Concerning our latest feature on the Pro Drum 50th Anniversary Celebration, here is a little self-revelatory, behind-the-scenes account of how things go down at a big-time website like HollywoodDrum.com…

Our features editor contacted Stan Keyawa at Pro Drum and acquired press passes (that’s free tickets, y’all—suh-weet!) for the June 6 show at Avalon Hollywood. Upon consultation with the writing staff back at the HollywoodDrum.com offices, it was confirmed that the entire staff had an early showcase gig at SIR that Saturday, and a freelancer would be required to cover the event.

The news business is a people business—this is Lou Grant 101. Our executive editor knows this axiom well, and went to work. Later that evening at a North Hollywood Tiki bar, our chief slid the press passes and an umbrella-garnished scotch across a dimly-lit formica tabletop, effectively securing the assignment with an unsuspecting Dan Konopka—our Pro Drum 50th Anniversary Celebration guest reporter.

Dan is the drummer for indy-rock phenoms, OK Go, likes scotch and has a digital camera. The Man for the Job. He wired his report to our copy editors the next day, our editors sent it over to our web-design team, and we are now happy to post our triumphant Pro Drum 50th Anniversary Celebration coverage for you, our vast and demographically pie-charted readership.