Mandarins Return, Gold & Battalion Join DCI World Class + Color Guard Costuming | OAWB S4EP40

<p><strong>Your All-Access Pass to the Marching Arts.</strong></p><p>DCI’s 2027 World Class field is getting bigger. Chris Rutt, Grantis Peranda and Jeremy Svoboda break down the Mandarins’ approved return after a one-year hiatus and Gold and The Battalion moving from Open Class into DCI World Class beginning in 2027.</p><p>The panel also remembers longtime <em>Drum Corps World</em> publisher and DCI Hall of Fame member Steve Vickers. Grantis takes the 60 Second Tech Block with practical fall color guard costuming advice: choose something that serves the show, survives the field, fits performers well and helps them feel confident. Water We Doing?! tackles recycled and overcomplicated show concepts, copyright and licensing frustrations, and performing in extreme weather.</p><p><strong>CHAPTERS</strong><br>00:00 DCI 2027 Headlines<br>00:41 Welcome + News<br>01:17 Mandarins Return to DCI<br>03:08 Remembering Steve Vickers<br>07:10 Gold + The Battalion Join World Class<br>12:52 What You May Have Missed<br>14:29 Guard Closet<br>16:08 60 Second Tech Block<br>17:17 Fall Color Guard Costuming<br>29:23 Water We Doing?!<br>33:04 Copyright & Marching Arts<br>35:55 Extreme Weather + Performer Safety<br>40:50 Gush & Go<br>46:42 Final CTA + Closing Rehearsal</p><p><strong>PANEL</strong><br>Chris Rutt — @wildhornbrass1<br>Grantis Peranda — @grantisimo_p<br>Jeremy Svoboda / Drum Corps Today — @drumcorpstoday</p><p><strong>NEWS & RESOURCES</strong><br><a href="https://www.dci.org/news/mandarins-approved-to-return-to-the-2027-dci-tour/">Mandarins approved to return to the DCI Tour in 2027</a><br><a href="https://www.dci.org/news/steve-vickers-longtime-publisher-of-drum-corps-world-dies-at-77/">Remembering Steve Vickers — Drum Corps International</a><br><a href="https://www.dci.org/news/the-battalion-and-gold-approved-for-dcis-world-class-in-2027/">Gold + The Battalion approved for DCI World Class in 2027</a></p><p><strong>RELATED OAWB</strong><br><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-pYm0D95QEw">S4EP39 — WGI 2027 Waitlists, Percussion Changes + Practice Makes Permanent</a><br><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AGeBlAFyhFo">S4EP38 — Marching Arts News + Color Guard Tech Advice</a></p><p><strong>MORE OAWB</strong><br><a href="https://www.onawaterbreak.com/">OnAWaterBreak.com</a> | <a href="https://www.onawaterbreak.com/links">Listen Everywhere</a> | <a href="https://www.onawaterbreak.com/news">Marching Arts News</a> | <a href="https://www.onawaterbreak.com/team">Mee