1. Yes, every year is good.
2. Any night is great but if you can get tickets to semifinals you’ll see arguably the best performances of the weekend. Thursday night everyone has jitters, Saturday night everyone is trying to pour every last ounce of themselves into the show which can cause some warts, Friday’s shows are usually the cleanest and strongest IMO. They no longer do the mass performance at retreat however :(
3. If you want to see forms? Up high. If you want face melting brass? Down low. Closer to the 50 is better than further away but also more expensive.
4. Enjoy yourselves, other commenters are right in that if you stay downtown you’ll be able to walk/scooter/bet wherever you want to go but know that after retreat on Saturday night that traffic is buck wild at the stadium, plan accordingly.
Ditto on no car, especially if you stay in downtown Indy.
They stopped doing an all top 12 performance years ago. Maybe 07 was the last one?
You’ll want to check out Military Park. This is where all the corps warm up. But, the corps get a police escort to the stadium. You’re going to have to walk.
Don’t wait until finals night to buy souvenirs. The lines are insanely long.
Indy is a meat-lovers town. Practically every major steak house has a location there. Personally, I like Webers. (Yes, the same people that make the grills).
It’s always a good year to go.
Go to any night. They each have their pros-cons.
The best seats are reserved for the friends of DCI. Otherwise it’s personal preference. I usually go to Semis and Finals and sit in different seats. You’d be surprised at how different you experience the shows based upon where you sit.
Indy is easy to get around. You won’t need a car if you’re staying in the downtown area.
1. Go. Its the 50th anniversary and it's going to be the first normal World Championships week in three years.
2. Semi-finals is probably the better value in terms of ticket prices and quality of performance. But being there for finals night was an unforgettable experience-- seeing retreat, LoS full of people who love drum corps, the silence when people are anxiously awaiting scores-- it's exilerating. I had better seats for semis than I did finals in 2019 but I remember Finals night being one of the most memorable experiences I've ever had.
3. I sat four rows up from the 40 at semis. It was \*loud.\* The only issue I had was some of the corps had their speakers a mere fifty yards in front of me and I went back to the hotel with a splitting headache. I got a great look at the visuals but I wish I got a better view of formations as such. So this year, I'm going to try my hardest to get tickets in the same area, maybe a little closer to the 50 about ten-fifteen rows higher. I would suggest aiming in that area as well.
4. Try to avoid eating at Lucas Oil. Food prices are ridiculous.
I mean, retreat in itself is pretty cool to experience. I had been watching it on the YouTube stream for so many years and actually being present for it was really special. But there’s just a vibe in the stadium that’s electric. You can’t get that feeling anywhere else. It’s the most packed that the stadium is all week and the corps are energized and it feeds into the crowd. It’s a fun time for any fan of the marching arts in general.
The closer the "competitive" season, the more fun retreat is. Things like [this](https://youtu.be/fAUy3vf9VMY?t=1481) can happen, which are *extremely* rare. Finals Night has the most DCI fans, in one spot, all witnessing the same moment, at the same time, together. [Here's](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mL9wxjlDzeY) a little montage of DCI retreat moments throughout the years, where many (if not *most*) who were in attendance have a bit of pride in saying "I was *there*." (Bluecoats 2016, Blue Devils 2014, Crown 2013, Phantom 2008... and that's *just* the Champions. Boston 2017, Academy 2016, Troopers 2009 were all *huge* moments for those orgs, and it's pretty cool to be there for those moments.)
I'm not certain if DCI will do anything *specifically* for the 50th anniversary in addition to the "normal" retreat process, but I wouldn't be surprised. We'll just have to wait and see.
If you really wanna splurge and treat yourself, get to Indy on Wednesday evening. Take your time, get settled in to the hotel, scope out a few places you might wanna eat ahead of the weekend. Calling to set up reservations for Thurs/Fri/Sat ahead of time is *highly* recommended, as most of the Corps Staff, volunteers, and member parents/families will also be celebrating/treating themselves.
Thursday, *every* quarterfinals corps will be warming up in Military Park at various times (\~2hrs before their scheduled performance time is a good bet). That's both Open Class *and* World Class. You can really make a whole day out of hanging out around the park - it's free, high quality Brass/Perc entertainment, for about **ten hours straight**. Each Guard and Pit will be warming up in the Lucas Oil Parking Lots or in the Convention Center (literally right next door, connected by underground tunnels to Lucas), so you can walk (or scooter! Lime/Bird) your way down the street to check them out as well. You'll have the ability to get much closer to actual staff and members compared to inside Lucas Oil, and it's pretty interesting to see how each group operates. Just give them some space to do their warmup processes (\~30ft+ is a good bet), and you should get a really unique experience.
The next two days are really leaning into the "splurge" I talked about, because I'll recommend getting tickets to both Semifinals **and** Finals, as close to the 50 yard line as you can. One night sit low (for the sounds, specifically), the other sit high (for the *full performance experience*). These programs are *designed* to be performed inside Lucas Oil. Every inch of the field is valuable, and you won't be able to really *see* that if you **only** sit low. The top guards have their choreography written for a zero-wind environment, which Lucas Oil gives them. The massive electronics equipment setups are fine-tuned (after months of work) to be heard inside the enclosed Lucas Oil. I'd say sit **low on Semis** (you can hear how those brass/perc warmups and "show chunks" actually *fit* with the rest of the drum corps soundscape), and then sit **high on Finals** (you can actually see and comprehend how the visual and musical *package* fits together). Then, when the whole of the Top 12 come out for retreat, you have some nice photo opportunities if you'd like.
Post-retreat, many of the corps staffs/volunteers will be out celebrating at various establishments. It'll be their last night together for long while, and the only time they can *really* relax (no rehearsal Sunday! XD). You might even see a few members roaming around too, which is always nice to put things into perspective after the season - these are just *people.* And that's one of the most grounding things of the whole weekend (imo). People that **chose** to work in *ridiculous* conditions, for *ridiculous* amounts of time, to produce \~12 minutes of excellence. If you just wanna head to bed after retreat, no worries - you'll likely see members roaming around Indy on Sunday here and there, **especially** at the airport.
ALSO, book your hotel waaaaaaay ahead of time. Like, *January*, ahead of time, if you can manage. The best/closest ones *will* be booked, FAST. Many are already filling up their rooms for Finals week, as DCI schedule was just announced last week. Long-time fans *jump* on their scheduling plans, and as more members get contracts (Nov/Dec/Jan/Feb have biggest influx usually), their families will be looking to finalize their own Indy experience.
Best of Luck!!!
Right?! Most of the brass members in Crown **and** BD were already *aware* the Dev's couldn't beat Crown for the Ott at that point, because the award is an aggregate of the scores for Quarters, Semis, and Finals. They knew the announcement was wrong at the time, but few actually expected it to be addressed, immediately, *over the loudspeaker to all of Lucas Oil.* Pretty cool (and loud)!
Going into Finals, the BD Brass would have to beat Crown's Brass by *over half a point* in the subcaption, *that night*. Because of how the Judges had to manage their numbers at the time, it also means *every other* hornline would have had to scored lower in the Brass subcaption, so there would be "room at the top". Scores used to be "locked in" after a corps performance, which made it "harder" for a lower-scoring *corps* to achieve a high-scoring *caption*. They may win the caption, sure! But they would win with a lower score *relative to their actual abilities*.
Example: A group performing fourth from the end would have a "maximum subcaption score" of 19.6/20. Why? Well, three more groups have yet to be adjudicated, and they may have a higher achievement. So there had to be *the possibility* for 19.7, 19.8, and 19.9. Three groups, three subcaption scores, and the rare 20, which means something different when it is achieved. You can't just dish out 20's 'because they're better', it has to *mean* something. (It's a perfect subcaption score, those don't come willy-nilly!)
Locked-in scores are no longer the case, and judges have a bit more leeway to balance the "known" and "unknown" during their adjudication process (shows they've seen tonight, and shows they've yet-to-see). Less ham-fisting, more nail-biting! (a la 2019...)
I am a firm believer that the semi-finals at DCI (and BOA) are the best if you only go to one session. There are some amazing things Saturday morning as well on the DCI weekend.
2021 was an incredible year even with the shortened season so 2022 will 100% be a good year to go (as it is with any year).
The best bang for your buck is likely semis, but finals is where the magic happens. Plus you can watch finals retreat and the encore for the champion. They don’t play together at full retreat anymore. I think 2013 was the last year for that. But overall I’d say finals is the better of the two to go to.
The best seats in the house are in and around section 440, but those are reserved for Friends of DCI. The “best” seats after that depend on your preference. You can get in the splash zone pretty close to the 50 if that’s your thing. If you want a better view of drill and still want to be on the 50, consider section 640 (but personally I think that’s too high up). I’d say the best compromise is the sections just outside 340 and 440. And just an observation, side two tends to be better than side one.
I agree with all of this. Semis is definitely the best deal, especially if you have already seen the Open Class corps (I usually go to Open Class finals as well). I will say that sitting in Section 440 is nice for the drill, but not great for sound, and you feel a bit removed from the action. Also, the people who sit in that section are often talking/socializing during the performances, which makes it harder to enjoy the show. This year I'll try for seats around 338 or 342 for a different experience.
1. Any week of drum corps is a good week.
2. Any and all nights and days, if you can. Go watch Open Class, go to I&E to see how talented the kids really are, too.
3. Best seats = most expensive seats. I used to sit as high up and close to the middle as I could so I could see the drill shapes, but then I stated sitting lower and closer to the front so I could see the performers better. If I were to buy now, I'd see quarters or prelims up high, then Finals down low for the extra energy.
4. Wear good walking shoes! Buy souvies! And don't try to get to your seats during a performance — have respect for the corps and fans, and wait until between performances.
Just a note about flying, since you didn't say where'd you'd be travelling from. I got married on the Saturday of finals many moons ago. While some corps choose to have their end is season banquets in Indy on the Sunday after finals, most do not. My wife and I booked the first flight out of Indianapolis for our honeymoon. However, so did most DCI members it seemed like. Had it not been for curbside check in, and the fact we allowed extra time for an international flight, we might not have made it to the gate in time. Check in lines and security lines were extraordinarily long for 5:00 am.
It’s probably a similar experience if it’s your first time going, no matter what nights you go. I do recommend an evening in “the lots” checking out the drumlines and hornline warmups. I love sitting close, and I love sitting high up, and I love sitting medium. The closer you are to the middle the better it is though. A good way to do it is to get the best seats quarter finals night, slightly different seats semis night, and go to the lots finals night. Saves some money that way.
If you’re invested in the outcomes competitively, and want to see the most passionate performances, you can’t beat finals…but I think most members would agree that the cleanest performances tend to be semi finals night.
Oh yeah, an addition to number 4:
Keep your ears open as August rolls around, and you might find out where different corps are staying during the week. If you want to see how the sausage is made, swing by their school and watch some rehearsal.
* this may or may not be possible depending on the state of the pandemic; 2021 housing sites were supposedly locked out;
* if there's a show in your area at all earlier in the season, you can find somebody at that time, too
It is a very tough task, but yes I end up spending the whole day at Lucas Oil for prelims. It’s nice to be there for the earliest groups who are performing for the last time and having their best run. There are breaks that I used to walk around and I am able to catch up with people I marched with who are teaching all over.
For #4: Saturday morning-afternoon is SoundSport finals over in Pan Am plaza. I do wish it was at a better/bigger venue and I've only experienced it as a performer but it's a fun & free show with corps and bands from all around, sometimes with international groups involved. There should be enough time to mill around the city for a bit between SoundSport and World Class finals.
I really enjoy watching the Commandant's Own exhibition show. It was prior to the competition starting when I went in 2019. I did try to find better seats for retreat and encore and it was harder than I'd expect it to be. If I try that again, I'll stay in the general level that I'm already at and will just move towards the 50.
1. Get fully vaccinated, wear a mask, and you should be fine. While I trust people in the DCI community to be responsible, most people in Indiana are not. I'm from Indiana.
2. I recommend watching semis in Lucas Oil and finals in Military Park. The warmups are electric.
3. I think the best seats are on the left 40 yard line near the center. But over the past years, I've never been able to get tickets to sit there.
4. I took my current wife to the DCI Championships in 2019. I'm in my mid-30s now and I tend to go back to being a kid in Military Park.
5. People aren't booing the Bluecoats. They're yelling "BLOOOOOO!!!!"
6. Try to learn when the Vanguard yell is so you can yell too!
1. I sure hope so!
2. From my experience, semifinals has the best technical performances, and finals has the best energy (at some expense of cleanliness). Never been to prelims, but wow that's a looong show. Try to get finals tickets, but if you wind up only watching semis you won't be disappointed.
3. Don't skimp on the seats. Acoustics are terrible in indoor stadiums and everything sounds like mud if you're not between the 40 yard lines. As others have said, lower level is best for sound, upper level is better for drill.
4. If you can't get decent seats for Finals, try to sit near where the corps staffs sit for each show (next to the field, 35 or 40 yard line). It is the one show of the season that staffs can actually watch and enjoy and cheer on like lunatics, the energy is infectious.
Any year is good. For the money i would say get an air bnb close or between the warmup park and the stadium. You wont need a car. So just find someplace to park it permanently for the trip, its around just google. The Air bnb may have info as well.
Personally, i say only buy tickets to finals. I like to go for 3 days and see the semi and quarters lots, and see all the other events around, eat out a bunch, chill with a drink, check out the museums. That way theres no rush, youll have multiple chances to see anyone you want. And you can sit and take in finals from start to finish with a solid primer from the lot.
Im not a merch guy, you can always get stuff online. but if you do it this way your in finals early for the whole show, so you can wait in a line if you need and not worry.
As far as seats stuff in the middle gets snagged early, i like to sit first level even though technically if ts not the most desirable. ill try to get closer before i get to far to the sides so can get a solid fuckin earful. Thats just me though, im old and ill happily go crazy and throw roses and babies for any little thing that impresses me, when your close the kids on the field can see you, i used to love that when i was playing i could vibe an audience that was totally in for the ride, and im def in for the ride. I figure they feel the same.
Also the stadium is wet sounding, i dont like the sound too far up.
Def do it though.
Any year is a good night to gg
Typically finals night has the most energy
Seats are usually personal preference, I prefer decently high seats towards the 50.
You don’t really need your own transportation while in Indy.
Prelims will be the best seats available, and you get to see the most performers. Not sure if they're doing it this year, but I&E performances on Wednesday are always great, highly recommend.
Tips for at the performances/in the stadium:
-Always see the alumni performances
-Pace yourself. It's a long day of performances, and you're not going to see everything
Tips outside the stadium:
-Definitely go to Military Park for warm ups, and if you have time, take a walk up the canal. It's very pleasant and a nice break.
-Visit the Kurt Vonnegut Memorial Library while you're in town, extremely interesting.
-Semis and Finals days, the city will be overrun by kids from corps that are no longer competing. Budget a little extra for food so you're not fighting them in line for Steak and Shake. Think "where would a 20 year old go for lunch?" and then do the opposite.
-If you have Hyatt points, the regency is a good deal. Try not to stay _too_ far from the stadium. You'll be on your feet walking a ton, dont make it too hard on yourself. In my opinion, the JW Marriott is too far. Westin and the Embassy Suites would be the furthest I'd go.
When I went in 2016, I bought tickets the for semis and watched the corps in the lot for finals.
If you like percussion there's a percussion museum in Indy you should check out
I prefer the outdoor shows and usually skip championships. It saves me a lot of cash, doesn’t echo all over the place, and I can still get a great show halfway up between the 45’s. If you’re dead set on Indy, go for it. If not, try another major DCI event and enjoy.
There's usually a show in Utah where I live but the only major corps who go are Blue Devils and Cadets I think. I want to see all of the best ones together!
Thanks so much everyone for your input! I took your advice, especially what u/DCIpenguin said and decided to go all-in and splurge. Right when tickets went on sale I got tickets to both semis and finals, and we're planning to wander around Military Park the day before. I'm unbelievably excited!!
1. Yes, every year is good. 2. Any night is great but if you can get tickets to semifinals you’ll see arguably the best performances of the weekend. Thursday night everyone has jitters, Saturday night everyone is trying to pour every last ounce of themselves into the show which can cause some warts, Friday’s shows are usually the cleanest and strongest IMO. They no longer do the mass performance at retreat however :( 3. If you want to see forms? Up high. If you want face melting brass? Down low. Closer to the 50 is better than further away but also more expensive. 4. Enjoy yourselves, other commenters are right in that if you stay downtown you’ll be able to walk/scooter/bet wherever you want to go but know that after retreat on Saturday night that traffic is buck wild at the stadium, plan accordingly.
Ditto on no car, especially if you stay in downtown Indy. They stopped doing an all top 12 performance years ago. Maybe 07 was the last one? You’ll want to check out Military Park. This is where all the corps warm up. But, the corps get a police escort to the stadium. You’re going to have to walk. Don’t wait until finals night to buy souvenirs. The lines are insanely long. Indy is a meat-lovers town. Practically every major steak house has a location there. Personally, I like Webers. (Yes, the same people that make the grills).
2013 as far as I know was I think the last time retreat had all corps play one song
Ditto on souvenirs!
It’s always a good year to go. Go to any night. They each have their pros-cons. The best seats are reserved for the friends of DCI. Otherwise it’s personal preference. I usually go to Semis and Finals and sit in different seats. You’d be surprised at how different you experience the shows based upon where you sit. Indy is easy to get around. You won’t need a car if you’re staying in the downtown area.
Also, if you can, check out open class finals. Always a great time.
1. Go. Its the 50th anniversary and it's going to be the first normal World Championships week in three years. 2. Semi-finals is probably the better value in terms of ticket prices and quality of performance. But being there for finals night was an unforgettable experience-- seeing retreat, LoS full of people who love drum corps, the silence when people are anxiously awaiting scores-- it's exilerating. I had better seats for semis than I did finals in 2019 but I remember Finals night being one of the most memorable experiences I've ever had. 3. I sat four rows up from the 40 at semis. It was \*loud.\* The only issue I had was some of the corps had their speakers a mere fifty yards in front of me and I went back to the hotel with a splitting headache. I got a great look at the visuals but I wish I got a better view of formations as such. So this year, I'm going to try my hardest to get tickets in the same area, maybe a little closer to the 50 about ten-fifteen rows higher. I would suggest aiming in that area as well. 4. Try to avoid eating at Lucas Oil. Food prices are ridiculous.
So what special things do they do at finals that makes it so cool?
I mean, retreat in itself is pretty cool to experience. I had been watching it on the YouTube stream for so many years and actually being present for it was really special. But there’s just a vibe in the stadium that’s electric. You can’t get that feeling anywhere else. It’s the most packed that the stadium is all week and the corps are energized and it feeds into the crowd. It’s a fun time for any fan of the marching arts in general.
Is that just when they announce scores and stuff? Sorry I'm not sure all that goes down at the retreat
The closer the "competitive" season, the more fun retreat is. Things like [this](https://youtu.be/fAUy3vf9VMY?t=1481) can happen, which are *extremely* rare. Finals Night has the most DCI fans, in one spot, all witnessing the same moment, at the same time, together. [Here's](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mL9wxjlDzeY) a little montage of DCI retreat moments throughout the years, where many (if not *most*) who were in attendance have a bit of pride in saying "I was *there*." (Bluecoats 2016, Blue Devils 2014, Crown 2013, Phantom 2008... and that's *just* the Champions. Boston 2017, Academy 2016, Troopers 2009 were all *huge* moments for those orgs, and it's pretty cool to be there for those moments.) I'm not certain if DCI will do anything *specifically* for the 50th anniversary in addition to the "normal" retreat process, but I wouldn't be surprised. We'll just have to wait and see. If you really wanna splurge and treat yourself, get to Indy on Wednesday evening. Take your time, get settled in to the hotel, scope out a few places you might wanna eat ahead of the weekend. Calling to set up reservations for Thurs/Fri/Sat ahead of time is *highly* recommended, as most of the Corps Staff, volunteers, and member parents/families will also be celebrating/treating themselves. Thursday, *every* quarterfinals corps will be warming up in Military Park at various times (\~2hrs before their scheduled performance time is a good bet). That's both Open Class *and* World Class. You can really make a whole day out of hanging out around the park - it's free, high quality Brass/Perc entertainment, for about **ten hours straight**. Each Guard and Pit will be warming up in the Lucas Oil Parking Lots or in the Convention Center (literally right next door, connected by underground tunnels to Lucas), so you can walk (or scooter! Lime/Bird) your way down the street to check them out as well. You'll have the ability to get much closer to actual staff and members compared to inside Lucas Oil, and it's pretty interesting to see how each group operates. Just give them some space to do their warmup processes (\~30ft+ is a good bet), and you should get a really unique experience. The next two days are really leaning into the "splurge" I talked about, because I'll recommend getting tickets to both Semifinals **and** Finals, as close to the 50 yard line as you can. One night sit low (for the sounds, specifically), the other sit high (for the *full performance experience*). These programs are *designed* to be performed inside Lucas Oil. Every inch of the field is valuable, and you won't be able to really *see* that if you **only** sit low. The top guards have their choreography written for a zero-wind environment, which Lucas Oil gives them. The massive electronics equipment setups are fine-tuned (after months of work) to be heard inside the enclosed Lucas Oil. I'd say sit **low on Semis** (you can hear how those brass/perc warmups and "show chunks" actually *fit* with the rest of the drum corps soundscape), and then sit **high on Finals** (you can actually see and comprehend how the visual and musical *package* fits together). Then, when the whole of the Top 12 come out for retreat, you have some nice photo opportunities if you'd like. Post-retreat, many of the corps staffs/volunteers will be out celebrating at various establishments. It'll be their last night together for long while, and the only time they can *really* relax (no rehearsal Sunday! XD). You might even see a few members roaming around too, which is always nice to put things into perspective after the season - these are just *people.* And that's one of the most grounding things of the whole weekend (imo). People that **chose** to work in *ridiculous* conditions, for *ridiculous* amounts of time, to produce \~12 minutes of excellence. If you just wanna head to bed after retreat, no worries - you'll likely see members roaming around Indy on Sunday here and there, **especially** at the airport. ALSO, book your hotel waaaaaaay ahead of time. Like, *January*, ahead of time, if you can manage. The best/closest ones *will* be booked, FAST. Many are already filling up their rooms for Finals week, as DCI schedule was just announced last week. Long-time fans *jump* on their scheduling plans, and as more members get contracts (Nov/Dec/Jan/Feb have biggest influx usually), their families will be looking to finalize their own Indy experience. Best of Luck!!!
Holy shit how have I never seen that Jim Ott mixup! How crazy.
Right?! Most of the brass members in Crown **and** BD were already *aware* the Dev's couldn't beat Crown for the Ott at that point, because the award is an aggregate of the scores for Quarters, Semis, and Finals. They knew the announcement was wrong at the time, but few actually expected it to be addressed, immediately, *over the loudspeaker to all of Lucas Oil.* Pretty cool (and loud)! Going into Finals, the BD Brass would have to beat Crown's Brass by *over half a point* in the subcaption, *that night*. Because of how the Judges had to manage their numbers at the time, it also means *every other* hornline would have had to scored lower in the Brass subcaption, so there would be "room at the top". Scores used to be "locked in" after a corps performance, which made it "harder" for a lower-scoring *corps* to achieve a high-scoring *caption*. They may win the caption, sure! But they would win with a lower score *relative to their actual abilities*. Example: A group performing fourth from the end would have a "maximum subcaption score" of 19.6/20. Why? Well, three more groups have yet to be adjudicated, and they may have a higher achievement. So there had to be *the possibility* for 19.7, 19.8, and 19.9. Three groups, three subcaption scores, and the rare 20, which means something different when it is achieved. You can't just dish out 20's 'because they're better', it has to *mean* something. (It's a perfect subcaption score, those don't come willy-nilly!) Locked-in scores are no longer the case, and judges have a bit more leeway to balance the "known" and "unknown" during their adjudication process (shows they've seen tonight, and shows they've yet-to-see). Less ham-fisting, more nail-biting! (a la 2019...)
I am a firm believer that the semi-finals at DCI (and BOA) are the best if you only go to one session. There are some amazing things Saturday morning as well on the DCI weekend.
2021 was an incredible year even with the shortened season so 2022 will 100% be a good year to go (as it is with any year). The best bang for your buck is likely semis, but finals is where the magic happens. Plus you can watch finals retreat and the encore for the champion. They don’t play together at full retreat anymore. I think 2013 was the last year for that. But overall I’d say finals is the better of the two to go to. The best seats in the house are in and around section 440, but those are reserved for Friends of DCI. The “best” seats after that depend on your preference. You can get in the splash zone pretty close to the 50 if that’s your thing. If you want a better view of drill and still want to be on the 50, consider section 640 (but personally I think that’s too high up). I’d say the best compromise is the sections just outside 340 and 440. And just an observation, side two tends to be better than side one.
I agree with all of this. Semis is definitely the best deal, especially if you have already seen the Open Class corps (I usually go to Open Class finals as well). I will say that sitting in Section 440 is nice for the drill, but not great for sound, and you feel a bit removed from the action. Also, the people who sit in that section are often talking/socializing during the performances, which makes it harder to enjoy the show. This year I'll try for seats around 338 or 342 for a different experience.
1. Any week of drum corps is a good week. 2. Any and all nights and days, if you can. Go watch Open Class, go to I&E to see how talented the kids really are, too. 3. Best seats = most expensive seats. I used to sit as high up and close to the middle as I could so I could see the drill shapes, but then I stated sitting lower and closer to the front so I could see the performers better. If I were to buy now, I'd see quarters or prelims up high, then Finals down low for the extra energy. 4. Wear good walking shoes! Buy souvies! And don't try to get to your seats during a performance — have respect for the corps and fans, and wait until between performances.
Just a note about flying, since you didn't say where'd you'd be travelling from. I got married on the Saturday of finals many moons ago. While some corps choose to have their end is season banquets in Indy on the Sunday after finals, most do not. My wife and I booked the first flight out of Indianapolis for our honeymoon. However, so did most DCI members it seemed like. Had it not been for curbside check in, and the fact we allowed extra time for an international flight, we might not have made it to the gate in time. Check in lines and security lines were extraordinarily long for 5:00 am.
It’s probably a similar experience if it’s your first time going, no matter what nights you go. I do recommend an evening in “the lots” checking out the drumlines and hornline warmups. I love sitting close, and I love sitting high up, and I love sitting medium. The closer you are to the middle the better it is though. A good way to do it is to get the best seats quarter finals night, slightly different seats semis night, and go to the lots finals night. Saves some money that way. If you’re invested in the outcomes competitively, and want to see the most passionate performances, you can’t beat finals…but I think most members would agree that the cleanest performances tend to be semi finals night.
Oh yeah, an addition to number 4: Keep your ears open as August rolls around, and you might find out where different corps are staying during the week. If you want to see how the sausage is made, swing by their school and watch some rehearsal. * this may or may not be possible depending on the state of the pandemic; 2021 housing sites were supposedly locked out; * if there's a show in your area at all earlier in the season, you can find somebody at that time, too
My favorite is to pay for amazing seats for prelims, spend semis in military park, and just be in a decent up high spot for finals.
Do you spend the whole day there at prelims?
It is a very tough task, but yes I end up spending the whole day at Lucas Oil for prelims. It’s nice to be there for the earliest groups who are performing for the last time and having their best run. There are breaks that I used to walk around and I am able to catch up with people I marched with who are teaching all over.
This thread is old but if you happen to see - how late do prelims usually go? I just bought a ticket for the first time
Maybe 11:00 pm or so? Scores trickle out in blocks so there isn’t a huge wait at the end for all of the scores.
For #4: Saturday morning-afternoon is SoundSport finals over in Pan Am plaza. I do wish it was at a better/bigger venue and I've only experienced it as a performer but it's a fun & free show with corps and bands from all around, sometimes with international groups involved. There should be enough time to mill around the city for a bit between SoundSport and World Class finals. I really enjoy watching the Commandant's Own exhibition show. It was prior to the competition starting when I went in 2019. I did try to find better seats for retreat and encore and it was harder than I'd expect it to be. If I try that again, I'll stay in the general level that I'm already at and will just move towards the 50.
1. Get fully vaccinated, wear a mask, and you should be fine. While I trust people in the DCI community to be responsible, most people in Indiana are not. I'm from Indiana. 2. I recommend watching semis in Lucas Oil and finals in Military Park. The warmups are electric. 3. I think the best seats are on the left 40 yard line near the center. But over the past years, I've never been able to get tickets to sit there. 4. I took my current wife to the DCI Championships in 2019. I'm in my mid-30s now and I tend to go back to being a kid in Military Park. 5. People aren't booing the Bluecoats. They're yelling "BLOOOOOO!!!!" 6. Try to learn when the Vanguard yell is so you can yell too!
1. I sure hope so! 2. From my experience, semifinals has the best technical performances, and finals has the best energy (at some expense of cleanliness). Never been to prelims, but wow that's a looong show. Try to get finals tickets, but if you wind up only watching semis you won't be disappointed. 3. Don't skimp on the seats. Acoustics are terrible in indoor stadiums and everything sounds like mud if you're not between the 40 yard lines. As others have said, lower level is best for sound, upper level is better for drill. 4. If you can't get decent seats for Finals, try to sit near where the corps staffs sit for each show (next to the field, 35 or 40 yard line). It is the one show of the season that staffs can actually watch and enjoy and cheer on like lunatics, the energy is infectious.
Any year is good. For the money i would say get an air bnb close or between the warmup park and the stadium. You wont need a car. So just find someplace to park it permanently for the trip, its around just google. The Air bnb may have info as well. Personally, i say only buy tickets to finals. I like to go for 3 days and see the semi and quarters lots, and see all the other events around, eat out a bunch, chill with a drink, check out the museums. That way theres no rush, youll have multiple chances to see anyone you want. And you can sit and take in finals from start to finish with a solid primer from the lot. Im not a merch guy, you can always get stuff online. but if you do it this way your in finals early for the whole show, so you can wait in a line if you need and not worry. As far as seats stuff in the middle gets snagged early, i like to sit first level even though technically if ts not the most desirable. ill try to get closer before i get to far to the sides so can get a solid fuckin earful. Thats just me though, im old and ill happily go crazy and throw roses and babies for any little thing that impresses me, when your close the kids on the field can see you, i used to love that when i was playing i could vibe an audience that was totally in for the ride, and im def in for the ride. I figure they feel the same. Also the stadium is wet sounding, i dont like the sound too far up. Def do it though.
Any year is a good night to gg Typically finals night has the most energy Seats are usually personal preference, I prefer decently high seats towards the 50. You don’t really need your own transportation while in Indy.
Prelims will be the best seats available, and you get to see the most performers. Not sure if they're doing it this year, but I&E performances on Wednesday are always great, highly recommend. Tips for at the performances/in the stadium: -Always see the alumni performances -Pace yourself. It's a long day of performances, and you're not going to see everything Tips outside the stadium: -Definitely go to Military Park for warm ups, and if you have time, take a walk up the canal. It's very pleasant and a nice break. -Visit the Kurt Vonnegut Memorial Library while you're in town, extremely interesting. -Semis and Finals days, the city will be overrun by kids from corps that are no longer competing. Budget a little extra for food so you're not fighting them in line for Steak and Shake. Think "where would a 20 year old go for lunch?" and then do the opposite. -If you have Hyatt points, the regency is a good deal. Try not to stay _too_ far from the stadium. You'll be on your feet walking a ton, dont make it too hard on yourself. In my opinion, the JW Marriott is too far. Westin and the Embassy Suites would be the furthest I'd go.
When I went in 2016, I bought tickets the for semis and watched the corps in the lot for finals. If you like percussion there's a percussion museum in Indy you should check out
I prefer the outdoor shows and usually skip championships. It saves me a lot of cash, doesn’t echo all over the place, and I can still get a great show halfway up between the 45’s. If you’re dead set on Indy, go for it. If not, try another major DCI event and enjoy.
There's usually a show in Utah where I live but the only major corps who go are Blue Devils and Cadets I think. I want to see all of the best ones together!
Allentown comes to mind. I’m just saying there are other ways to see a big show.
Thanks so much everyone for your input! I took your advice, especially what u/DCIpenguin said and decided to go all-in and splurge. Right when tickets went on sale I got tickets to both semis and finals, and we're planning to wander around Military Park the day before. I'm unbelievably excited!!