Drums Along the Rockies
Saturday, July 13th
4:00 – 10:00
Broncos Stadium at Mile High
Get Your Tickets NOW!
Drums Along the Rockies, is returning to Broncos Stadium at Mile High Saturday, July 13. This spectacular evening of marching music pageantry steps off at 6:30 p.m., showcasing the thrilling precision, passion, and power of nine elite drum corps affiliated with Drum Corps International (DCI) – Marching Music’s Major League™. Competitive drum and bugle corps, whose members range in age from 15 to 21, stop in Denver on their national tour in preparation for the DCI World Championships in Indianapolis.
Hosted by Denver’s Blue Knights, this year’s lineup features
- The Blue Devils, Concord, CA (15-time DCI World Champions)
- The Battalion, Salt Lake City, UT
- The Cadets, Allentown, PA
- Crossmen, San Antonio, TX
- Columbians, Tri-Cities, WA
- Pacific Crest, Diamond Bar, CA
- Seattle Cascades, Seattle, WA
- Troopers, Casper, WY.
What’s the difference between Drum Corps and Marching Bands?
The football field is their stage, but these are not marching bands. Drum corps have no woodwinds (clarinets, saxophones, trombones), performing instead with percussion and brass instruments specially designed to project a thrilling “Wall of Sound” forward. Comprised of 150 talented young brass, percussion and color guard members ages 15 to 21, drum corps combine the drama of theater, the musicianship of a symphony, and the excitement of championship sports.
Mesmerizing spectators with magical field formations and pinpoint marching precision, each corps is complemented by a color guard – dancers trained in modern, ballet and jazz, who weave seamlessly among the musicians while spinning rifles and rainbow-hued flags – and whose mystical on-field costume changes defy explanation.
Preparation for Drum Corps competition season is a rigorous task! Competition is mainly a summer activity for these world class Drum Corps’, but preparation continues year-round with monthly weekend camps from November through April. Seven-day-a-week, 10-hour per day rehearsals start mid-May and continue until June when the corps leaves on its cross-country bus tour. These young people work incredibly hard to bring these spectacular performances to people around the country, with the hopes of becoming the next DCI Champion!
BKX Experience-Perform!
Want to learn from the Blue Knights Drum & Bugle Corps instructors? They’ll be hosting a marching band clinic for band students of all skill levels (from middle school to college), from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the stadium as part of Ascend’s Education Program. (Registration for this event is $40 and includes meals while onsite. Register here.)
Participants will learn performance techniques and a music selection to be performed in opening ceremonies with members of the Denver Broncos Stampede, the official drum line and brass ensemble of the Denver Broncos (produced by Ascend Performing Arts).
Warm-Up Zone
From 5:00 to 6:00 p.m., fans are invited to join the party in the Warm-Up Zone on the south end of the stadium, featuring a jam session by the Broncos Stampede.
Tickets: 1-888-306-DRUM (3786); DrumsAlongtheRockies.com; Ticketmaster.com.
More information: ascendperformingarts.org
Tickets can also be purchased at the stadium ticket office beginning at noon on event day.
(Don’t forget about Mile High’s strict bag policy: One clear bag no larger than 12" by x 6" x 12" OR a one-gallon clear freezer bag (Ziploc or similar). Fans may carry a small clutch bag or purse no larger than 6.5" x 4.5", with or without a strap. Non-alocholic beverages in a sealed container are allowed, as are food if it’s contained in a clear plastic bag.)
Come a little early to enjoy watching the different groups warm up in the parking lot. You can experience the "wall of sound" up close and personal!
