Bluecoats

https://bluecoats.com

The Bluecoats Drum and Bugle Corps is a junior drum corps located in Canton, Ohio and currently holds 1 DCI World Class Championship title

## Corps History

The Bluecoats Drum and Bugle Corps was founded in 1972, the same year as Drum Corps International's founding, the corps was founded by Canton businessman Art Drukenbrod and Canton Police Officers Steam and Ralph McCauley (the head of the Canton Police Boys' Club).

The Name "Bluecoats" was made in honor both the sponsorship and the city's police officers, the corps first made its major competition debut in 1974. The corps first appeared in DCI Finals in 1987, which gave debut to what would later be the corps' song, Autumn Leaves. In 1979 however, the corps struggled financially and only performed at local parades.

In 1983, the corps' announced that it would be folding. At the time that the corps' folding was announced, present-day corps president Scott Swaldo was a member. When he told his father, Canton industrialist Ted Swaldo, he took over as director, after a year haitus, the corps returned to the field. Since then the corps made finals every year, except in 1999.

### Further Development of the corps (2010, 2014, 2016, 2019)

#### 2010 - Metropolis: The Future Is Now

The 2010 Bluecoats finished at 3rd Place in finals, breaking records at the time, this allowed for future shows untill 2014 to be compared to 2010 in how those future shows were executed

#### 2014 - *TILT*

The 2014 Bluecoats started a new era by setting the afterburners on the amplification revolution. TILT refined the use of electronics of in Drum Corps, and bringing the corps as a major player in the drum corps activity

#### 2016 - Down-Side Up

Down-Side Up is widely regarded as the show that changed drum corps forever. The show changed everything from costumes to drill and a start of a "new" drum corps era as shows would be more appealing visually whilst having references to 2016. As of 2024, this is the Bluecoats' only DCI Championship Title

#### 2019 - The Bluecoats

The Show to date is the highest scoring Bluecoats' show, the show is a Beatles themed show, hence the name; The Bluecoats.

### The Corps Song, Autumn Leaves

Honoring the Corps first DCI finals appearance in 1987, the show included an arrangement of Autumn Leaves by Joesph Kosma and Jacques Prevert, ever since then, the song stuck with the Bluecoats ever since with there being many performances of the song, the most notable one being in 2022 during the Bluecoats 50th Alumni Corps exhibition during DCI Finals

## Notable Events/Shows

2016 - Also known as "The show that changed DCI forever" introduced uniforms accustomed to the show and to do away with the militaristic-style uniforms many corps had been using prior to 2016.

2019 - As of 2023, this is the Bluecoats highest scoring show.

2022 - In celebration of the Bluecoats 50th anniversary, the Bluecoats 50th Alumni Corps performed in exhibition at DCI Semifinals at Lucas Oil Stadium

## Corps Summary (1972-2023)

The Bluecoats Drum and Bugle Corps competed in DCI Open Class 1977-1991, DCI Division I 1992-2007, and DCI World Class 2008>. These are the same tier, just renamed

## Caption Awards

At the annual DCI World Championships, DCI presents caption awards to the corps with the highest average scores between prelims, semifinals and finals. With five captions, the Bluecoats have won the following

### Don Angelica Best General Effect Award

* 2016
* 2019