Dario Rossi
Using pots, pans and a bucket-load of energy, a man identified as Dario Rossi has gone viral with his performances on the streets of Rome. His high-energy performances have attracted global media attention, and a ton of video hits to boot. This clip, recorded on May 1, 2014 by a Mr Dmitry Kann, has been watched 327,176 times online.
Rossi can be found at Piazza Del Popolo and other tourist spots in the Italian capital. In this video the dynamic drummer caught the attention of a young passer-by who improvised on some pretty exuberant dance moves.
Pipe Guy
Rossi is not the first to hit historically unmusical objects in a magnificently musical manner, nor is he the most celebrated for doing so. A video of ‘Pipe Guy’ performing live in Rundle Mall, Adelaide, has notched up 4,962,259 hits on YouTube, which makes him the second most popular performer of his kind.
Gordo Drummer
It must be something in the water over there because the leading bucket drummer (if YouTube hits are anything to go by) is the very modest Gordo Drummer. Performing in Sydney, Australia, Wei’s subtle manipulation of five buckets has won him the support of millions. His self-titled ‘Best Drummer Ever’ video has a whopping 20,679,468 views.
Larry Wright
Whilst on the topic, it would be rude not to mention the godfather of bucket drumming, Larry Wright. He is often credited as the inventor of the art form, as the first to use five gallon plastic buckets instead of a normal drum kit, using his feet to lift the buckets and change the sound pattern. He started playing at the age of five and met his wife, Sonia, playing in a subway station. They can typically be found performing at the Union Square, Penn Station, Port Authority, and 59th and Lexington subway stations. The famous New York busker has featured in adverts, the movie Green Card and even a Mariah Carey video, ‘Someday’.
Who is the bucket drumming king? You decide.