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The UK Drum Show is the largest drummer-focused event in the UK, bringing together world-class players, major equipment brands, educators, and thousands of passionate drummers under one roof. In October 2025, I exhibited for the first time with Above Average Clothing’s DRMMR identity — using the event to test whether mindset-led streetwear resonates inside a traditionally gear-driven industry.
Overall, it went well — not in a flashy, overnight-success way, but in a much more meaningful way that actually validates what I’m building.
People weren’t just interested in the clothes. They were interested in the thinking behind them.
The show took place at ACC Liverpool across two packed days of performances, demos, clinics, and exhibitions. The scale of the event is impressive — some of the biggest names in drums, cymbals, hardware, and education were exhibiting and drawing serious crowds.
Footfall wasn’t quite as heavy as I’d hoped at times, but that’s the reality when you’re sharing space with major brands and headline attractions. It’s part of learning how these shows actually work, not how you imagine they work on paper.
What mattered more was the quality of the conversations.
I went in expecting most conversations to start with fabric weight, fit, and pricing.
Instead, the questions kept circling back to:
Why the brand exists
What the slogans mean
The mindset behind DRMMR
How identity plays into creativity and consistency
That was incredibly encouraging. It confirmed that this isn’t just another merch-style clothing project — people genuinely connect with the ideas behind it.
Two slogans in particular sparked a lot of conversation:
“It’s called a throne for a reason.”
“Keeping time. Most of the time.”
They made people smile, nod, and start telling their own stories. That’s exactly what I hoped the language would do — open dialogue rather than just decorate fabric.
One of the highlights for me was having genuinely good conversations with:
Mark Richardson (Skunk Anansie)
Vicky O’Neon
Gregg Bisonnette
Not in a fanboy way — but as real conversations about playing, mindset, longevity in music, and how identity evolves over time. That kind of alignment matters far more than transactional exposure.
Those conversations reinforced that DRMMR sits comfortably in the same world as serious musicians, not just lifestyle branding.
A few clear positives came out of the weekend:
The slogans landed. People remembered them, quoted them back, and connected emotionally.
The identity resonated. DRMMR made sense to drummers without heavy explanation.
The gold caret drew curiosity. Subtle, but it consistently started conversations.
The mindset positioning differentiated the brand. In a hall full of hardware and specs, something human stood out.
That’s strong validation.
The Drum Show wasn’t about selling out stock. It was about testing whether a drummer-first identity brand makes sense in the real world.
The answer is yes — but in a deeper way than just product demand. The appetite is for:
Meaning
Authenticity
Thoughtful design
Community connection
Brands that stand for something real
That’s exactly the direction DRMMR is built around.
I’m not a big fashion house or a corporate merch operation. Above Average Clothing is a one-person project that I build alongside full-time work, driven by curiosity, creativity, and long-term thinking.
Bringing DRMMR into a room full of world-class players and respected professionals was a personal milestone — not because of visibility, but because the conversations felt aligned and genuine.
That matters more than metrics.
The UK Drum Show 2025 validated that identity-led streetwear has a place in drummer culture — not as noise, but as signal.
DRMMR isn’t about being louder than everyone else. It’s about creating something honest, durable, and meaningful for people who care about their craft and how they show up in the world.
This was just the beginning.
If you’re curious about what DRMMR stands for, you can explore the collection online — or come and talk drums with me at the next show.
