All that was missing was the beach and ocean waves as the sound of steel drums made the Catalina Foothills High School stadium feel like a tropical Caribbean night.
More than 150 percussionists and steel-drum players took part in the Arizona Chapter of the Percussive Arts Society - or AZPAS - Mass Steel Band 2010 performance on Friday.
The AZPAS event kicked off the 37th annual AZPAS Days of Percussion, which featured percussionists from around the state and included activities, meetings, guests and concerts at the University of Arizona. This was the fourth Mass Steel Band concert since the event began in 2000, said AZPAS president Josh Gottry.
The concert featured steel drummers from Arizona State University, the UA and area high schools - including Tucson, Catalina Foothills and Empire - as well as local groups and individuals.
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"When you get this number of people playing together, there is so much more energy involved," Gottry said.
"It's a chance for us as percussionists to come together and play with other people from all over the state, and it's just a lot of fun."
Empire High School student Emily Papenfus said she loves the sound of steel drums as well as sharing the same dream with 150 other players.
"It's really interesting to hear multiple bands play the same song, and it's a lot larger scale than in class," Papenfus said. "You can hear all the different parts a lot better, and it's really cool to meet new people that are interested in the same thing."
Many folks are drawn to the steel drums' uniqueness and simplicity, said Tucson High School teacher Khris Dodge.
"It's relatively easy to learn and a little harder to master, but they are great fun to play," Dodge said.
"It's not every day you hear people that say, 'Oh, I play the steel drums,' so it's cool to be in that environment," said Empire High School student Holly Perry.
"Most people don't know what the steel drums are, so I tell them I play the giant trash can," she added with a laugh.
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Contact David Sanders at dsanders@azstarnet.com or 573-4155.
