Rick K. and the Allnighters always put on a helluva show when they come to town, but the rock ‘n’ rollers have a special something up their sleeve that made their show go viral, and that something is The Mad Drummer Steve Moore. The band start their show by playing a rocking version of 1961 number one hit “Peppermint Twist”, but things go off the rails very quickly, when Rick K and The Mad Drummer can’t agree on who is the real star of the show.
Moore steals the limelight by doing a bunch of crazy tricks behind the kit, windmilling his hair like Slipknot’s Joey Jordison and standing up to play the kit like Metallica’s Lars Ulrich. All the while he also plays a tight and busy drum arrangement. Rick K initially tries to get Moore to settle down but eventually, they end the song by rocking out together. Check out the video below, which has been viewed 20 million times.
The “Peppermint Twist” performance was shot at the band’s gig at the Chuck Mathena Center in Princeton, West Virginia. This and other fiery performances have made Moore a star online for his loopy onstage antics and blistering playing. His live performances have racked up in excess of 100 million views across various uploads, where he steals the show every time.
Adding to the brilliance of their act, the entire band gets in on the stage antics and really put on a great show. That’s not even mentioning their musicianship, as the six members work together like a well-oiled machine to put out a rollicking groove. While the band’s take on “Peppermint Twist” was a big hit on YouTube, it’s got nothing on their performance of ZZ Top’s “Sharp Dressed Man”. The video, titled “This Drummer Is At The Wrong Gig” has clocked 53 million views on Moore’s channel.
Moore lays out a driving groove on “Sharp Dressed Man” while also performing ludicrously over-the-top stage moves, like windmilling his hands around while twirling and throwing the sticks. If you’ve ever tried to learn drumstick tricks like that before, you’ll know that it’s incredibly hard to keep them in the air consistently without dropping them, and that’s without even adding the playing part.
The Mad Drummer’s mad skills were not lost on rock ‘n’ roll fans on YouTube, who added appreciative comments below the video such as “The drummer makes it look so easy, but this is just pure art. What an incredible talent. Give that man a show of his own” and “Keeping the groove on the drums is a difficult job to begin with, but to add those layers of showmanship on top of it – this guy is out of this world.”
Moore’s talents have been widely recognized across the drumming community, and he has been recognized by major publications and brands such as Modern Drummer, Drummerworld, Sabian, Pro-Mark, Ludwig and Evans. He’s also performed with big names at drum festivals like Mike Portnoy, Tomas Lang and Benny Greb.
If you would like to see more from The Mad Drummer Steve Moore, you can subscribe to his YouTube channel. You can also visit his official website for more information.