On Sunday, March 2, we will have a REUNION for ALL FORMER MEMBERS of the Knights Drum and Bugle Corps. This reunion will be held at a banquet hall a short distance from Rock Falls High School, the site of the Percussion Palooza performance.
The alumni drumline members of the Knights Drum and Bugle Corps, formerly from Kewanee, Geneseo, and the Quad Cities, have been invited to assemble and perform at the Percussion Palooza, to be held at Rock Falls High School in Rock Falls, Illinois, on Sunday, March 2, 2014. Through facebook (FB group – Geneseo Knights Drum and Bugle Corps) announcements and communication, 32 former Knights have committed to preparing and giving in this performance. These current members have listed their final year performing with the corps, ranging from 1971 through 1995. The opportunity is still available to other Knights who would like to participate.
The current roster includes Steve Scherer ’84 as Director / Coordinator, and Ramiro Martinez ’83 as Director / Arranger. We have 15 snares, 5 tenors, 5 basses, 1 cymbal, and 6 pit. As of January 5, the snares and tenors have each had a sectional, and the basses will meet on January 11 for a sectional. The mandatory camp dates are:
- Saturday, January 18 beginning at 12:00 noon through Sunday, January 19 ending at 2:00.
- Saturday, February 8 beginning at 12:00 noon through Sunday, February 9 ending at 2:00.
- Saturday, March 1 beginning at 12:00 noon through Sunday, March 2, the day of the performance.
The camp rehearsals will be held at Geneseo High School. If you can arrange Saturday night housing with someone in or near Geneseo, that is encouraged. Otherwise there are two inexpensive new hotels in Geneseo (Sorry, the Deck is gone – parking lot). They are the Geneseo Inn, located next to interstate 80, and the America’s Best Value Inn, located on Route 6 / Main Street on the West edge of town.
We are working on a design for a uniform to be worn during the performance. It is our intent that the uniform will be paid for by a sponsor. We also have sponsors willing to provide all of the drumheads and sticks and mallets that will be used. The instruments and equipment trailer are being provided by Geneseo High School, Rock Falls High School, and potentially other Knights-friendly lenders. Future performance opportunities will be discussed at the camp rehearsals and the reunion.
On March 2, the day of the REUNION, the drumline will travel a short distance to Rock Falls High School and set up all equipment before noon. The ALL CORPS REUNION EVENT will begin at the banquet hall at noon and run throughout the afternoon. We will have a light catered meal (appetizers, sandwiches, etc.) beginning at 4:00. The KNIGHTS DRUMLINE will give their exhibition performance at 6:30 PM. After the performance, all Knights are invited to return to the banquet hall to continue the REUNION for as long as you wish.
There will be a nominal fee per person to cover the cost of the hall and the food, and there will be a cash bar.
We are designing a new Geneseo Knights 2014 logo that will be available for purchase on merchandise such as event t-shirts, buttons, coffee mugs, and possibly commemorative signature drumsticks. These items will all be made available to pre-order and pre-pay, and will be distributed on the day of the event. We will ship purchased items to those who would like to purchase souvenirs but cannot attend the event.
MANY KNIGHTS are working hard to make this event possible, and we all wish to see this provide an opportunity for MANY GENERATIONS OF THE KNIGHTS to meet once again for fellowship.
Questions should be directed to Steve Scherer, at sscherer@dist228.org, or text to 309-507-BAND. You can also send a personal message on Facebook.