Drumstars Live

Jack Marley – Drumstars Live Drummer’s Blog

2011-11-09T08:29:54Z

I have been taking lessons with Amy at Drumstars for a year and a half now and from no prior experience I am currently playing through the grade 7 Rock School book. I am inspired by groups such as the Foo Fighters, Lostprophets, Blink 182 and the Artic Monkeys and find my playing style influenced by the drummers from these groups.

I formed a band with two of my friends who play guitar and bass. We currently play covers but are looking ahead to write our own material in the future. In the last 6 months we have practiced at the Oxclose Music Project. The project is a good place to attend as you play alongside other bands that help and advise you. Playing at the project also gives you opportunities to play gigs that can get you into the music scene and improve confidence in performing.

We had a last practice at the Oxclose Music Project in preparation for Biddick School’s Rock Night that we were to perform at. This went very well. We had been given a cap of two songs to play as there were many other bands going to perform at the event. We chose “Munich” by the Editors and “Debaser” by the Pixies as our two songs. I felt we got the songs nailed down which always feels good so that you are confident going into the performance night.

On the day of the performance we turned up to have a run through our set list on stage and we also found out that we were to be opening the show. At first I was nervous about this as the openers always have a difficult task to warm the audience up. By getting on stage before the show, the band got a feel for the sound and the equipment being used. This was good for me being a drummer as the kit was being shared on the night by all the performers.

Once the sound check was complete we waited backstage until we were called for the start of the show. There was a large audience of over 200 people and although slightly nervous I was excited to start performing. I felt the set went very well and it was a really good performance. We had practiced a lot for the show and I felt that it was confident and tight. The whole night was a success and it is good to listen to other musicians and bands so that you can hear other influences and styles.

Jack Marley

Drumstars Live – Biddick School Rock Night – Catherine Marley

2011-11-09T08:15:27Z

I have been playing drums for about a year and a half with lessons from Amy at Drumstars. I am influenced by drummers like Dave Grohl, Taylor Hawkins, Shannon Leto and Travis Barker. I play in a band called Playing with Shadows. I have only joined this band recently as they were doing acoustic sets while they looked for a drummer and bassist. We are influenced by bands such as My Chemical Romance, Fall Out Boy, Blink-182 and Greenday. In the last few months we have been practicing at the Oxclose Music Project.

My school was holding a Rock Night to raise funds for the Music Department and give young local bands the opportunity to perform to an audience of around 200 people. My band asked to play and I was also performing in groups for BTEC Music. I had also been asked to play in the school’s Staff Band as they had no drummer and they had seen me perform a solo at the last rock night.

First I was performing with my band Playing with Shadows and it went really well. It was our first time on stage as a band. We played West Coast Smoker by Fall Out Boy and All The Small Things by Blink-182. Both songs seemed to be well received by the large audience although we still don’t have a bassist – if anyone’s interested please get in touch!

In my BTEC music group we were playing Sing by My Chemical Romance and Chasing Cars by Snow Patrol. I also played Summer of 69 by Bryan Adams and Highway To Hell by ACDC with the Staff Band. This is great as I’m playing with different groups of people which helps me to develop as a drummer.

In the future my aim is to develop my playing and continue playing in groups. I am inspired by the events put on by Drumstars/ The Drum Shop and the advice from Amy, Phil and Wez and would like to turn my drumming into a career.

Catherine Marley.

Thursday 13/10/11 - Dylan Thompson attends a jazz workshop and performance day

2011-10-19T07:11:48Z

(Dylan and his brother Alex)

On Thursday 13th October I had a day of school (YEAH) to attend a jazz workshop day. The day was run by Gateshead music service and aimed at music students of grades 1 - 3. I was given lessons on different jazz and swing styles, basic improvisation training and the chance to join the award winning junior jazz group 'Little Big Band'. Other musicians taking part included clarinet, trombone, trumpet, cornet, guitar, bass, piano and saxophone. The day ran from 9.00am until 3.30pm with a break for lunch.

At the end we had a concert playing the songs we had practiced during the day. Each person got to play improvised solos during the performance, which I was nervous about but it went really well.The conductor wanted to know who my drum teacher was. I told him it was Wez. He said that being taught to read drum music so well made it easy for me to fit in. After the concert me and my brother Alex, who also there playing saxophone were asked to join the 'Little Big Band'

Dylan Thompson 9years

Drumstars Live - Goes Live...!!

2011-10-14T08:36:30Z

With the launch of this new page we are going to keep a diary of all of our current 'Drumstars'. If you are a Drumstar and you are out gigging or just playing a one off concert, we want to know all about it in this New Diary Page. Tell us how you felt as you were setting up..?? How did you feel just before you went on to play to a live audience..?? Was your show a success..?? Were you awesome but the bass player kept going out of time (typical bass players!!)..

Let us know in this diary so new drummers and drummers who aren't in bands can experience the highs and lows of being a working drummer...!

email your experience along with a image of you behind your kit or your set list to wez_5@hotmail.com

Thanks

Wez, Amy and Phil :)