Will you have the Fantana girls there?

We could arrange them just for you John.

Wood davers? Yeah, I like the orange soda.

Gotta get on the wood daver train!

We interviewed Robert Croix, Fivesters Bass Drum #2.

Name, age, hometown: Robert Croix, 17, Louisville, KY

What corps are you in and what is your role this summer? I am in the Music City Fivesters Bass line playing Bass #2.

Give us your full drum corps/marching music background. I played bass since I was in middle school. I am going to graduate this coming year from my high school in Louisville and will be marching with the University of Kentucky line.

How did you decide to be a member of your corps? One of my friends encouraged me to do corps.

What first attracted you to the drum corps activity? I watched some DCI videos that my pals back at high school had and then I started researching, I sent an email to the Fivesters and they gave me information on the dates and the whole corps experience.

What advice would you give to young people who want to march? Do it while you can.

Do you have any favorite road anecdotes? During our show in Orlando we had some time off to go to the beach. We all thank the corps staff on that one. Even if it was for three hours it was still great. We rented some surfing boards and went out to surf a little bit. We all sucked except for one of the snare players who lived in Florida way back. He takes a wave and before anything happens he is in the air almost hitting me and some other basses that were in the water. Turns out he did something wrong and was pushed out of the wave by one of our tenors.

The last great film I saw: I have not seen many movies that well were "great"

Where I go to school and what I’m studying: I am currently a senior in high school and will be studying music education come college.

Jobs I have/have had: I have worked in so many places I cannot think straight in order to name them all, however, one place that I loved working was at the News station in town.

My favorite TV show: I say it has to be just sitting there to myself watching whatever show is on.

How do you "blow off steam?" I just play my bass. If I cannot and I am on the road then I just whip out my mp3 player and play my music. It's good to blow steam that way since you're actually practicing while doing it.

What has been your formative drum corps moment? The move-in day has been one of the best days of my life so far. I thought to myself, "This is going to be a summer away from home." One of the guard girls checked in at the same time and we started talking about this being our first time in corps. She's been there for me this whole summer and I have been there for her. Basically that is the best corps moment that I have had so far. Meeting her and having someone that understands some things is always nice.


What are you most looking forward to about the summer? Performing in front of fans who pay to see us play for fun.

Best thing about being in a drum corps: The people you meet there. Every single member will teach you a different lesson throughout the summer. There's so many things that people learn in corps that you cannot learn in the outside world.


Worst thing about being in a drum corps: Not being with your family on vacation time. I love being in corps but having to go to college after it and not have a lot of time with the family is hard.

During tour, the best part of the day is: Performing of course. You pay and sweat through all those hours of practice and stepping on the field in front of fans is the key to the question of why you are doing this.

During tour, the worst part of the day is: Probably having to pack everything up really quick in order to get to our housing site on time.

What I want to be when I “grow up”: I would love to be a Bass Tech for a top 5 Division I Corps.

More activity on the clinic tonight from the Emerald Regiment Staff.

Elizabeth Ortiz & Justin Howard-will demonstrate how to setup a whole corps on the field from frontline to color guard

Elizabeth Ortiz & Bryan Horan-Drill Demonstration on computer and drum major process of audition

Nick Zambeck & Ethan Larson-will cover all brass instruments to proper setup and execution.

Fivesters Notes of Doom

"From 17th to 9th an interview with the director"

How does it feel to be in the top ten this year? PH-It's better than I expected, most of the kids just went out there and did everything we asked and that is what I expected from them. It must feel great to them to be in the top ten and them knowing that what they have done is paying off.

Considering the staff change every year will you keep this staff for next year? PH-I must likely will keep every single staff member there unless they plan to go to another corps. The chemistry between them and the kids is wonderful. It's nice to have kids that get along with the staff members and vice versa.

Coming to the end of the season, do you think you will make top 5? PH-I really just rather stay in the top ten wether it be 5 or ten or 3.

What section do you think has improved from last year? PH-I have to say the brass;It's incredible the kind of things they are doing this year. We thought that the book would be easier than last year but it turned out to be harder and better.

GM Organization has helped your corps with sponsorships and all, do you think you will need them next year? PH-We want to keep a good relationship with the company. However, things will see for next year after the season is over.

Thank you for letting us interview you.

We had the pleasure of interviewing one of the Caption Heads, Anthony Stewart Music Caption Head.

How do you feel about this year's show? AS-This year's show is not just strong musically but drill wise as well. We defined the "Alone in a field" theme. At first I thought the kids would say "Alone in a what", but they truly understood after drill started coming together with the music.

Do you think the corps is stronger musically or visually? AS-It's hard to determine that because the corps is really strong in both aspects. We had a little bit of a slow start but now it's coming around nicely.

"Alone in a field" describes what to the audience? AS-We wanted to create the scenary of a corps member being alone in the field at the beginning. Clueless is the acting choice and then things start to happen. "On my own" from Les Miserables is the opening key with a nice solo. As the show progresses things get less and less alone out there till the end when "Procession of the Nobles" comes into place. The sopranos really hit this piece with a soloist doing some nice musicality within the piece.

Fivesters being in 4th right now in Division I, how does that affect the corps? AS-It affects me of course because not only I know the kids are getting some satisfaction but the music is not just feeding to the audience but to the judges as well. I think that they are starting to get what we are trying to do here.

Any expectations for the future? AS-I believe we can stay within the top ten right now and possibly till the end of the season, however, what I came to do is done, major cleaning is left to be done but I believe we are putting things across.

Any ideas for next year's show in the Fivesters Organization? AS-We started throwing some ideas around at the beginning of the season. Our staff wants to provide the best musicality out there next season. There are many ideas being thrown around. The best idea yet in the musical department has to be songs from the movie "The Terminal".


Thank you for taking your time with us.

Ouch. Dropped to 21st position tonight. Hope you have better luck at Indy!!

I know. Hey those things happen though. I hope Indy will be better. There's still four shows before Prelims anyways.