Adventuredrum: The Drums of Tomorrow, Today.

It could be said that every city needs a dance band, or that every dance band needs a city to call home.

Brand new dance troupe/ project Adventuredrum combines upbeat drumming styles and sampled sounds with a twist on big band mentality, says creator Christopher Powell, who also performs with Man Man and Icy Demons. The band debuted Friday at the Philadelphia Museum of Art as part of their Art After 5 series.

“Here’s the great thing about it [Adventuredrum]: It introduces you to a whole new group of people who you have never met, and new friendships come out of it,” Powell explains. “I’m sure next time there will be a whole other, more expanded invite list because of meeting new people through this.”

Adventuredrum is a testament to Powell’s philanthropic focus on everything drum-related. The project has surpassed hypothetical “bar talk” to become a fusion of the collective spirit of Philly and the spectacle of many drummers, backed by synthesizers and eventually, artists from all reaches of the arts.

The Art After 5 opportunity was too irresistible for Powell to pass up. Through Adventurdrum, the worlds of artists, musicians and performers collide to create a unique vibe, according to Powell. Collective DIY couldn’t be more Philly.

“Composing for such a large group tends to be pretty loose,” he says. “There is a ton of room to play around. It is kinda a fun social experiment. Everyone is able to do what they want to do but I give them relatively simple guidelines.”

Powell describes the musical themes as dancey but there are also more conceptual themes intertwined. When a bunch of drums get together, it ends up being a spectacle, much like Powell’s experiences with The Boredom’s 77 BOADRUM in New York. Adventuredrum aims to share that spectacle.

Friday’s performance, which also featured the West Philadelphia Orchestra,  will be the jumping off point for outdoor summer shows and an opportunity for even more of Philly’s artistic community to contribute Adventuredrum.

– Text by Megan Matuzak.