Riot Press Collective

As August passes, we have to acknowledge some of the incredible releases we were lucky enough to get in just one month. The one that especially stuck with me, however, is “Drum Show” by the two-piece Twenty One Pilots. No surprise in it knocking my socks off, but getting thrown a surprise bone with vocals from Joshua Dun? Not only do we hear from him, but this entire song, in general, is about him and his very-battered steering wheel.

This song encapsulates what it is to drag your feet through work and just go with the motions, because what else are you gonna do? But when it’s all said and done and you have been, “…let you out of your cage…”, you finally get that moment of relief. No more customer service voice, just you and an empty car. The ‘drum show’ in question, on a surface level, is Josh tapping away to the rhythm of whatever he has on, which he says “gets the aggression out,” in a recent BBC Radio 1 interview upon the song’s release. However, this could have a double meaning—throughout the song, they play progressively louder, more aggressive even. This could symbolize the literal drum shows, earlier ones with crowds of 12 people turning into stadiums packed with people who love and appreciate your art. They haven’t confirmed this as it’s all speculation.

This song accomplished exactly what they intended it to, the feeling of high school/college angst and the escape of letting it all out when you can be as loud as you want. We all put on our own drum shows, regardless of where we are in life—”…even now, He’ll take the longer way home…”, when someone as talented and seasoned in the industry as Josh still needs a post-work car yelling session, you don’t feel so alone.

Between the punchy instrumentals and paired vocals, it feels like seeing yourself from a bird’s eye view in a small, empty space as any prior worry or cause of stress washes away. You’re not dramatic for being exhausted from the day-to-day; you can’t stop tomorrow from coming, so you have no choice but to prevail. But that outlet will always be there, and it always has been.

To put it simply, this song and the thought process behind it are impressive and thought-provoking all around. The vocals being soft at some points, like Josh’s brief involvement, “I’ve been this way, I want to change“, being a juxtaposition from the gritty, punchy instrumentals is an incredible representation of how even when the relentless onslaught of thoughts do laps in your head, life around you will continue at its regular pace. We all have our coping mechanisms, some more unconventional than others, but when in doubt—try putting on a drum show.