Drummer Zach Dubay makes impact from Grand Rapids to Traverse City
GRAND RAPIDS — From playing with Traverse City’s The Marsupials to touring with platinum-selling alt-rock band The Verve Pipe to leading his own jazz-infused Pocket Watch, drummer Zach Dubay has emerged as one of Michigan’s go-to percussion wizards.
He’s made such an impact that one Grand Rapids venue, Turnstiles, has even named a hamburger after him: "The Dubay Burger," a combo of egg, bacon and burger that he ordered so often the establishment had no choice but to rename it.
The drummer’s current roster of Michigan bands and artists he plays with is exhaustive: Pocket Watch, Nathan Walton and The Remedy, The Verve Pipe, The Marsupials, Distant Stars, Hannah Rose Graves, Cosmic Knot, Austin Benzing, Bradley Sinclair, Earth Radio, Elijah Russ and The Blue Water Kings.
He boasts an arsenal of 15 or so drum kits and his skills can be a bit dizzying. He’s playful, but also obsessive and nearly compulsive about practicing.
“I practice all day, from the moment I wake up until I go to sleep. When I was younger, I would wake up and play the kit all day, like literally all day, and have some breaks,” Dubay said.
Even backstage, Dubay can be seen ticking away on a rubber drum pad, a discipline that can be traced to his marching band days.
His parents, Kevin and Tresia Dubay, have been incredibly supportive of his musical endeavors, navigating tight household finances to nurture his percussive abilities. His brother, Jared, had a major impact on encouraging him to unlock his potential at a young age.
“He never explicitly stated anything about it, but he's just such a driven guy," the drummer said. "And, you know, he's got like, a huge personality. So that rubbed off on me."
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Dubay has graced some big stages. He recalls performing for more than 5,000 fans at a festival in Illinois and marching in the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade. Still, humility is important.
“I’ve found if I'm cocky, I play worse,” Dubay says. “It's just kind of more fun to be really nice to people and just show them how you play with your skill. I do it because I love to do it."
Dubay says his plans for 2024 are the same as last year: “Play better drums, be a better person, and keep building relationships in the industry.”
He's currently pouring most of his creative and business energy into his original group, Pocket Watch, an award-winning jazz fusion band based in Grand Rapids.
“Also, I’m stoked to play some insane shows with The Verve Pipe ... as well as some amazing opportunities with Nathan Walton and The Remedy, Hannah Rose Graves and The Marsupials. It’s gonna be a crazy year.”
— Find more Michigan music news and concert listings at LocalSpins.com. Email John Sinkevics at john@localspins.com.
This article originally appeared on The Holland Sentinel: Drummer Zach Dubay makes impact from Grand Rapids to Traverse City
