Every year about 8,000 students spend their summers marching in drum corps. They compete against other bands at competitions throughout the hot days of summer. The Louisiana Stars are no exception. The Corps is based in Lafayette, Louisiana and will tour the United States this summer. They are a member of Drum Corps International.
The students and instructors typically rehearse 12 hours a day and compete in a different town almost every night. They have stopped in Monroe for a few days of grueling outdoor rehearsals. They are on their way to the Drum Corps International Regional Championships Saturday, July 3rd in San Antonio, Texas.
Life is hard on the road. The band relies on the generosity of others to house the 130 member corps. This week the University of Louisiana Monroe Band Room is the Stars home and rehearsals are at JPS Field at Malone Stadium. The members sleep in sleeping bags and on air mattresses and spend many travel nights sleeping on the busses.
The Louisiana Stars will offer an exhibition of their 2016 show at ULM’s JPS Field at Malone Stadium on Thursday, July 21st at 8:00 p.m. The program is free and open to the public.
