More than 70 Newcastle drummers provide soundtrack for NOISE dance work

NOISE, an 18-minute dance extravaganza by a troupe from Queensland's Dancenorth, will be performed during New Annual with the support of more than 70 local Newcastle drummers from all walks, who have been practising for a month.

Matt Abraham of Newcastle was a drummer in the original production of NOISE in Townsville in 2019. When he saw an advertising email announcing that NOISE would be coming to Newcastle as part of New Annual, he got in touch immediately to see if he could be involved.

Abraham is the drum major for the Newcastle contingent, and has been leading the rehearsals for 50-plus drummers.

"It's hard to describe the awesome feeling that comes with being part of a large ensemble of drummers... it's just an experience that I wasn't going to miss!, Abraham says.

"I'm the drum major of the City of Newcastle RSL Pipe Band and have been playing drums since primary school.

"We've been increasing in numbers each week. We have three rehearsals left (just the drumming ensemble) before teaming up with the dancers for technical rehearsals, in the lead up to the performances.

"It's been an incredible experience, having drummers from all different abilities, come together and perform as one awesome team."

Kyle Page, the artistic director and co-CEO of Dancenorth, is the co-director of NOISE with Amber Haines.

Page describes the performance of NOISE as "really an invitation to come together and create noise".

"The idea is to pull audience members into the present moment," he says.

The drummers do not need to have previous experience (although most do).

"It's really about getting together with primal sense of energy within all of us," Page says.

The drummers create a wall of sound, creating an unique, energetic platform for the small troupe of spectacular professional dancers.

The work has been performed globally, and at WOMAdelaide in Australia and to the troupe's home audience in Townsville.

"The thing we are bringing is a deep resonance to the percussiveness," Page says. "A sense of aliveness, virtuosity of the body. You don't need a degree to understand. You can feel the energy performers are throwing the audience.

"The audience is just as much a contributor. It's an energy that fuels dancers, drummers - a triangulation of energy of joy and energy."

For Hamish Ford, 53, and his daughter Imogen, 11, of Cooks Hill, participating in NOISE is an unforeseen opportunity to perform together as drummers in wildly exhilarating event.

"My Mum first suggested it, and me and my dad thought it was a great idea," Imogen says.

Imogen got her start on drums with her dad, Hamish, who has been playing since he was 10 years old, but has only starting taking it seriously in the last two-and-a-half years. She was the youngest drummer in the all-female Massive Band concert featuring 71 musicians at New Annual in 2021.

"I really love the chance to play with other drummers in bands/ensembles like this," she says.

For Hamish Ford, joining this one-off percussion band, is a chance to revisit his great love of drumming.

"I have been drumming since I was 10, then in some version of the same band from age 14 to 41," he says. "However, I then had many years away from drumming after Imogen was born. When she later showed some interest and I gave her a few lessons around the time of Massive Band, I gradually started to get itchy hands and feet again myself.

"Then, when we moved house a year ago and finally had a little room to set up the drums properly, I began to get back into it."

They both practice two or three times a week for about half an hour each session.

"The plan is to convert the garage into a soundproofed studio so we can play more, and louder!," Hamish says. "Who needs somewhere to put a car when drums need a space to truly shine!"

After a month of rehearsals for NOISE, Hamish is convinced it was worth investing the time.

"The power of 50 or so people playing various kinds of drums at the same time is truly unique and timeless," he says. "I haven't had the opportunity to play with other drummers before, so it's been wonderful. And especially doing it with Imogen, or course."

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