The Venice Beach Drum Circle

A ring of mismatched drums, plastic buckets, and cowbells sits on the sand near the Venice Beach boardwalk. Every weekend, this circle forms organically as percussionists and dancers fill the air with polyrhythmic beats. Its origin traces back to the nineteen sixties, when the area became a magnet for bohemian artists and spiritual seekers. While city officials once tried to silence the noise with permit restrictions, the players simply shifted their rhythm and kept the tradition pulsing for decades.