Last Saturday, marching music fans in the United Kingdom witnessed their first official DrumLine Battle, as four units duked it out in Widnes, Cheshire, a town about 15 miles east of Liverpool.
Hosted as part of the 2015 British Drum Corps Championships, the DrumLine Battle event served as the finale to the 14-corps competition held under the lights of Select Security Stadium.
Battles took place in a bracket style format, with the first matchup between the Concord AllStars and Thurrock Marching Brass. The second head-to-head showcase featured 12 members of the Company from Barnsley, South Yorkshire, versus a small-but-mighty four-man group from the Pacemakers, a drum corps that hails from St Mary Cray, Kent.
Audience members were an integral part of the action, helping to determine the winners advancing to the final battle. Getting behind the Concord AllStars in round one and choosing the Pacemakers as their underdog winner from round two, the finalist groups were set for the last showdown.
With team pride and bragging rights on the line, according to Alan Thompson, chairman of the Drum Corps United Kingdom (DCUK) organization, that final round was a sight not to be missed.
“The noise levels from the enthusiastic audience were almost deafening as the two units battled it out in the final,” Thompson said. “At the end of the day there was only going to be one winner and the stadium erupted as members of the Concord AllStars where announced the DCUK DrumLine Battle Champions.
“DCUK would also like to extend its thanks to Drum Corps International for their help and support of this inaugural UK DrumLine Battle. From the enquiries received since the event, this won’t be the last!”
Hosted as part of the 2015 British Drum Corps Championships, the DrumLine Battle event served as the finale to the 14-corps competition held under the lights of Select Security Stadium.
Battles took place in a bracket style format, with the first matchup between the Concord AllStars and Thurrock Marching Brass. The second head-to-head showcase featured 12 members of the Company from Barnsley, South Yorkshire, versus a small-but-mighty four-man group from the Pacemakers, a drum corps that hails from St Mary Cray, Kent.
Audience members were an integral part of the action, helping to determine the winners advancing to the final battle. Getting behind the Concord AllStars in round one and choosing the Pacemakers as their underdog winner from round two, the finalist groups were set for the last showdown.
With team pride and bragging rights on the line, according to Alan Thompson, chairman of the Drum Corps United Kingdom (DCUK) organization, that final round was a sight not to be missed.
“The noise levels from the enthusiastic audience were almost deafening as the two units battled it out in the final,” Thompson said. “At the end of the day there was only going to be one winner and the stadium erupted as members of the Concord AllStars where announced the DCUK DrumLine Battle Champions.
“DCUK would also like to extend its thanks to Drum Corps International for their help and support of this inaugural UK DrumLine Battle. From the enquiries received since the event, this won’t be the last!”