Student concerts at Planet drum
Twice a year, our students take the stage with the in-house Planet drum band. Summer concert in June, Christmas concert to close the year. Included with every membership.
There's nothing quite like stepping outside your comfort zone to play with a full band in front of a real audience: it's where playing an instrument turns into making music with other people, and it's how musicians actually get good. Planet drum runs two big student concerts every year, a Summer concert in June and a Christmas concert to close the year. You pick a song from our concert repertoire, your tutor preps you in your weekly lessons, and on the night you perform with our in-house band backing you up. No matter your level (first-time-on-stage, returning amateur, or seasoned player) there's a slot for you.
Concerts are free for all members, whenever you're ready
Every Planet drum member gets free access to our concert rehearsals and performances: there's no audition and no extra fee. Once your tutor confirms you're concert-ready, you just join the rehearsals!
Here's how it actually works:
- You learn your song in your weekly lessons with your tutor
- Once your tutor signs off that the song is ready, you book a concert rehearsal slot to play it with the in-house band
- Concert rehearsals are for rehearsing songs you've already learned, not for learning new songs from scratch
For complete beginners, this usually means a series of lessons before your first concert performance. Some students are ready within a few weeks, others within a term, as it depends on the song, the instrument, and how much you practise between lessons. Your tutor will give you an honest read on timing.
Who's in the house band
The Planet drum house band is the backbone of every student concert. They rehearse in the Crypt twice a year in the run-up to the summer and Christmas concerts, then back every student performer on the night.
- Peter Bakaja: bass
- Vladimir Gilis: guitar and vocals
Both are professional working musicians and Planet drum tutors. Having a live band behind you transforms the experience: you're not playing along to a backing track, you're locking in with real musicians on a real stage.
Watch: Concert highlights
Adults' concert
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Children's concert
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Our repertoire
Our concert repertoire spans rock, pop, funk, jazz, soul and beyond. We refresh and update it every year to keep things interesting, and to give returning members new material to chew on. Students choose their song(s) from the available list with their tutor.
Listen on YouTube or Spotify
The full repertoire is available as playlists so you can browse, listen, and shortlist songs before your next lesson:
▶ YouTube playlist
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▶ Spotify playlist
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Current concert songlist
Christmas 2026 (29 November): Repertoire
Group A - Level 1
| # | Song | Artist | Tag |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Green River | Creedence Clearwater Revival | |
| 2 | Perfect Day | Lou Reed | |
| 3 | Knock on Wood | Eddie Floyd | |
| 4 | Three Little Birds | Bob Marley | Trinity backing track |
| 5 | Do I Wanna Know? | Arctic Monkeys | Trinity backing track |
| 6 | Hold On | Alabama Shakes | Trinity backing track |
| 7 | Hot Pants | James Brown | Trinity backing track |
| 8 | Island in the Sun | Weezer | Trinity backing track |
| 9 | Float On | Modest Mouse | Trinity backing track |
| 10 | Fever | The Black Keys | Trinity backing track |
| 11 | Seven Nation Army | The White Stripes | Trinity backing track |
| 12 | She Sells Sanctuary | The Cult | Trinity backing track |
| 13 | Fallin' | Alicia Keys | Trinity backing track |
| 14 | Under the Bridge | Red Hot Chili Peppers | Trinity backing track |
| 15 | Just Kissed My Baby | The Meters | Trinity backing track |
| 16 | Song 2 | Blur | Trinity backing track |
| 17 | Miss You | The Rolling Stones | Trinity backing track |
| 18 | Black Betty | Ram Jam | Trinity backing track |
| 19 | Boulevard of Broken Dreams | Green Day | Trinity backing track |
| 20 | Sheena Is a Punk Rocker | Ramones | Trinity backing track |
| 21 | Road to Nowhere | Talking Heads | Trinity backing track |
| 22 | Uptown Funk | Mark Ronson | Trinity backing track |
| 23 | The Weight | The Band | Trinity backing track |
| 24 | Mustang Sally | Wilson Pickett | Trinity backing track |
| 25 | You Make Loving Fun | Fleetwood Mac | Trinity backing track |
| 26 | Sing for Absolution | Muse | Trinity backing track |
| 27 | Jumpin' Jack Flash | The Rolling Stones | Trinity backing track |
| 28 | You Really Got Me | The Kinks | Trinity backing track |
| 29 | Heroes | David Bowie | Trinity backing track |
Green River
by Creedence Clearwater Revival
Perfect Day
by Lou Reed
Knock on Wood
by Eddie Floyd
Three Little Birds
by Bob Marley
Do I Wanna Know?
by Arctic Monkeys
Hold On
by Alabama Shakes
Hot Pants
by James Brown
Island in the Sun
by Weezer
Float On
by Modest Mouse
Fever
by The Black Keys
Seven Nation Army
by The White Stripes
She Sells Sanctuary
by The Cult
Fallin'
by Alicia Keys
Under the Bridge
by Red Hot Chili Peppers
Just Kissed My Baby
by The Meters
Song 2
by Blur
Miss You
by The Rolling Stones
Black Betty
by Ram Jam
Boulevard of Broken Dreams
by Green Day
Sheena Is a Punk Rocker
by Ramones
Road to Nowhere
by Talking Heads
Uptown Funk
by Mark Ronson
The Weight
by The Band
Mustang Sally
by Wilson Pickett
You Make Loving Fun
by Fleetwood Mac
Sing for Absolution
by Muse
Jumpin' Jack Flash
by The Rolling Stones
You Really Got Me
by The Kinks
Heroes
by David Bowie
Group B - Level 2
| # | Song | Artist | Tag |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Apache | The Shadows | |
| 2 | A Go Go | John Scofield | |
| 3 | Hideaway | Freddie King | |
| 4 | Evil Ways | Santana | |
| 5 | Sad but True | Metallica | |
| 6 | Gone Daddy Gone | Gnarls Barkley | |
| 7 | For Whom the Bell Tolls | Metallica | |
| 8 | 10 A.M. Automatic | The Black Keys | |
| 9 | Black Night | Deep Purple | |
| 10 | Ghost Ship | Blur | |
| 11 | Pump It Up | Elvis Costello & The Attractions | |
| 12 | Chitlins Con Carne | Kenny Burrell | |
| 13 | Politician (live) | Robben Ford | |
| 14 | The Wind Cries Mary | Jimi Hendrix | |
| 15 | Watermelon Man | Herbie Hancock |
Apache
by The Shadows
A Go Go
by John Scofield
Hideaway
by Freddie King
Evil Ways
by Santana
Sad but True
by Metallica
Gone Daddy Gone
by Gnarls Barkley
For Whom the Bell Tolls
by Metallica
10 A.M. Automatic
by The Black Keys
Black Night
by Deep Purple
Ghost Ship
by Blur
Pump It Up
by Elvis Costello & The Attractions
Chitlins Con Carne
by Kenny Burrell
Politician (live)
by Robben Ford
The Wind Cries Mary
by Jimi Hendrix
Watermelon Man
by Herbie Hancock
Group C - Level 3
| # | Song | Artist | Tag |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Wabash | John Scofield | |
| 2 | From the Pinnacle to the Pit | Ghost | |
| 3 | My Own Summer (Shove It) | Deftones | |
| 4 | Avon | Queens of the Stone Age | |
| 5 | The Lost Art of Keeping a Secret | Queens of the Stone Age | |
| 6 | Making Flippy Floppy (live) | Talking Heads | |
| 7 | Riff Raff | AC/DC | |
| 8 | Look-Ka Py Py | The Meters | |
| 9 | La Grange | ZZ Top | |
| 10 | She Got Me | Masters of Reality | |
| 11 | Man Gave Names to All the Animals | Bob Dylan | |
| 12 | Crazy Little Thing Called Love | Queen |
Wabash
by John Scofield
From the Pinnacle to the Pit
by Ghost
My Own Summer (Shove It)
by Deftones
Avon
by Queens of the Stone Age
The Lost Art of Keeping a Secret
by Queens of the Stone Age
Making Flippy Floppy (live)
by Talking Heads
Riff Raff
by AC/DC
Look-Ka Py Py
by The Meters
La Grange
by ZZ Top
She Got Me
by Masters of Reality
Man Gave Names to All the Animals
by Bob Dylan
Crazy Little Thing Called Love
by Queen
This is the repertoire students and tutors choose from; the set list for the night is finalised closer to the concert.
This is our current concert repertoire. If you're a current student and you'd like to perform at the next concert, talk to your tutor, who will let you know which songs are still available and help you choose one that suits your level. Concert dates and rehearsal slots are announced in the weekly student newsletter.
Key dates and deadlines
Rehearsal dates and the song-selection process are shared in the weekly student newsletter in the run-up to each concert. There are two deadlines you need to know about, and both are firm:
Teacher enrolment deadline
By this date, your tutor confirms you're concert-ready and adds you to the performer list. If your tutor hasn't enrolled you by then, you'll miss this concert.
Student rehearsal booking deadline
Once you're enrolled, you need to book your concert rehearsal slot by this date. Slots are limited (5 per rehearsal), so book as soon as you can.
If you miss either deadline you won't be able to perform at the current concert, but the next one's only six months away. Keep an eye on the weekly newsletter so you don't miss the dates.
How it works
Become a member
Book a taster lesson, pick your membership, start your weekly lessons.
Choose your song
When a concert is on the horizon, the repertoire gets published here and in the newsletter. With your tutor, pick a song that suits your level.
Learn the song in your weekly lessons
You and your tutor break the song down over several lessons until you can play it cleanly with your teacher. Rehearsals are not for learning songs from scratch.
Book rehearsals with the house band
Concert rehearsals run twice a month in the lead-up to each show. Five spots per rehearsal, advertised in the weekly newsletter, book early.
Perform
Walk onto the stage. Lock in with the band. Try not to look at the audience. Smile when it's done. Then watch your friends and fellow students take their turn.
For parents: children at the concerts
Concerts are some of the most rewarding moments in the school year. Even six-year-olds get to perform, with the song shortened and structured to suit their attention span and skill level.
Parents (and grandparents, friends, siblings) are very welcome to come and watch, as concerts are free to attend.