While some people suffer from triskaidekaphobia, the fear of the number 13, some people go even further and have to deal with paraskevidekatriaphobia, the fear of Friday the 13th.
Even the Standard & Poor’s 500 stock index historically performs half as well on Friday the 13th as it does on any other Friday. Drum corps, on the other hand, have no choice but to perform well on Fridays, just as they must on any other day of the week. And at no other time during the season is that more critical than when Friday the 13th falls on the day of the DCI World Championships Semifinals, when triskaidekaphobia already runs rampant among corps that might be on the bubble for advancing as a top-12 finalist.
Lucky for them, just twice in the more than 45-year history of the Drum Corps International World Championships have corps had to perform on Friday the 13th. Take a look back at those top-13 finishers when the DCI World Championship Semifinals fell on August 13 in 1999 at Camp Randall Stadium in Madison, Wisconsin and in 2010 at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis.
13th Place – Semifinals
1999 Bluecoats
“Music of Chick Corea”
13th, 83.000
12th Place – Semifinals
1999 Colts
“Voices”
12th, 85.200
11th Place – Semifinals
1999 Carolina Crown
"Jekyll and Hyde"
11th, 85.300
2010 Glassmen
“The Prayer Cycle”
12th, 86.500
10th Place – Semifinals
1999 Boston Crusaders
“A Collection of Symphonic Dances”
10th, 86.500
2010 Madison Scouts
10th, 89.200
9th Place – Semifinals
1999 Crossmen
“Changing Perspectives: A Silver Celebration”
9th, 86.700
2010 Boston Crusaders
“Thy Kingdom Come”
9th, 89.600
8th Place – Semifinals
1999 Phantom Regiment
“Tragedy and Triumph”
8th, 91.700
2010 Blue Stars
“Houdini”
8th, 92.050
7th Place – Semifinals
1999 Madison Scouts
“Selections from Jesus Christ Superstar”
7th, 92.200
2010 Santa Clara Vanguard
“Bartók”
7th, 92.450
6th Place – Semifinals
1999 Blue Knights
“Suite for Brass and Percussion”
6th, 93.000
2010 Phantom Regiment
“Into the Light”
6th, 92.950
5th Place – Semifinals
1999 Glassmen
“Empire of Gold”
5th, 93.800
2010 Cadets
"Toy Souldier"
5th, 94.850
4th Place – Semifinals
1999 Cadets
“The Big Apple”
4th, 95.500
2010 Carolina Crown
“A Second Chance”
4th, 95.350
3rd Place – Semifinals
1999 Cavaliers
“Classical Innovations”
3rd, 96.800
2010 Bluecoats
“Metropolis: The Future is Now”
3rd, 96.500
2nd Place – Semifinals
1999 Santa Clara Vanguard
“Inventions for a New Millennium”
2nd, 97.600
2010 Cavaliers
“Mad World”
2nd, 97.250
1st Place – Semifinals
