Yamato Drummers - The Lowry, Salford Quays

5:06pm Friday 30th May 2008

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MY INNER drummer was beating out when I watched this powerful, almost tribal, display by Yamato.

Playing a full range of percussion, from cymbals to massive bass drums, the Japanese drummers brought The Lowry theatre to a galloping rhythm that took the audience along in its sway.

Gentle rumblings built into thunderous crescendos that rocked the venue and when several drummers played simultaneously it was beautifully syncronised with military precision.

When the drummers took it in turns to play, the spotlight dashed from one to the other - the showmanship was awe inspiring.

The drummers also looked the part in outfits that would have also suited a martial art display, with muscles ripling.

To break things up a bit, the performers also injected a sense of fun and play into the proceedings.

In some of the scenes, one of the drummers would act the clown or some drummers would playfully compete against each other to entertain the crowd.

Then two performers pretended to play a round of tennis with drums that looked like rackets, followed by a stunning three-man cymbal solo.

There was also a great deal of audience participation, particularly during the encore, when the crowd was instructed to clap along - occasionally catching people out, which led to many humourous moments.

What really said it all, though, was the performers' attitude just before they left the stage.

With huge grins and keen to keep running around on stage despite being exhausted, the Yamato drummers clearly love what they do.