West Point Hellcats at the 2012 DCI World Championships

Drum Corps International experienced the honor and privilege of hosting the West Point Band's Hellcats of the United States Military Academy when they performed in conjunction with the 2012 DCI World Championships in Indianapolis.

[ericsheffler]

One of two

Greetings! I'm Eric Sheffler - a.k.a. "most senior player" & "old guy" along with the more pleasant sounding "Group Leader of The Hellcats". :-)

Thanks for your likes, views, and contributions to the comment section on this video.

FYI - This performance was made possible due to the USMC D&B Corps not being able to come. We found out at about 2 AM the morning of Finals that DCI would like us to cover the normal pre-finals show spot along with marching the corps on for massing...

[bigpardner]

I will remain nameless and just say I was in the Hellcats somewhere from 1966 to 1976. If I had to do what these guys do I would have shit my pants. They have both my respect and sympathy. I guess jobs are hard to come by with colleges turning out a few thousand music majors every year.

[drumrnva]

Those throaty snare drums...I like them so much more than the table- top, tightened- to- death drums you usually hear in drum corps.

[jefripayne]

In my crusty old man voice: "Now DAT'S drum corps!"

[GermFreeAdolescents]

cool real bugles and rope drums. have to have some chops to play on those heads.

[gentrywalker]

I wish the drummers from the 1700's could see how far the art form has progressed over the generations.

[bayLEY]

Truly a "Drum and Bugle Corps"

[robbysanders]

This is the video i tell my bass drummers to look at for playing zones. That mans spot on.

[AustenDavid]

I am planning on auditioning for the old guard after high school.. the hell cats are my close second

[joestanton]

This one of the best snare lines out there today hands down

[richmanwisco]

They've only been doing it their entire professional career. I'm only half-snarky when I say that - these guys are professionals who all have at least a B.A. and most have M.Ed. or similar degrees. The bass drummer has been with them close to 30 years!

[ennui_cherub]

those drum features are so freaking impressive

[ZOB]

The tone on those field drums is very nice indeed.

[-Brass]

Just WOW ! The way Drum Corp should sound.

[ralphgeigner]

Excellent ! Old style Old style Soprano bugles, they had much more volume, tone and power compared to the horns used in recent years, gone are the great Bugle makers, Holton (Ludwig Classic) Getzen, Slingerlands, Whaley Royce, Olds etc. Rope Tension drums, Go Army Go Mariners, Keno Kingsmen

[Thecatdrums]

Luv the way those field drums sound :)

[ericsheffler]

Greetings again. Regarding the bugles - they are made by Cliff Blackburn & are pitched in Bb/F. They do only have one valve acting as the crossover from Bb to F. There are basically only roughly 16 notes (non-chromatic as a general rule - there is some chromatic capabilitiy in the upper range) available to the players. That is, unless they do some unconventional techniques like pulling out the slide to de-tune and make some 'blue' notes available for the improvisation the player did at 8:38.

[Henry_GamesX]

Great video. I enjoyed listening to this group

[shirleyrose]

Thank you for sharing. Awesome performance. Like your film collection.

[Prof.CheeseDog]

“These drums sound so much better than the tinny drums these-days.” Well these drums are here during these days and exist right now and are played and make sound. The hellcats are clearly not time travelers. These ARE drums these-days, it’s just a different style