The History of Tremendous Blast

Tremendous Blast got it's start back in 1953, in the small village of Ottawa.  Back then they were a legion corps, but the spirit of the Blast was being grown and nurtured even then.  The Ottawa Legion Corp was a diverse group of musicians, all striving to be something that had never existed in drum and bugle corps before.  This dedication to innovation was what led to the initial success, and sadly, later demise of the first incarnation of Tremendous Blast.

The Ottawa Legion Corps surged in popularity through it's first two years of competition, exhibition and revolutionary movements in the Minnesota drum corps scene.  Setting the bar up a notch for everyone, the crowds wowed at the stylings of this fresh new face. They achieved national notoriety through their use of textiles.  Honors included: Best new Corps from Minnesota ('53), Champions Kasota Quarry Days('53-'55), Champions El Paso Salsa-a-go-go Drum Corp Show ('54), and the Best Guard at the Tallahassee Corps-o-rama ('53).

Like most bright stars however, the Legion Corp soon realized the hazards of shining for all to see, when the next step led to tragedy.  On a cool early summer morning, the Corps lost it's first female member, Mildred Schwartz, as they attempted a springboard propelled dive into a kiddy pool.   This tragedy took the wind from the sails of the membership, which they were never able to recover from.

Rising like a phoenix from the ashes of the kiddy pool, Tremendous Blast has brought Drum Corps back the town of Ottawa.  Being the newest drum corps in MN, and the first to establish itself in a town of less than 100, Tremendous Blast is once again attempting to make a big splash in the scene.

The first year back into the world of Corps was a successful one, with the Debut performance taking the crowd by storm at Oktoberfest in Lacrosse WI.  This performance highlighted many features of the Corps, but continuing with the musical heritage and innovation, the Blast debuted their newest secret weapon, the Cymbal Guard. 

The Cymbal Guard wowed the crowd, and the competition, with a style and grace that set a new standard of excellence in auxiliary members in a drum Corps.  Rumor has it that several of the top 6 DCI Corps from last year are planning to incorporate this concept into their field shows.  Once again, Tremendous Blast leads the way!