Simon Phillips

The hall behind Adams Drumworld was full and enjoying the performances of Lars Nijman and Simon Phillips.

Lars opened the evening with a fantastic show. This 14-year-old didn’t flinch when he was introduced. He admitted being a bit nervous, but called it healthy tension. Mature in his thoughts and even more behind his kit. For someone his age, he played like an adult. Of course, he wasn’t entirely satisfied afterwards, but he was very proud. He had the audience in the palm of his hand, and everyone eagerly awaited Simon’s performance. Lars played three pieces from Simon’s solo project, giving everyone a taste of what was to come.

Simon took the stage like someone who was born to perform. This incredibly relaxed guy was clearly at ease and delivered a phenomenal clinic. Two small podiums were placed in the hall for people to step on and ask Simon questions. It worked very well, the audience felt the good vibes and had no trouble asking interesting questions. Simon played boldly, even daring to make the occasional mistake... He, tired and recovering from lots of traveling, needed to adjust to the clinic format and the fact he was standing there "alone". “That’s always how it goes during my clinic tour, the first two are usually try-outs,” said Simon.

When you plan a clinic on April 30, knowing many drummers have gigs, you could argue the date wasn’t ideal. But afterwards, we can only say it was an unforgettable evening with over 1,000 fans enjoying the event. Adams Drumworld sincerely thanks Hoshino Benelux for their trust in our company, and we thank Simon Phillips for his amazing clinic.

We also thank everyone who took the time to help make this an unforgettable night together.

More about Simon: www.simon-phillips.com

Photography: Arjan Aelmans