Bluecoats performs Friday, August 7, at the 2015 DCI World Championship Semifinals at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis, IN. The corps finished in 3rd place with a score of 95.775.

Bluecoats August 7 at the 2015 DCI World Championship Semifinals at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis, IN. They finished in 3rd place.

If your favorite part of a high school or college football game is the halftime show, this event featuring the world’s top-tier drum corps is something you want in on.

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The best of the best drum corps from around the world will be in Lake Highlands a week from Monday for the 40th annual Drum Corps International, a loud, colorful heart-pumping, dramatic competition that involves nine groups of 150 college and high school brass musicians and percussionists, plus guard, performing sophisticated, complex, visually stunning routines.

Watch the video for a taste of what to expect, and buy a ticket in advance, because a large audience turnout is expected, organizers say.

Six of the nine competing corps — many featured in the above video — were finalists at the 2015 DCI World Championships.

The commitment by these young drum corps members throughout summer “vacation” is astounding, from what I am told by those involved. “Each corps spends weeks of 11-plus hour rehearsal days to perfect their performance. They compete across the United States each summer, typically logging more than 10,000 miles as they move from state to state,” according to 2016 DCI Dallas Chair Rolf Siegers.

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Some of the top high school and collegiate drummers from around the world hit Lake Highlands this month.

“This 40th anniversary show will be one of the finest we’ve hosted in north Texas and includes an exceptional lineup from top to bottom,” Siegers says. “We encourage music lovers everywhere to come see these amazing collegiate and high school performers. Thousands of students across the nation audition each year for the opportunity to be selected as a member of a drum corps. You’ll see and hear the best of the best performing that night.”

Here’s the lineup: Blue Devils from Concord, CA; Blue Knights from Denver, CO; Bluecoats from Canton, OH; Boston Crusaders from Boston, MA; Crossmen from San Antonio; Genesis from Austin; Guardians from Houston; Phantom Regiment from Rockford, IL and Troopers from Casper, WY.

On the event date, July 25, the box office opens at Wildcat Stadium at 3 p.m., the gate opens at 5:30 p.m. and the show begins at 7 p.m.