History
In December, 1975, five people met in a restaurant in Danvers, to discuss the future of their organizations. Representing long-standing corps from Beverly, Danvers, Melrose, Revere and Wilmington, the Directors knew it was time to consolidate their efforts so as to be more financially stable and also more competitive. From this meeting the North Star Drum and Bugle Corps was formed. Blessed with a young, talented, hardworking staff, the corps had an immediate impact on the drum corps scene in Boston, the East and then very quickly, nationally. North Star was from the beginning a crowd pleaser. To this day, it is considered one of the most entertaining and exciting corps in the history of Drum Corps International (DCI).
The corps in only its second year of competition in 1977, earned associate status in Denver Colorado. This was a feat accomplished by only a few corps. The next year, 1978, in Denver, Colorado, the corps attained full Drum Corps membership by finishing 10th in the finals. This was particularly exciting since many DCI historians consider this year to be the most competitive in DCI history.
Over the next several years the corps continued to improve and won the CYO nationals and had DCI final appearances in 1979 and 1980.
The corps was well known for its famous “Chrome Wall” drum line, its colorful and vibrant color guard and its powerful and dynamic horn line.
The corps was forced to fold after the 1982 season due to severe financial reasons. However, to this day the corps is consistently mentioned in Drum Corps publications and highlights of the Corps’s performances are regularly featured in social media.
