Welcome to the Pandemonium Drummers!

Charitable amateur performance group of ordinary people doing extraordinary things:

Community events, parades, festivals, happenings, specatulars, stadium performances.
We started life as the Volunteer Drummers in the London 2012 Olympic Opening Ceremony.
Big developments ahead in the coming months!



Champion - Artists


Felix Buxton

Felix Buxton is the producer of ‘Champion’. As co-founder of Grammy and Brit Award winning Dance Act Basement Jaxx, he has written numerous hit records (18 UK Top 40 , 4 x No1 US Dance Hits) including “Where’s Your Head At?”, “Red Alert” and “Romeo”. A visionary creative who last month created music for a new Sadler’s Wells production and spoke at ‘Futuro’, a conference envisioning the future, Felix has been involved with many collaborations. Last year he put together a concert for Peace One Day and created Choral pieces for the London Contemporary Voices Choir and the Royal London Society for Blind People.

Brendan Reilly

London-based Brendan Reilly is an American singer-songwriter of Jazz, Soul, Pop, and Dance music. In addition to his own independent releases over the years, he has toured the world with artists such as Disclosure, Basement Jaxx and Sam Sparro, worked with artists such as Laura Mvula, Florence and the Machine, Duffy, and Rita Ora, been featured on countless tv and radio adverts, had music featured in films, and can regularly be seen in London’s finest live music venues such as Ronnie Scott’s and events such as the Radio 1 Ibiza Prom, the London Jazz Festival and Cheltenham Jazz Festival. He is new album The Life of Reilly is a soulful return to his Jazz roots, which has already received amazing support with airplay from radio stations like Jazz FM and BBC Radio 2 (Jamie Cullum) in the UK.

www.brendan-reilly.com

Vula Malinga

Born in the United States to South African parents, Vula was raised in Hackney, London. Her religious parents supported her singing talents by allowing her to join the church choir, which resulted in her becoming one of lead singers for the London Community Gospel Choir. This brought her to the attention of Basement Jaxx, with whom she sang lead on their single "Oh My Gosh", and led to her supporting fellow Basement Jaxx singer Sam Sparro on his tour. The collaboration continues to this day, and last year saw a high-energy, high-impact performance with the Pandemonium Drummers and Basement Jaxx for International Peace Day at the ‘Peace One Day’ concert.

www.facebook.com/Vula-29825878788/

The Pandemonium Drummers

The Pandemonium Drummers started life as the Volunteer Drummers from the London 2012 Olympic Opening Ceremony. 1,000 drummers provided a dramatic soundtrack to the Pandemonium segment that saw one of the biggest live stage set changes in history, ending with the five Olympic Rings aflame above the stadium. Inspired by the legacy of the Olympic Opening Ceremony, the Pandemonium Drummers went on to perform at the UEFA Champions League Cup Final 2013, the FA Cup Final 2014, the Heineken Cup Final 2014, at festivals including Standon Calling and Henley Festival, and at charity and community events. The Pandemonium Drummers have repeatedly appeared in London’s main parades, and they drummed at the Special Olympics and the London Youth Games. As a non-profit association with charitable aims, the Pandemonium Drummers are exclusively made up of volunteer amateur performers, and they support a variety of charities.

Stephen Sutton was made an Honorary Pandemonium Drummer after having drummed with the group in the UEFA Champions League Cup Final 2013 at Wembley Stadium, London, to help Stephen fulfil one of his bucket list goals, which was to drum in front of a large audience. This connection started a strong relationship with the Teenage Cancer Trust, and the Pandemonium Drummers were honoured and privileged to lead Stephen's funeral cortege away from Litchfield Cathedral.

www.pandemoniumdrummers.co.uk

Denis Fernando

Pandemonium Drummer & writer of ‘Champion’

Denis Fernando is a campaigner and musician who draws on his experience as an activist, which included being the NUS Black Students Officer, a National Executive member position. He performed as a drummer in the opening ceremony of the Olympics in 2012 and reprised this role for the ‘Peace One Day’ 2015 Concert with Basement Jaxx. The independently released debut single of his music project Red Cable Sunday, Prelude to the Nocturne, (2010) featured on Radio 2 (Alan Titchmarsh) and Radio 3 (Late Junction). He performed at City Showcase - the festival previously led to big breaks for Amy Winehouse and Keane. Latest single Relentless (2015) was featured on RTE Lyric and BBC 6 Music (Tom Robinson).

www.redcablesunday.com

Melissa Cavanagh

The Voice 2016 - Team Boy George

Melissa, 25, from Sunderland, was diagnosed with Hodgkin’s Lymphoma at 13. When Melissa first went to the RVI hospital in Newcastle, she was on a children’s ward. Melissa says: “I couldn’t sleep because I could always hear babies crying and I was surrounded by toddlers/young children. When I was moved to the Teenage Cancer Trust ward, the difference was huge. It had lots of space where you could relax, like a sitting room and a kitchen, and there were other people my own age. I wasn’t alone in my illness anymore, and that helped me to feel more positive. The staff on the unit were so helpful, too. They didn’t baby you or patronise you. They supported and treated you, but they also comforted and guided you, like a friend would. It is now 11 years since I got the all clear, and I can look back now and see the positive lessons I took from my experiences. Having cancer changed my life and taught me so much. Teenage Cancer Trust helped me stay positive through the experience, and I feel privileged to have been able to access the services and had the support of the staff. My journey would have been so much harder without it and I wouldn’t have met such amazing people. It’s just an amazing charity, and that is why, 11 years later, I’m still involved and always will be.”

www.facebook.com/melissacavanaghmusic

Gina Maloney

Gina was diagnosed with stage 3 cervical cancer in 2011. She was treated at The Christie, in Manchester. Gina said: “Being treated on a Teenage Cancer Trust unit made things seem a little more normal. It was all very positive and I really thought the nurses were great and would always make sure I was comfortable. I remember how pleased I was when I would be going through the corridor to the unit and immediately feel a sense of relief that I no longer had to put on a brave face or pretend that I wasn’t scared because I could be myself. Which, in the end, made me a better person as I learned how strong I could be, thanks Teenage Cancer Trust.”

Teenage Cancer Trust

Teenage Cancer Trust makes sure the seven young people aged 13 to 24 diagnosed with cancer every day, don’t face it alone. Supporting young people and their families deal with the many ways cancer screws up the body, mind and life. They work in partnership with the NHS, providing expert staff and specialist units in Principal Treatment Centres for cancer, and bring young people together so they can support each other. As well as raising awareness about signs of cancer in schools and advocate to medical professionals and politicians about the specific support young people with cancer need. Almost half of young people with cancer are not treated in their units, missing out on this expertise and they might never meet another young person with cancer. They are building a wider Nursing & Support Service within the NHS to help all young people, wherever they receive treatment. To make this happen, they need to raise more than £20 million every year by 2020. Donations fund their vital work. Find out more, get involved or make a donation at:

www.teenagecancertrust.org

Teenage Cancer Trust is a registered charity: 1062559 (England & Wales), SC039757 (Scotland).

Hackney Council’s Young Hackney 

‘Opportunities for all and support for those that need it’

Young Hackney is Hackney Council’s early help, and prevention service for children and young people aged 6-19 years old and up to 25 years if the young person has a special education need or disability. The service works with children and young people to support their development and transition to adulthood by intervening early to address adolescent risk, develop pro-social behaviours and build resilience. We run universal services such as youth clubs and sports & citizenship activities, as well as offering help for children and young people who need additional support.

www.younghackney.org

Gospel Essence
London House Cats Choir
Vision

The Champion background choir features singers from the Pandemonium Drummers, the Teenage Cancer Trust and three London-based choirs.

Gospel Essence is an award-winning Gospel choir founded by Rebecca Bernice Amissah, who herself was a Volunteer Performer in the NHS segment of the Olympic Opening Ceremony.
www.gospelessencechoir.com

The London House Cats Choir is a contemporary choir using house music as its core and has performed with Felix Buxton of Basement Jaxx.
www.londonhousecats.com

Vision is a community choir started by Volunteer Performers from the London 2012 Ceremonies.
www.visionmusic.org.uk

POD Post Olympic Dance Class

Post Olympic Dance Class was set up by Claira Vaughn and Nathan Wright, members of the mass movement Choreography Team for the London 2012 Olympic Opening Ceremony. POD has performed choreography at a number of high profile events in Trafalgar Square and at the Olympic Park. Claira Vaughn created choreography especially for the Champion video.

Hugo

Brendan's inspirational rehomed dog, the secret star of the recording. Hugo was adopted by Brendan just a couple of weeks before the recording, and he made many friends in the studio. While you cannot hear him on the single, because of his impeccable behaviour, Hugo does appear in the video!

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