Sunset Regiment

The Sunset Regiment, formed in 1979 out of the remnants of the Desert Knights Drum and Bugle Corps, was a junior marching and maneuvering corps based in Tucson, Arizona.

Early on, the corps focused on tunes, parades and stand stills. Impromptu performances emphasizing "do what you can with the venue at hand" prepared many a corps member for rehearsal facilities, sleeping facilities and careers on down the road. Performances included a pizzeria and a water slide park, as well as the Sedona St. Patrick’s Day parade.

The Sunset Regiment began to evolve from small-time parade corps to a more serious contender in 1980. They won the 1981 Arizona State American Legion corps title handily, being the only corps in competition. This victory and the inspiration of new director Bill Welsh encouraged corps members to set their sights on higher levels of performance and competition.

By 1982 the corps was up to 52 members, though numbers fluctuated significantly from one performance to the next, making charting difficult. Despite the odds, Sunset managed to pull together a show and their first tour, to a Blue Devils show in Concord, California, during which they discovered the delights of life on the road, corps-style.

The corps toured central and southern California in 1983 with a complement of 66 marchers. Another tour of California in 1984 had “Drum Corps World” claiming that the 110-member Arizona corps was beating longer established groups. Not all was glory, however: the corps also starred at the groundbreaking of a new outlet mall.

Sunset Regiment competed through 1985, traveling as far as Texas and Colorado. They continued to compete through at least 1990.

[rec.arts.marching.drumcorps 4/28/99; www.sunsetregiment.org]

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