Drum Circles

Some of these "circles" get really hoppin. I see a lot of it coming to the forefront now in schools as a method of instruction and also with various other groups. (Yeah, seniors groups, but anything that promotes drumming is cool.) (Seniors, I are one, but without my Vater sugar maple jazz sticks I are a fish out of water.)

kinda sound like a hippy extravaganza 

all you need is some peyote like the rest of em are on and you can dance like the 6 flags dude, lol. 

nope. never been part of one, but know the right people to get one going if i knew what the fuck the base of it is all about. 

Could'na said it better!

Some years back I was sitting on the house mix in the control room; pit was good but a tad stuck up, conductor having some issues; ...drummer & percussionist started "bouncing off of each other."

Before ya knew it the whole crew was in with the rhythm. 

Turn the pit into a drum ensemble and ya got yourself a basic drum circle.

Ok, story time kids

Tonight was this months first friday festival, got darker alot earlier, and was gettin relatively cold, i had heard that the 2 main guys who run the drum circle usually start at around 7 pm, so i show up at 6, take in the sights, grab a bite, 7 rolls around.............Nothing.

I had been looking forward to this for weeks, and had a small version of my kit out there waiting in the car, and all i found was a dark empty courtyard. THis is when my "I dont give a shit" gland kicked in and my roadee friend and I just began setting up the kit in the pitch black, not even tiki torches to see, had 2 toms, snare, hat, ride, crash cowbell, basic kit, we got it in order, i sat down and played basically an ambient snares off beat. Within a couple minutes a guy from last months circle showed up with a homemade drum and pan flute, and we jammed for about 15 minutes, quiet, but still jamming.

Then, about 2 other people showed up with djembes, set their shit up, and joined in, as over a period of about 30-45 minutes, about 10 other people joined in, and about 50 people started watching, now i wasnt trying to be the center of attention or sound, playing mainly with multi-reed sticks and mallets with occasional wood stick, so i had to keep it mellow for awhile, but more people showed up to watch, and then some people started to dance to it, keeping in mind this is all in the dark, then about 10 more people showed up over time, then 20, then 40, with over 5 times that just watching, taking pictures left and right, dancing, covorting, and having fun.

About 2 hours into it the 2 main guys showed up with chairs and more drums, and it was on, tiki torches ablaze and just an awesome tribal atmosphere, people by the dozens dancing around the flames, 100s of people watching, moving all to the same beat, which was for the most part kept by my bass and hi hat, while my hands went to town, for 3 hours. It was another great experience, i was getting comments left and right, people snapped shots every minute, and my loud kit was now the foundation of the entire gathering, all the while sporting the UBD logo on my bass drum. I will never ever forget this night. EPIC FUCKING WIN!