When it comes to the marching arts, Drum Corps International (DCI) shows are the place to be. After all, there's nothing quite like the sound of drum corps to start off your evening. From the beginning of spring training to the end of finals week in August, fans from around the globe are excited to watch their favorite corps compete for the top title. The 2017 season completely changed the way the drum corps is done, and many corps strayed from the traditional drill that older fans are used to seeing. The road to Lucas Oil Stadium this year was one crazy adventure after another, but here's a recap of the season as told by our favorite TV shows.

Preseason

It's hard to know for sure how members are feeling during this time, but for the fans, it's a long period of anxious waiting for show announcements and the return of competition season.

Show Announcements

From "Phantasm" to "Enigma" to "Wicked Games" to "Men Are From Mars," we knew we were in for an incredible season. Music selections were absolutely amazing, and we just couldn't wait to see these shows on the field. Bluecoats and Carolina Crown, however, played a waiting game with us, and we became convinced that we would never find out their shows.

Uniform Reveals

The boundaries of how DCI uniforms should look got pushed this season as corps took a nontraditional route. The Madison Scouts and Boston Crusaders took everyone by surprise with their different and intense looks, but in typical drum corps fashion, they ended up being perfect for their shows.

Decisions, Decisions...

When you want all the drum corps' shirts, it's a hard decision to decide which to buy. I bought three, and it was hard enough to narrow it down that far. Plus, it's difficult to decide which corps to represent at each event. This is after the hard choice of picking which show(s) to attend!

Favorite Show Moments

No one can deny that each corps had their own special show moments, but a few especially caught our attention. For the Bluecoats, their fancy hip movements and footwork on the jagged line left audiences wanting more. Carolina Crown brought down the house with their rendition of "For Good" that included a vocalist, and the Blue Devils stunned fans with a competition classic, "Flight of the Bumblebee." Later in the season, the Boston Crusaders added a fire element, and it was a perfect addition to an already incredible show.

Couchmen and Carolina Crown

In case you've been absent from Twitter, Couchmen and Carolina Crown are absolute relationship goals. One can only hope to find a love like theirs.

Keeping Up with the Kar-Drum Corps

Sometime between watching shows all summer and tracking scores, the season began to near its end. This is not something that both members and fans alike were mentally prepared for.

And the 2017 DCI Champion Is...

Santa Clara Vanguard Cadets won Open Class Championships with a score of 80.725. Winning all captions, the Vanguard Cadets finished their season with a sweep. In their 60th year of competition, Blue Devils won their 18th World Class Championship with a score of 98.538, and they won best general effect and best visual proficiency. Santa Clara Vanguard took second place for their 50th anniversary season, and Carolina Crown brought home third. While all corps work hard all summer to perfect their shows, fans still showed strong emotions about their favorite corps not taking it all in the end.

To Anyone Wanting to Audition...

I'm a 19 year old woodwind player, and I regret never learning brass or percussion after I discovered DCI. Whether you already play an included instrument or not, DON'T GIVE UP.

The 2017 DCI season was definitely one for the books, and it'll take some time to recover from it. In other news, who's ready to count down to the 2018 DCI season with me?