The 2015 Drum Corps International competitive season gets underway this week.

Three events that are part of the DCI summer tour highlight performances that can be seen locally.

The first is a nationwide live broadcast that is available at three movie theaters in the Pittsburgh area Wednesday at 8:30 p.m.

The DCI Tour Premiere, which will take place at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis, will be shown live at Cinemark Monroeville Mall, Cinemark Robinson Township and Cinemark 17 at Pittsburgh Mills near Tarentum.

It’s the first live broadcast in the event’s five-year history.

The six competing corps are the Blue Stars (La Crosse, Wis.), the Bluecoats (Canton, Ohio), Carolina Crown (Fort Mill, S.C.), Madison Scouts (Madison, Wis.), the Cadets (Allentown, Pa.) and the Cavaliers (Rosemont, Ill.).

DCI and Marines at Gateway

Three of those same corps — Bluecoats, Blue Stars and Madison Scouts — will join the Boston Crusaders (Boston) and the Troopers (Casper, Wyo). at Innovations in Brass: Pittsburgh to be held June 24 at 7:30 p.m., at Gateway High School Stadium in Monroeville.

There also will be a performance by the Commandant’s Own United States Marine Drum & Bugle Corps from Marine Barracks, Washington, D.C.

The competition is co-sponsored by the Bluecoats and the Gateway High School band boosters,

Eric Homol, a 2014 graduate from Moon High School, is a first-year member of the Bluecoats.

Mr. Homol, who plays euphonium, had a lofty goal when he decided to try out for the Bluecoats, who placed second at the DCI World Championships last year.

“I had my doubts but I knew that if I really wanted it, I had to go all in without looking back,” said Mr. Homol, who is a 19-year-old music education major at Indiana University in Bloomington.

He and the corps have been undergoing rigorous practices of 12-14 hour days since mid-May at their training camp at Denison University in Ohio.

“There have been ups and downs but we get through it all together. The hardest thing about it is keeping mental focus.”

As for this season, Mr. Homol said his immediate goal is to be able to put out an amazing show on the field with an amazing family.

The Bluecoats production is “Kinetic Noise, ” which combines the music of five modern artists.

“Our show doesn’t tell a story, but has a very clear aesthetic,” said Bluecoats Executive Director David Glasgow. “It’s like harvesting the power of kinetic energy and having it collide with the unexpected energy of sound effects.”

The Boston Crusaders, who are be celebrating their 75th anniversary, will present “Conquest, ” a show that depicts the tradition-rich history of the corps.

Madison Scouts’ production, “78th & Madison,” is a show inspired by the classic Gene Kelly MGM musicals.

The Blue Stars’ production is titled “Sideshow” and the Troopers is “Wild Horses.”

“I think everyone is attracted to music, to color, to precision and to excitement,” Mr. Glasgow said. “It’s theater and very close to Cirque du Soleil on a football field. There’s something there for everyone.”

August event at Baldwin

The final local event will be DCI Pittsburgh presented by Three Rivers Summer Music Games at 7 p.m. Aug. 2 at Baldwin High School Stadium.

Competing corps will be the Blue Knights (Denver), the Boston Crusaders, the Academy (Tempe, Ariz.), Spirit of Atlanta (Atlanta), the Oregon Crusaders (Portland, Ore.), Pioneer (Milwaukee) and the Cascades (Seattle).

Tickets for the events at Gateway ($15-$35) and at Baldwin ($25-$35) are available through the DCI box office at 1-317-275-1212 or www.dci.org/tickets.

Tickets can also be purchased at the gate.

Ken Mrazik: kmrazik@post-gazette.com or 412-263-1725.

First Published: June 14, 2015, 4:00 a.m.