The Drums play the Forum

The Drums took to the stage in a euphoric daze to the sound of electronic ambience that echoed the electro-pop roots of founder members Jonathan Pierce (vocals) and Jacob Graham (guitar). The four–piece were complete with Tom Haslow on guitar and Connor Hanwick providing the drums.

First up was Best Friend which in this writer’s opinion is the band’s second best song. It has a catchy tune to which you could imagine dancing along at a wedding or some other family function involving the older generations, without the risk of offending Granny or Grandpa.

Pierce put in a strong performance throughout, not just vocally but also with his animated dance moves. His energy filled the room and seemed to infect its inhabitants, with everyone swaying on cue.

Set highlight Let’s Go Surfing prompted the infamous “rock on” gesture from one member of the audience (who would probably like to remain anonymous). The simple and yet effective riffs were a real crowd-pleaser.

You may have noticed, however, that I’ve only named two of the songs performed. That may be because they were the only songs I knew going into the gig or, more likely, because all their songs sound the same. For all The Drums effort and enthusiasm in their live performances, there isn’t a lot to their music. Lacking depth and any real substance, their songs consist of straightforward motifs with a big dollop of teenage angst, possibly accounting for their limited and somewhat juvenile demographics.