The Drums @ Chain Reaction 3/2/19 Shot by Samantha Simmons

   "The air was dense with anticipation; I could feel it in the crowd, I could feel it coming from myself. The band slowly began filing onto the stage, picking up their guitars and drumsticks, frontman Jonny Pierce, still absent from stage as the cheers grow louder and louder. His entrance was met with a palpable energy unmatched by any other show Chain Reaction has experienced before. The crowd responded with an undying love and affection, holding up their Drums tattoos in everlasting appreciation of the music. Each member of the band responded with a gratefulness that emanated from the speakers lining the stage and played like it was the only show they would ever have. Looking through the lens of my camera I felt changed, I became a part of them and what they had created." - Samantha S.

   "Brutalism is truly pop at its core, with thoroughly modern production and Pierce’s newfound tenderness. Back in The Drums' previous iterations, the pressure was on Pierce to maintain the innocent and nostalgic sound of this surf-pop indie band and it didn't allow him to explore sex, drug use, darker emotions or how he felt currently. “Abysmal Thoughts” was the first occasion he had chance to do that. Lyrically Brutalism is another giant step in that direction, and is defined by vulnerability. That's why you can dance to Brutalism, you can cry to Brutalism, and you can laugh to it too. 
   The past year has been transformative Pierce, who may a permanent rain cloud above his head but is working towards a better, healthier headspace. “I don't think I'll ever really find myself,” he says. “I don't think people do. I don't think there's a day that you wake up and you go, Now I know who I am. The best way for me to be an artist is by taking a goddamn minute, being still and listening to what it is that I want and need.” It was a real year of growth for him, but growth towards what? “I don't really know, and that's OK.” - Via http://www.anti.com
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The Drums:
thedrums.com
Twitter: @thedrumsforever
Instagram: @thedrumsofficial

Samantha Simmons is a photographer from San Diego, California exploring and documenting life as she sees it. Whether it’s the underground music scene or constructing a reality rooted in nostalgia through film, she wants to encourage people to feel all they’re capable through the art they consume.
IG: @beachsidecemetery

​The Drums new album, "Brutalism"....