About Etti
Hi, I’m Etti Bowen, a Professional Drummer, Live Performance Artist, and Drum Instructor based in Phoenix, AZ.
Since picking up the sticks in 2001, I have appeared onstage with dozens of bands, DJ's, and percussion groups all over North America - most notably with Street Drum Corps, Kayzo, EDC, and Harper and the Moths.
I am the General Manager of School of Rock Gilbert, I teach private, one-on-one drum lessons, and currently play drums for various sessions, bands and DJ’s around Phoenix.
My Journey
I started playing drums in high school when some friends and I decided to start a pop punk band. We were way into Blink, Alkaline Trio and Saves the Day at the time, and ended up playing a few clubs and recording a bit.
When that fell apart, I joined a heavier group, For The Record, that had influences from Taking Back Sunday, the Used and Muse. That band signed with an indie label, released a record, and toured the Western U.S. in clubs and with Warped Tour & the Taste of Chaos Tour.
Around the same time, I landed a job in marketing for an energy drink company, Kronik Energy. We worked with a ton of cool bands and action sports events, and I learned to truly appreciate the DIY work ethic. It was all grassroots promotions and logistics.
I tour managed a young Phoenix band, Eyes Set to Kill, for a couple tours around the country in 2008, and played some one-off shows on drums with an MTV reality show singer (Marissa Mishelle) and a Myspace-era DancePop band (Good with Grenades) after that. It was cool, and I made some great friends, but I wanted to level up. Music school seemed like the best option.
In 2010, I moved to Los Angeles, and earned an Associate of Arts degree for Drum Performance from Musicians Institute in 2011. While there, I studied privately with Chuck Silverman & David Salinas; and learned valuable skills in Recording, Music Theory, and Live Performance from several of their fantastic instructors.
At a house party in Echo Park in 2013, I met Frank Zummo. I auditioned to become a member of his drum group, Street Drum Corps, and over the following years, I’ve worked with SDC as a Drummer, Tour Manager, Digital Media Contributor, Instructor, Choreographer, and Casting Director. We’ve played gigs all over North America with dozens of drummers, from Half-Time Shows & Theme Parks to Casinos & Music Festivals.
In late 2014, I became tired of LA's counterproductive cost of living, and moved back home to Phoenix.
In 2016, I joined the Dance Rock & Pop band, Harper and the Moths. That helped land me a teaching gig at School of Rock Gilbert later that year.
From there I played gigs locally, and all around the country, while maintaining a growing student base with some amazing rockstar talent.
In 2019, I hit a career high when I choreographed the percussion routines and performed live in the drum line for Kayzo’s “Unleashed” Tour with some of my fellow SDC drummers. We played large theaters around the U.S. and Canada, we headlined the Sahara Stage at Coachella 2019, and finished the run with Halloween at Caesar's in Vegas. Incredible.
In October of 2021, I accepted an offer to become the General Manager of School of Rock Gilbert.
I'm determined to continue growing the home for the budding rockstars & innovators of tomorrow in Phoenix, AZ.
If you’d like to join our team at SOR, or need the most professional drummer for live or session work, please contact me.