Drum Mastery 2011
Let’s be honest, drummers don’t always get the glory they deserve. But where would the world’s greatest bands be without someone to lock in the beat? So Shure put out a call for Europe’s best drummers back in the fall of 2011. The idea was to gather unsung rhythm gods from across the continent for a drum battle royal in Reykjavik, Iceland.
Contestants were asked to showcase their chops by uploading a video of them playing along to a designated track. During the entry phase, Shure sponsored a series of online workshop videos to help everyone take their drumming to the next level. After our online community voted on 314 entries from 24 countries, a panel of judges whittled it down to just five finalists.
Shure then flew drummers from Austria, Bulgaria, Italy, Spain and Britain to Iceland to compete for the grand prize. But before the epic drum battle, the five contestants were treated to a masterclass with UK drumming pro Darren Ashford. They also learned the best mic techniques from a Shure sound engineer.
The finalists then took to the stage of a dark club in the Icelandic capital Reykjavik and proceeded to punish their drum kits as an awed audience looked on. In the end, Antonio De Marianis from Italy won over the crowd, which narrowly decided the drum battle champion by applause. He took home a €5,000-voucher for Shure equipment and a set of cymbals from Paiste.
“We’re five drummers with totally different styles and that’s what made the contest so interesting and exciting,” said De Marianis. “I never expected to win and was completely surprised. It was a unique experience that I’ll never forget.”
