Best Drum Performance Videos: Amazing solos, creative Grooves
Faster, harder, more!
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Best Drum Performance Videos: Amazing solos, creative Grooves · Source: Yuri Arcurs / Alamy Stock Foto
There are a gazillion tutorials, and play along for just about any songs you’d want to drum to. But the performances of the actual drummers inspired us in the first place. Let’s look at the best drum performance videos – in our opinion. Because, eventually, we will overlook a couple.
All About Best Drum Performance Videos
Best Drum Performance Videos: Why does one drummer’s performance stick and another doesn’t?
The fastest, the hardest, the most grooving, the most amazing polyrhythmic, or the best showcase of technical excellence are just a few ways of looking at the best drum performance videos. There are also those drummers who might not fall into any of these categories but who entertain in ways other more technical drummers might not.
This list of the best drum performance videos is merely meant as a starting point. Because we all know the rabbit holes one can fall into when it comes to YouTube. I’ve also limited the selection to YouTube videos and excluded other social media platforms to keep it accessible for any age. Also, very few videos from before 2005 are of decent enough quality, so most videos on the list will be newer.
Note that this list is in no particular order and all performances are We’ll come back to the eternal question in the end, but I’m sure many readers already have their favorite drum performance video already in their mind. So, do let us know in the comments!
Everlong Cover by Nandi Bushell
If there was ever only a single video displaying the joy of drumming, it’d be this one. It’s not about closely mimicking the original, matching Grohl’s timing or fills, it’s about jamming along and feeling the groove. And Nandi nails it.
This video spawned a whole career from the looks of it as Bushell has both a huge YouTube channel and a touring band – plus the epic battle this video led to between her and Dave Grohl. If you need to show someone what it feels like to play the drum, show them this as one fo the best drum performance videos – it counts more than any flashy drum solo in my opinion.
Larnell Lewis Hears “Enter Sandman” For The First Time
Drumeo found an absolute gold mine with their “….hears XYZ for the first time”. Seeing professional drummers react to songs they don’t know, learning them and then interpreting them – what a joy! This is what music making looks like.
Larnell Lewis’ process of learning “Enter Sandman” takes the cake. While this video is much more than just Larnell performing the song, you could argue, it’s a video about a professional drummer performing learning a song. It’s just so amazing seeing Larnell hyper-focused while playing, smiling during moments where he gets a part right.
Benny Greb Drum Solo at Meinl Drum Festival 2017
I have to admit, I’m not the biggest fan of drum solos, just like guitar solos. Because most of the time, to me, it’s just showing off. Sure, you’re the fastest, hardest-hitting drummer in the room, but does it benefit the song? But every once in a while, there are performances of drummers who are truly innovative. And this is one.
The way Benny bends the snare head with his elbow and hits just about every cymbal stand or drum shell, sometimes with sticks, sometimes with his hands, while keeping the groove is just awe-inspiring. Plus, it’s another perfect example of watching a drummer filled with joy while doing what he loves.
Meg White in The White Stripes – From the Basement
I really don’t get the hate or disdain about drummers like Meg White (or Lars Ulrich, for that matter) who play for the song, not for themselves. The conviction and drive Meg always had in her drumming in The White Stripes is perfectly on display here.
She means every single hit. She lives inside each song just as much as Jack does. All the while, her sense of timing and groove just makes you nod your head constantly. That’s what groove is.
El Estepario Siberiano – Cover of “Blinding Lights” by The Weeknd
We can’t make a list of the best drum performance videos and not mention El Estepario. Few drummer display such determination while playing, while occasionally making fun of the whole drum solo thing as well as he does. He’s also kind of fast.
But playing a pop song like “Blinding Lights” with chops like Siberiano means that you just have to fill the gaps. But El Estepario does it in such a musical way that this anthem grooves that much harder.
Anika Nilles – “Wild Boy”
If you look for “effortless drumming” in the the dictionary, it’s very likely this performance will be mentioned (since we all obviously do that) first. If you’re a drummer, you will definitely have heard of Anika. If you’re not, take a look:
The beginning feels so low-key that Anika’s lightning-fast fills and changes almost go unnoticed. It’s one of many amazing drum performances available from her, so I highly recommend the rabbit hole!
The runners-up (drummers-up?)
So many other amazing best drum performance videos I couldn’t list. Josh Freese, Domino Santantonio, Gavin Harrison, Questlove… there are videos of great performances for each of them and many more. I’ll list a few:
Conclusion
So many more drum performances to watch, so little time. Now it’s your turn: which clips to you turn to when you’re looking for the best drum performance videos?
Please let us know in the comments!
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