"I have not participated in a drum circle before, but I'm loving it," Tunecha Bryant said of the thumping opening event that preceded a concert by Playing for Change, a multi-national music organization, June 12.

The drum circle and performance, originally scheduled for the Levitt Pavilion lawn, was moved inside the Musikfest Cafe in the SteelStacks building due to rain.

The Cafe was filled with more than 200 participants of all ages. Mary E. Knysh, founder of the team-building Rhythmic Connections, had the attention of the room as she led the drum circle. Many enjoyed the free Remo SoundShape Mini Drums given to the first 250 attendees while others brought drums from home.

"I just think it's amazing to bring all these people together for this unity of sound," Bryant said. She was one of many people who came to the event primarily for the drum circle.

Following the drum circle and concert, the band members engaged with the audience members in a Q-&-A session held on SteelStacks' Air Products Town Square.

The group is comprised of ten members: Grandpa Elliot of New Orleans, La.; Clarence Bekker of Amsterdam, Netherlands; Titi Tsira of Guguleto, South Africa; Tal Ben-Ari of Tel Aviv, Israel; Jason Tamba of Matad, Congo; Mermans Mosengo of Kinshasa, Congo; Keiko Komak of Kagoshima, Japan; Peter Bunette of Los Angeles, Calif.; Louis Mhlanga of Zimbabwe; and Juan Carlos Portillo of Venezuela.

Since the release of their first video, Playing for Change sold more than 550,000 units worldwide, topped the World Music charts and have had more than 200 million online video views. They have been featured on NPR and in Rolling Stone, Paste Magazine, the LA Times and the New York Times.

The Playing for Change drum circle and show were a part of the Levitt National Tour made possible by a grant from the National Endowment of the Arts.

Levitt Pavilions is a national nonprofit organization created to turn unused public spaces into places where the community can come together to listen to free, live music. The Pavilions are currently located in ten different cities.

"I came for both the Playing for Change concert and the drum circle and I'm enjoying it very much," Pat Ritney said. "I think what they're doing here with all the concerts and entertainment is excellent."