One Year Ago: Call Time

27th July 2012, 18.00 - Final Call Time

All 965 drummers have picked up their dinner bags.

Some are wandering around among the public in the southern part of the Olympic Park between the Aquatic Centre, the Orbit, the London 2012 Shop and the Stadium to soak up the atmosphere - international spectators dressed smart or in their national colours, Games Makers in their identifiable uniforms, and Ceremonies cast proudly wearing their accreditation passes.

The spectators have no idea that they are about to see an Opening Ceremony like none before, but the atmosphere is jovial, not influenced by the critical, sarcastic media reports in the run-up to the Games.

Other drummers are chilling in the massive three-story dressing room tent to the south of the Olympic Stadium - they find a copy of the official programme book on their seat, together with a personal certificate signed by Danny Boyle.

The excitement is palpable.

Every now and then, there are announcements, massive thank-you cards and memory books are circulated for signatures and messages to the various people who helped putting the show together.

Two of them are Hannah and Haith, also known as Team H, the volunteer cast co-ordinators who were responsible for our group, and who worked hard to keep us informed and resolve many issues - they very much deserved the gifts we presented to them before the show.

All volunteer performers are fully committed to the show, but some individuals got really into their role, like the drummer who pinned a good-bye letter to his imaginary Victorian family in an attempt to explain what he was about to do!

These are the moments when countless memories are created that would go unnoticed by the public, but would become precious to us, the family of drummers, of which there are so many that we still meet people we have never talked to before.

Shortly before our stage call, drum co-ordinator Mike Dolbear appears and addresses all of us with a final talk.

A huge applause, a costume check, and then we are on our way to pick up our drums, which, as it will transpire, we will be allowed to keep along with the costume, for the performance of our lives.

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ABOUTPandemonium Drummers

The Pandemonium Drummers were originally put together by London 2012 Ceremonies for the Pandemonium segment of Danny Boyle's spectacular Olympic Opening Ceremony. Following the Ceremony, the volunteer drummers kept on performing at a variety of events.

Based on their extensive training, they performed at other Opening Ceremonies, including the UEFA Champions League Final 2013, the FA Cup Final 2014, and the Heineken Cup Final 2014, and at a variety of large and small festivals as well as sports and community events. The Pandemonium Drummers are a returning act in London's major parades, including the London New Years' Day Parade, St Patrick's Day Parade, and the Lord Mayor's Show, and they coined Cheer Drumming, supporting runners at major sports events across the capital and beyond. The Pandemonium Drummers have supported the Special Olympics, the Teenage Cancer Trust, and a wide range of other charities.

The Pandemonium Drummers are a constituted association with charitable aims, and are working on a non-profit basis as volunteers.

[ More about the Pandemonium Drummers ]