The Ventures - 2012

The Ventures Drum and Bugle Corps ( http://drumcorpswiki.com/Ventures ) are no more but since 1981 the Ventures Winter Guard has been going strong.

Flag waving taken to a whole new level 

KITCHENER — Take a few energetic teenage girls, throw in a few colourful flags, interesting props and fast-paced choreography, then set it all to music, and you have one of the most unusual sports for girls, one with the unlikely name of winter guard. Kitchener’s Ventures Winter Colour Guard is, simply put, a blending of old-fashioned military discipline with motivating music. It’s as if the army suddenly took up Zumba.

 ...

 http://www.therecord.com/living/article/838136--flag-waving-taken-to-a-whole-new-level

http://venturesguard.org

Ivor Wynne Stadium 1927-2012

The storied Ivor Wynne Stadium, home to DCI Canada in the eighties is finally coming down:

Farewell to Ivor Wynne Stadium | Football | Sports | Toronto Sun Time for one last huzzah! Time for one final chorus of Oskie-Wee-Wee. Then, Saturday, the music will be stilled, the lusty cheers of a sellout crowd will be quieted and the lights will darken for all time as Ivor Wynne’s gates squeak shut. For 85 years, the corner of Balsam and Beechwood Aves. has been the gathering ground for organized sports in Hamilton. Scott’s farm at the turn of the 20th century was a social meeting place, officially becoming known as Scott’s Field around the Roaring ’20s, morphing into Civic Stadium through the age of hoop skirts and bobby socks, finally being reincarnated as Ivor Wynne in 1970. Unofficially, it has been called everything from quirky and quaint to a rat hole. And, to be honest, it has been — and is — all of those.

Bringing (DCI) Drum Corps back to Canada

From dci.org:

Two men are looking to bring drum corps back to Canada in a big way in 2013. Show sites currently being considered are in Montreal, Quebec and Kingston, Ontario.

DCI Hall of Fame member and Drum Corps World publisher Steve Vickers and High Velocity Media owner Doug Smith are spearheading the initiative.

"I've always felt bad that Canada has not had a DCI level show in more than a decade," Vickers said. "And Canada used to have dozens of corps, and some prominent corps that made the Finals — both in World Class or Open Class."

The DCI World Championships were twice hosted in Canada in the 1980s at Montreal's Olympic Stadium. Currently there are two junior corps in Canada participating in the 2012 DCI Tour, Blue Saints in Ontario and Les Stentors in Quebec.

Vickers said the first thing they did in their efforts to bring drum corps back to Canada was contact the Canadian government. Specifically, the office that facilitates large groups crossing the border, which historically had been a large hurdle for corps to overcome.

Promoters look to bring drum corps competitions back to Canada

Read more: http://www.dci.org/news/view.cfm?news_id=3bf257a4-0009-4227-ad03-8f3bd72b4fd6#ixzz1z16U6ZCs

See also the "BRING DRUM CORPS BACK TO CANADA" project:


http://www.high-velocity-media.com/DCC/news.php

Scout House Alumni opening show for 2012

Spring Opening Show – April 29th (Preston Memorial Arena)

The Alumni Band will open its performance schedule with an indoor show at the Preston Memorial Arena.

There will be no admission charged but donations will be appreciatively accepted (the Alumni Band is a registered Canadian charity).

See: http://www.scouthouseband.com/2012/01/spring-opening-show-april-20th-preston-memorial-arena/

and the Bands Played on

Saturday, May 12, 2012 - 7pm

This show features the music, pageantry and excitement of the finest marching bands in Ontario.

Come on out for a great evening of entertainment and enjoy that “great big sound”

that people loved back when “the Bands played on!”

See: http://www.unitedalumni.com/and_the_Bands_Played_on.htm

Sarnia Corps Reunion

drumcorpsplanet.com: Members Of Five Former Sarnia Corps Planning Giant June Reunion

Former members of drum and bugle corps from Sarnia, Ontario will gather at Royal Canadian Legion Branch 62, 286 North Front Street, on June 23, 2012 to renew old acquaintances and celebrate more than 40 years of shared drum corps activity.

The reunion will be held from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. with an open-house format including displays of memorabilia, video presentations, drum corps music and, of course, lots of reminiscing. Those planning to attend should bring along their memories and any material they wish to share.

See the following links:

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Sarnia-Drum-Corps-Reunion/180144162071772

http://www.drumcorpsplanet.com/2012/02/members-of-five-former-sarnia-corps-planning-giant-june-reunion/