West Holmes High School to host Phantom Regiment Aug. 3-4

Let the trumpets resound and the drums sound out because one of the nation’s most highly respected drum and bugle corps is arriving in Holmes County to showcase its talent.

West Holmes High School will host the drum and bugle corps Phantom Regiment Aug. 3-4. The group will practice all day Sunday and into Monday at WHHS stadium, and the public is invited to come and watch them practice.

“If anyone isn’t familiar with this drum and bugle corps, they are sort of like the Major Leagues of marching band,” West Holmes band instructor Steve Butcher said.

Butcher said the best time to come and watch practice is probably Sunday from 8-10 p.m. when the group is doing a full run-through of its new show, “Innovation in Brass.”

Phantom Regiment is one of the most well-known and respected drum and bugle corps in the United States, and Butcher said to have them training and performing at West Holmes is a true honor.

“We feel honored to be able to host the group,” Butcher said. “We heard they were still in desperate need of a host for the weekend, and we decided to step up and host.”

Butcher said getting to host the group should provide inspiration to his own musicians at WHHS, and he said he hopes that seeing this type of dedication from a group of young performers competing at the highest level will help his players want to grow and improve.

“Just seeing the level of dedication and musicianship is something to aspire to,” Butcher said. “And these are high-school-age kids, so we can get a good sense of how we can improve and take things to the next level. Anything is possible if we put in the work and time.”

Following their stay at WHHS, Phantom Regiment will travel to the Hall of Fame Stadium in Canton for a show during Hall of Fame Weekend on Aug. 4 and then to the World Championships in Indianapolis on the weekend of Aug. 8, but prior to that, Holmes Countians can get a taste of this group in person at home.

“They will be rehearsing in our stadium and staying overnight in the gym,” Butcher said. “The rehearsals are open to the public.”

Phantom Regiment began in 1956, a small corps with a big ambition. By the 1970s they were rising rapidly, recognized for not only their exciting drum corps, but also for their brass sound, sophisticated arrangements and visual drills.

They weren’t just a drum corps; they were an experience, having captured the heart of many who saw them perform.

Founded in 1956 in Rockford, Illinois, Phantom Regiment was originally created as the Rockford Rangers but later changed its name to Phantom Regiment, drawing inspiration from both military traditions and classical music. Over the decades the group has developed its own style and sound.

Phantom Regiment is renowned for its classically inspired repertoire and visually elegant performances, with its offerings including symphonic and operatic music and frequently featuring music by composers such as Tchaikovsky, Shostakovich, Samuel Barber and Gustav Mahler.

While its variation of drums combining with a flag corps brings plenty of elegance, the group also is enhanced by its brass section, the horn line being especially celebrated for its sound.

However, Phantom Regiment is more than just a musical experience; it also includes dramatic storytelling, with the showcase of talent balancing artistry and technical direction.

With each perfectly timed step, every precise movement and each unique sound, Phantom Regiment inspires beauty, elegance and precision while performing.

The group has developed a huge following, having won the DCI World Championships in 2008. Phantom Regiment’s production of “Spartacus” is widely regarded as one of the most iconic and theatrical efforts in DCI history, featuring a narrative of rebellion and tragedy complete with character death scenes and a climactic finale.

Phantom Regiment will compete against nine other drum corps from across the U.S. in Canton. They will perform Monday at 9:01 p.m. in the competition.

Tickets to that show are available at www.dci.org/events/2025-innovations-in-brass/.