and it all culminated on the field tonight.”  

 

ALL-AGE – A

1. Sunrisers » 70.050
2. Skyliners » 66.400

Finishing atop of the All-Age “A” Class in Clifton was Sunrisers, sweeping every scoring caption. The Long Island-based corps improved by nearly six points from their performance in Shelton.

In second place were the Skyliners, the last of DCI’s All-Age Class corps to make their debut on the 2024 DCI Tour. Scoring-wise, the corps’ strongest marks came in the music caption, overall just 0.75 points down from the Sunrisers. 

Fifth-year drum major Jeanette Aiello says that the Skyliners’ show, “One Day I’ll Fly” is an apt metaphor for the summer of 2024. 

“It’s about a butterfly and transformation and change which is a lot of what this year has been about with the switch to DCI’s All-Age Class,” Aiello said. “We're making history this year. This is also the first time this corps has had two female head drum majors.”

Augmenting the historic DNA of Saturday’s Clifton event, a pair of alumni corps also took center stage.

Skyliners Alumni — right after longtime SoundSport team Sonus Brass Theater — opened the lineup of performances, while Hawthorne Caballeros Alumni — representatives of the event’s host corps — served as the night’s encore performance. 

For the majority of All-Age Class corps, the next stop on the DCI Tour will be in Landisville, Pennsylvania, for July 20’s “Buccaneer Classic.” 

View the 2024 DCI Tour schedule

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