Mr. Darin

Hello! My name is Darin Dacey. I was born in 1988 and raised in Scottsdale, AZ. I began playing drums and percussion in elementary school and went on to play drumset in State Champion jazz 1 band and snare on drumline all four years at Desert Mountain High School (as well as performing in concert band, theater, and my own rock band).

I began studying music at NAU while playing in local bands, but decided to get my Bachelor of Science degree in Psychology instead. I was a founding member of Dark Sky Percussion (DSP) in 2008 and 2009 in Flagstaff, AZ, playing snare the first year and drumset the next in the Percussion Independent Open (PIO) class. We claimed gold medals at WGAZ both years. The roots of my discipline, character, and musical technique stem from DSP. It is now a World class (PIW) Winter Guard International (WGI) competing indoor percussion ensemble out of Los Angeles, CA.

After graduating NAU in 2010, I moved to the Bay Area in California to persue my career in music. I recorded and performed live with several bands including The Nerv, Bearmaul, Bella Mortis, Ama Evolution, and the Boxcar Theatre run of Hedwig and the Angry Inch (as Schlatko). I taught upper battery at Arch Bishop Riordan High School in San Francisco, CA and private drumset lessons in Pacifica, CA.

In late 2013, I moved back to Arizona and went to school for welding. I've been in the welding and welding education industry for the last decade, and have needed music back in my life!

Currently, I am a part-time NCCER-CORE instructor in the mornings and drum instructor in the afternoon/evenings. I am single with two snakes, one ball python (Butters) and one red tail boa (Bo). Besides music/drumming, welding and snakes, I like all things automotive, pro audio, media and nature.

Some of my musical influences and favorites include Thomas Pridgen (The Memorials, The Mars Volta), Just a Gent, Chrome Sparks, John Brown's Body, The Black Seeds, Animals As Leaders, Polyphia, Marcin, Ickika Nito, Dylan Sitts, Deon Custom, Lorn, Tame Impala, Muse, 311, Incubus, Atticus Ross, Harold Budd & Robin Guthrie, Gorillaz, Shawn Wasabi, Com Truise, Home, San Holo, Aphex Twin, Radiohead, Dark Sky Percussion, Rhythm X, DCI & WGI.