Advertisement The Colts of Dubuque, Iowa, a 2007 Drum Corps International finalist, will join the Blue Stars and the Blue Stars’ Cadets in a one-hour performance, which includes their 2008 shows and encore musical numbers. It is the only Blue Stars’ performance this season in the La Crosse area
The Blue Stars will not have their home show, River City Rhapsody, this summer due to construction at Veterans Memorial Field in La Crosse.
The corps has developed a bigger visual show in 2008 with a goal of joining the top 12 finalists at the Drum Corps International World Championships.
Brad Furlano, an Onalaska, native and Blue Star alumnus in his third year as the corps’ executive director, said a new drill and color guard choreography should improve the corps’ visual and general effect and add to an already strong brass and percussion section.
“This year’s show looks more like a top 12 show than any other we have done,” Furlano said. “We’re back as a world-class corps in Division I, but this is our best show and it’s the total package with coordinated effects and those wow moments.”
The Blue Stars moved back into Division I two years ago, and have finished 14th at the world championships those two seasons.
The corps returns to the La Crosse area Saturday after rehearsals in Indiana and will spend a week practicing at Sparta High School before opening its season June 21 in Rockford, Ill.
This year’s show, “Le Tour: Every Second Counts,” is based on the Tour de France bicycle race, featuring original music mixed with famous melodies by French composers such as Faure, Debussy, Saint-Saens and Ravel.
Furlano, called the show “chess on wheels” centering on the strategy and stages of the bike race.
“We’re not running a race, but we’re embracing the imagery and strategy,” he said.
The color guard will portray the bike riders and wear yellow bike jerseys, Furlano said. The guard will use flags with handle bars and display 36 bike wheels.
For the first time, the Blue Stars will wear all-white pants, not navy blue, to add to the show’s visual effect, Furlano said.
This year Drum Corps International allowed drum corps to increase their size from 135 to 150 members. The Blue Stars will march with 148 members, with up to 10 new color guard members and a few more drummers, Furlano said. The corps will continue with a brass line of 72 members, he said.
The corps delayed opening its competition season by one week due to rising fuel costs, but it still will travel 12,000 miles this summer.
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