I was very happy to have had the opportunity to attend this year’s Drum Fest International Ralph Angelillo 2018 in beautiful Quebec City!
For me, it brought back some really great memories! Years ago I attended several editions of the Montreal Drum Fest. Those festivals had a huge influence on me and really fed the passion that I have for the drums!
There was a sense of nostalgia for me even though it was in a different theater and completely different city! It was almost like walking into “home”… oddly enough I recognized many faces from attending the festival from years gone by!
There was quite a bit of travel, about 9 hours of driving to and from Quebec City…. but I shared the ride with Michel and Vincent, 2 other drummers… we listened to quite a bit of music and shared quite a few laughs!
Going in I was really excited to see a few of people in general…
Dave DiCenso being the first…. I remember seeing Dave many years ago, in 1999, at the Montreal edition of the Drum Fest, back then I had no idea who this guy was. He left such a huge impact on me…. I was so looking forward to seeing him this year. I was certainly not disappointed.
An incredible vocabulary on the drum kit. We also found out that Dave can sing!
Also looked forward to seeing Will Calhoun. Another great player… I kind of freaked out because he played to a recorded track that he had played with back in 97 (I believe)… I recognized the song! It was on a Drum Fest CD that they had put out all those years ago.
Jost Nickel was one of my highlights! Watching him play on YouTube, he has become one of my favorite voices on the drum kit. Jost is so funky, such a great feel… just a superb player!
I also looked forward to and enjoyed Anika Nilles, Dave Langguth and Todd Sucherman! I enjoyed the entire line up… let’s be honest!
I loved seeing Todd, just a very musical drummer, some of his solos on YouTube almost have me singing their melodies!
Jim Riley was one of my favorites of the weekend. He did a bit of teaching but the best part, for me, was his speaking about the importance of playing for the song. This is something that has literally taken years for me to develop! And I’m not going to pretend to be a “master” at it! But playing for the song is of most importance if you’re playing music!! 😉
Stanley Randolph, here’s a guy I really didn’t know much about. And as he finished off the weekend, I can tell you his performance was a highlight! The man is pure funk! He played to a couple of Stevie Wonder tracks (he has been Stevie’s drummer for the last 9 years) and it was just perfect! He brought out a band that he is playing with / producing… they played some great tunes! I can’t remember the singer’s name… but holy crap, what a voice! 1 lead singer, 2 background singers, bass and drums… this had me standing up and pretty much dancing in front of my seat… and for anyone who knows me… I don’t dance! Loved it Stanley!
One of the highlights for me, was seeing Mr Tommy Aldridge!
As a young kid listening to metal and being a big fan of Ozzy, Tommy Aldridge had a big influence on my falling in love with the drums. Tommy is a soft spoken guy, Mr Angelillo presented Tommy with a lifetime achievement award and as Tommy spoke you can tell he is a kind soul.
Put him being the drum kit and he turns into an instant rock monster!! Tommy hits it hard! He played a few Whitesnake tracks and then broke into a solo after speaking a bit… and partway through his solo the sticks went flying in the crowd and he finished his solo with his bare hands!
Now that’s rock ‘n roll boys and girls!!
Seriously, for any drummers out there who have considered going to an event such as this before, I would say just skip the “considering” part… and go. This festival, the Drum Fest International Ralph Angelillo 2018, is a fantastic event. It has always been incredibly well run, it’s always in a great venue and everyone in attendance just loves it! This is the biggest drum festival of it’s kind in North America.
Mr Angelillo is well respected in the drumming community, and with very good reason. The experience is a must.
Merci Ralph pour cette évènement très inspirante! / Thank you Ralph for this very inspiring event!
