Philippa
Terceira Surdo
I remember seeing Street Heat for the first time, leading the Pride parade in Exeter
many years ago. I thought: “WOW! The energy! The sound! The costumes, the
colours! Imagine being in a band like that! I could never do it…..”
Several years later, I had joined another, much smaller, local drumming band, and
had found that I loved that whole thing of playing in a group. It’s completely different
from the terrifying idea of performing on your own – you might be playing a very
simple, repetitive rhythm, but when it’s combined with all the other drummers and
rhythms, the effect is so exciting. It instantly creates a mood that people respond to.
I heard that Street Heat were starting an induction programme for new drummers in
September 2025 and I joined up. I’m playing a much bigger drum than I was used to,
and learning a baffling number of new rhythms and signals, but I’m getting the hang
of it, enough to perform at a few informal events. This is fantastic. I really like the
way we all look together in our bright T-shirts and costumes, and the way people
react to our rousing, compelling samba rhythms.
So if you’ve ever seen Street Heat play, and thought, “I could never do that” – don’t
be so sure.