Photographer: Brandy Young
“I love the Southern California vibe and the types of people you attract when you’re a musician in this part of the world. It doesn’t matter if I’m out performing – or teaching drums at the Music Factory – most of the people I meet through that are really creative and chill.
“Part of that, too, is that drumming is not an instrument you pick up accidentally. You have to consciously choose it, like, ‘Alright, this kit is an investment and we’re gonna bug the heck out of the neighbors. Are we sure we want to do this?’ I’m not getting the kid who’s being forced to learn an instrument. By the time a music student gets to me, they very much want to be there.
“When I’m not drumming or teaching, I like to ride my bike around Costa Mesa. I love how close to the beach we are. I live over by City Hall and it’s only a 12-minute ride to the beach from my house; love that.
“At the end of the day, I would say Costa Mesa ‘bridges the gap’ in a lot of ways. You’ve got young people with their finger on the pulse of what’s up: lots of cool stuff going on in this city, like music, shows and artists. But you’ve also got people raising their families here – or people who’ve already raised families and are retired here. It’s a good vibe and everyone, for the most part, gets along with each other. Costa Mesans understand and flow with the diversity. Everyone’s just pretty cool.” ♥
– Eric Berringer // Drum Instructor // Costa Mesa Resident
