Drum e Buzz

Insane drumming and great visuals made a deadly combo in Loop Zero. As Ben Walsh tours India,suchayan mandal asks him for his magic wand 

Drum drama. That's the best way to define Australian percussionist Ben Walsh's new show Loop Zero, which is an audio visual explosion exploring humanity, technology and reality. Melodic, rhythmic and purely scientific, this new performance plays with varying notions of how we shape and are shaped by technology in our world. Designed especially for Indian audience, it took the audience between the worlds of multimedia installation and live performance.
As the grey visuals and blue LEDs at Blue Frog Delhi started adding to the monotony of the ambience, Ben's trembling of symbols and hard hitting base drum flavoured the auditory nerves with all colours of the rainbow. Zero Loop through visuals and drum beats showed an office goer's return in a crowded local train ~ all stranded and weary. Alike this, the visuals ranged from his childhood, rejection in auditions and many more life events. With the electronic drum resounding in the music market with the thud of technological renovation, a worried Ben didn't support "electronifying" music initially, reminding one of the topsy turvy world of handicraft artists during the great industrial revolution. 
But once it got imbibed in him he realised how variety in technology added spice to his genre of performance. Talking about the inception behind Loop Zero, Ben said, "Whenever I premiere a new work there is an energy that is hard to replicate in a seasoned work. The audience will be watching me at a very new stage of exploration and that will mean I will be giving it my all."
This show is predominantly inspired by the many odd instruments that spring forth from Ben's imagination and delivers a solid dose of Walsh's trademark high energy drumming style. Ben performs upon instruments of his own creation with technological innovations designed by Kim O'Sullivan.
Necessarily inspired by Jimi Hendrix, John Coltrane and Chuck Norris, the 37-year-old has been playing since age of two, when he used sticks to beat on cake tins. At the age of six he was gifted a drum kit and the journey began. He uses carton, tins and iron pipes to create music. 
A cheerful Ben says how thinking of a career out of the box was difficult to pursue but fortune has smiled on him.
Ben, who toured India many a times and has also worked with Shubha Mudgal, said, "I cannot bring anything new to India. The music here is unique and rich. Indians understand music, drumming and technology", while playing an empty barrel in the Bhangra beats, which made the entire audience try out the popular Punjabi dance move.
About music piracy Ben felt, "Internet is a good source of information and downloading for free is a good sign that at least people are interested in your music. Let people hear you, piracy or buying EP doesn't matter. You have other options to earn. Music isn't a product to be sold."