Spirit of Atlanta will be one of the drum & bugle corps performing in the 2013 DCI Tour at Alabama A&M. (CONTRIBUTED)

NORMAL – Pride, pageantry and pure guts. The exciting sights and sounds of DCI International (DCI) soon will blast the stands of Louis Crews Stadium at Alabama A&M University.

The 2013 DCI Tour will visit North Alabama on July 27 at 6:30 p.m. The schedule offers an impressive lineup of corps with marching bands’ elite musicians and performers.

Among the groups in the tour lineup, two corps promise to be hometown favorites. Spirit of Atlanta, based in its namesake city, and Music City Drum & Bugle Corps of Nashville consistently have members who are from the Tennessee Valley.

Other corps include Blue Knights, Denver, Colo.; Blue Stars, La Crosse, Wis.; Boston Crusaders, Boston, Mass; Cascades, Seattle, Wash.; Colts, Dubuque, Iowa; Crossmen, San Antonio, Texas; Jersey Surf, Camden County, N.J.; Madison Scouts, Madison, Wis.; Oregon Crusaders, Portland, Ore.; Pacific Crest, Diamond Bar, Calif.; Pioneer, Milwaukee, Wis.; The Academy, Tempe, Ariz.; and Troopers, Casper, Wyo.

Gates will open at 5:30 p.m. with show time at 6:30 p.m. Ticket prices range from $25 to 35. Groups of 20 or more will receive a $5 discount. Prices increase by $5 on show day.

DCI first organized more than 30 years ago. The nonprofit organization has influenced many thousands of youth in musical and educational growth. Practically every high school band in the Southeast now has adopted the corps style of uniforms, music and entertaining marching patterns and high-energy shows.

More than 8,000 youth audition each year for less than 3,500 positions in DCI organizations. Most corps members are male (66 percent). A corpsman’s average age is just over 19 years old. Full-time college students, many pursuing music education degrees, account for 72 percent of memberships.

For seating information for persons with disabilities, call DCI offices at 317-275-1212. To purchase tickets, visit dci.org/huntsville.