By Katie Ford This past weekend in Mighigan City, Ind., before the show began, most of the corps were already performing in a parade in that town's downtown area.

Michael Gough, Troopers' drum major
View photos from the parade. After the parade I went to the Troopers rehearsal site and was able to grab a few minutes from Michael Gough, the Troopers' drum major. When asked about the parade earlier that morning, Michael just smiles. "Parades are parades, they are just a lot of fun. Some guy yelled out, 'The South will rise again,' I tried not to laugh." This is Michael's age out year after four and a half years with the corps. "It's hard, knowing that I am going to age out, but this year is the payoff, everything that I've wanted for the Troopers has arrived. With this staff, the Troopers are really going to start going places." "The Troopers are Coming," that corps' 2004 show, entails many sounds from the Troopers through the years. Although the show does not end like every other corps by "tearing your face off," the emotion that will you will feel will be worth watching the Troopers very closely this summer. "The soft ending is misleading, but the crowd really likes it! Ending the show with 'Taps' really connects with everyone, especially with what is going on in the world now and with the recent passing of Ronal Reagan. This show really takes us back to our roots, we look like the Troopers, we sound like the Troopers, we are the Troopers." After watching their run-through at the end of practice, I understood what he meant. Even in rehearsal I was a little choked up when "Taps" started playing.   As they finished talking at the podium, the skies turned gray and the rain started to fall, threatening the show that night at Ames Field. View photos from the Troopers rehearsal. The show went on without a hitch, except for the rain that started falling during the middle of the Colts' performance. Phantom Regiment, The Cavaliers, and the Royal Airs finished the night with a standstill for those who were left in the audience after the rain came. View photos from the Michigan City show.