Now is the time for music's major league

This is full-scale musical entertainment as spectacular as a Broadway musical and as athletic as a triathlon.

Carolina Crown, a non-profit youth organization, has a mission to develop "lifelong excellence in young people through superior and challenging performing arts education /experience" which is considered vital to a well-rounded education.

While the organization is involved in many area youth-related activities -- middle school honor bands, dance camps, percussion/brass as well as donating money and goods and sending instructors to area schools -- the drum and bugle corps is the main focus.

"Drum corps is to high school marching bands what the Panthers are to high school football. It is the best marching band you'll ever see," said Eric Sabach, director of business development and marketing for Carolina Crown.

Another example might be "when the pit orchestra comes up on stage, becomes the actors and plays the music at the same time." This year students aged 14 to 21 from 40 states and three countries auditioned for the 150 spots with Carolina Crown, said Sabach. Those of college age represent all majors, including music education, performance, dance, theater and business, he said.

"They are all educated, well-trained specifically and, unequaled," he said. Crown members, he said, are "roving national ambassadors for Fort Mill/ York County and the Greater Charlotte metro area." They travel 15,000 miles a year for performances and competitions.

The corps rehearses and performs an average of six to eight hours daily, which, Sabach said, "is roughly equivalent of two triathlons in a day, every day, for the three-month season."

Carolina Crown travels as a fleet. "We go down the road with 11 vehicles or more," he said, including four chartered buses; a-44 foot rock and roll RV; two tractor trailers, one for instruments and another that converts into a food service vehicle serving 1,000 meals a day on the road; a merchandise trailer and other vehicles.

That's quite an armada, and it rolls into town Sunday for what Sabach says will be "a really great show that's affordable family entertainment, with all types of music."

Crown's 2010 show is titled "A Second Chance" built on a premise to go back to fix or repair the past. Last year, Crown's "The Grass is Always Greener" show took second place at the DCI finals. Finals for 2010 take place Aug. 14 at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis.

For Sunday's event, gate opens at 6 p.m. and the show starts at 7. Get ticket information, including details about a bonus pre-show concert with the Jason Marsalis Vibes Quartet, at crowntickets.com. For more on the corps, visit carolinacrown.org.

Run around town and all over the area with live musical entertainment as your main objective. Check the listings here to know when and where to come and go.

Tonight: Heywire at Scandal's, Rock Hill; The Blue Dogs-Unplugged, Euphonious Ensemble at Sylvia Theater, York; Barenaked Ladies at Road Runner Mobile Amphitheater, Charlotte; Widespread Panic at Verizon Wireless Amphitheater, Charlotte; Rockstar at Black Bear Saloon, Charlotte; The Stragglers, Carolina Gator Gumbo at the Double Door Inn, Charlotte; Futurebirds, Pullman Strike, Clint Maul at Snug Harbor, Charlotte; Lenny Federal Band at Comet Grill, Charlotte; Jeff Brown at Dilworth Neighborhood Bar and Grille, Charlotte; Brett Harris, Jack the Radio, Bright Young Things; Jill Dineen, Matter of Fact; at The Evening Muse, Charlotte; Batusis, Prima Donna, The Mangles at Tremont Music Hall, Charlotte; Burn Under Punches at Smokey Joe's Café, Charlotte; Pocket Full of Strange at Fairview Grill, Charlotte; The Lights Fluorescent, Shotgun Lover, 500 Miles to Memphis at the Milestone, Charlotte; Jem Crossland and The Hypertonics at Puckett's Farm Equipment, Charlotte; Cool Kid Collective at Rusty Rudder, Cornelius and Black Glass at Amici's, Concord.