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Rosemont-based Cavaliers eager for shot at drum and bugle corps title

Posted August 10, 2010 11:00 pm

The Cavaliers are taking no prisoners in an assault to regain their world class status.

In a rare appearance locally, the Cavaliers drum and bugle corps, sponsored by the Village of Rosemont, delivered a final run-through Monday night at North Central College in Naperville.

The short show drew nearly 2,500 fans, who got a sneak peek before the 2010 Drum Corps International championships open Thursday in Indianapolis.

Cavaliers' officials hope their somewhat edgy, innovative program will take them back to the top of drum corps world, which they dominated from 2000-2008 with five world championships.

Their production, woven around the pop song, "Mad World," opens with a dream sequence before they recite the Marine Corps' Rifleman's Creed. Their white rifles are thrown mostly by flag corps members, but provide much of the special effects and give a visual pop to the music.

"It's a jumping off point for the overall vibe of the corps," says Mike McIntosh, a percussion arranger and one of the show's designers. "This is an all-male corps and there's a power to that. So there's a lot of machismo; we've brought sexy back, so to speak, in some ways."

A highlight of the 12-minute show comes midway, when the horn line trades their instruments for rifles and twirls them in formation, while alternately reciting, "this is my rifle, this is my horn," and surrounded by the rest of the corps.

"Fanwise, this is one of the best programs they've enjoyed in a number of years," says Adolph DeGrauwe, corps director. "It's somewhat controversial in the beginning, but people really are getting into it."

Corps officials described Monday's show as a "thank you" to fans, who were disappointed when the annual Cavalcade of Brass show - which would have featured many of the nation's top drum and bugle corps - was canceled because of July's rain.

"Every part of the show has this weird twist, which plays into the theme," says Andy Rhebergen of Roselle, who played tuba at Lake Park High School and plays with the Sun Devil Marching Band at Arizona State University during the school year.

Dan Flynn, a 2007 Fremd High School graduate from Barrington, who plays mellophone, says the program's fast paced music and drill formations ramp up the energy.

"It's aggressive, strong and fast-paced, and goes for all these cool special effects," says Flynn, who is in his fourth season as a Cavalier.

The Cavaliers are trying to better their 2009 finish, when they placed fourth behind the champion Blue Devils, from Concord, CA. Over the course of 30 shows and a two-month competition season, the Cavaliers have consistently finished among the top three places, but going into Indianapolis the Blue Devils remain undefeated and the team to beat.

Also in the hunt is the Phantom Regiment, based in Rockford. At their last competition of the season, held Saturday in Allentown, PA, the Regiment placed third, earning their best score of the summer. Only two years ago, they surprised experts by defeating the Blue Devils in the finals, to win the championship.

DeGrauwe, who has been involved with the corps for nearly 50 years, both as a musician, cadet instructor and now director, says anything is possible. All the teams enter Thursday's quarterfinals with a clean slate.

"It would not be the first time an undefeated corps came away without a championship," DeGrauwe said. "Anything can happen on any given night."

Watch Thursday's quarterfinals live on big screenFor the seventh year, Thursday's quarterfinals play out live on the big screen."Big, Loud Live," the special presentation by DCI and National Cinemedia's Fathom Events will be simulcast from Indianapolis' Lucas Oil Stadium into nearly 500 movie theaters nationwide - including 12 suburban venues - at 5:30 p.m. on Thursday.The five-hour broadcast will include the live competitive programs of the top 15 corps, in their entire 12 minute programs, in addition to highlights from the eight corps that perform earlier in the day.Friday night's semifinal performances can be seen by members of DCI's fan network on a live web telecast. There are no avenues in which to watch Saturday night's finals.Tickets are $18 for Thursday's quarterfinals at local theaters. Visit dci.org/cinema.Theaters are:bull; Randall 15 with IMAX, 550 N. Randall Road, Batavia, (630) 761-0601.bull; Gurnee Cinemas 20, 6144 Grand Ave., Gurnee, (847) 855-9945.bull; Century 16 Deer Park, 21600 W. Field Pkwy., Deer Park, (847) 438-8518.bull; AMC Showplace Niles 12, 301 Golf Mill Center, Niles, (847) 544-7380.bull; AMC South Barrington 30, 175 Studio Drive, Barrington, (847) 765-7324.bull; Lincolnshire 20 plus IMAX, 300 Parkway Drive, Lincolnshire, (847) 215-2803.bull; Stratford Square Mall, 804 Stratford Square Mall, Bloomingdale, (630) 893-0271.bull; AMC Yorktown 17, 80 Yorktown Shopping Center, Lombard, (630) 495-0012.bull; Showplace 16, 5000 Northwest Hwy., Crystal Lake, (815) 455-3285.bull; AMC Cantera 30, 28250 Diehl Road, Warrenville, (630) 836-8265.bull; Cinemark Woodridge 17 with IMAX, 6500 Route 53, Woodridge, (630) 663-8892.bull; AMC Showplace Naperville 16, 2815 Show Place Drive, Naperville, (630) 303-5922.True20001615Part of the "dream sequence" that opens the show.Bev Horne | Staff PhotographerTrue Who's in the bandMore than a dozen suburban musicians and 25 from Illinois march with the 150-member Cavaliers this year. Teens can audition after their sophomore year in high school, or after they turn 16, and age out at age 22. Auditions are held in Rosemont during November. Last year, more than 500 auditioned.Current members include: • Warren Blackmon, baritone, Naperville• Thomas Duebner, trumpet, Mount Prospect• Andrew Filipiak, percussion, Gurnee• Daniel Flynn, mellophone, Barrington• Michael Flynn, percussion, Barrington• Matt Kaempfe, baritone, Mount Prospect• Andrew Rhebergen, tuba, Roselle• Peter Siepiora, euphonium, Mount Prospect• Nicholas Vizza, mellophone, Naperville• Ethan Wayach, trumpet, Medinah• Russell Wharton, bass drum, Naperville

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