The Chicago Drum Show once again proved to be an overall fun drumming experience.

If you take the entire event including the after event festivities you have a weekend of fun, drumming and friendship.

The vintage drums had a decent presence, but we do see some of the same stuff from previous years with some additional vintage eye candy.

Many vendors did bring more drums then they did last year and that was nice to see. There were parts and other vintage items that if you collected you could probably find.

I walked away with three very cool 60's Premier store display cards for $15 each. I will add those to the site soon. Also a nice little Sabian Splash cymbal for $10.

Many of the new and custom drums were also showing, but many booths had scaled down from last year.

The clinics were of course always a nice break from the noise in the main area and offered a more constructive way of playing!

I talked with many of the booth vendors and they were happy with the turn out on Saturday and I did see some buying and selling going on and drums being purchased in front of me.

There were even a variety of Japanese made snare drums from as low as $20 that someone could buy in the consignment area.

Unforutunately I did not go on Sunday, my plans changed and I went to go pick up a set of drums from a drummer that past away about 7 months ago.

We both had the same drum teacher and the widow contacted him and then in turn she called me.

This is a difficult situation since she is still mourning the loss of her husband, but with a disease herself, she can't keep them.

They were a mix of drums in ok shape, with cymbals, cases, bongos, a conga, sticks, drum keys and toys.

It was very emotional for the both of us and when we see drums at a show they are just drums with no connection to the past. They do not hold the same level of emotion as drums like this.

I had originally talked to her on the phone for 45 mins talking about her husband and learning about him and his playing. Then when I visited her house we sat another 30 mins talking before I even looked at the drums.

As I inspected them she was crying and I packed them up and loaded them into the car. She did not want any money for them, she just wanted to know they were going to a drummer that cared.

As I left I asked for a hug and she would not let go, other family members were there and they were crying also and it was a very touching moment for the family. He was only in his 60's when he died of cancer.

I still wrote her a check and made it out to the American Cancer Society and she was more then happy with that.

At the drum show they are just drums in a big room, but when you are on such a personal level with the history, they are much more then that.

David

Besides the Slingerland Black Beauty on display, this was in par with rarity and something you never see. I was able to handle this drum from Joe Luoma. He has a great story about the three of the four drums he has owned.