
KEELAN TOBIA
Hailing from Modesto, California, Keelan Tobia has made a name for himself as a multi-faceted drummer and performer.
While studying under Dave Hawkes, Keelan began gigging at the age of thirteen. On the drum set, Keelan has backed renowned musicians such as Ernie Bucio, Mic Gillette (Tower of Power founding member, Elton John, Santana, Rolling Stones), Bill Waltrous (Steely Dan), Jon Faddis (Lionel Hampton’s Big Band, Thad Jones/Mel Lewis Orchestra, Dizzy's United Nation Orchestra), Tony-winning actress, Carol Channing (GRAMMY Hall of Fame recipient, Hello, Dolly!) and more.
From 2009-2012, Keelan honed his virtuosity on the marching snare drum as a member of the 20-time world champion Blue Devils Drum & Bugle Corps, where he earned a total of three gold medals in Drum Corps International's World Class I&E snare solo (2011, 2012) and percussion ensemble (2012) competitions. Additionally, he garnered three Undefeated DCI World Championships and contributed to the corps' 11th (2009, BD’s only undefeated drum title) and 12th (2012) drum titles.
He then took the marching snare drum to new avenues – performing with artists such as Kanye West, BTS, KYGO, Migos, Pharrell, 2Chainz, My Chemical Romance, and The San Francisco Symphony, among others.
Keelan has also been a member of the Golden State Warriors and the San Francisco 49er’s drumline since he was sixteen. Following his move to Southern California, he has more recently performed with the Los Angeles Chargers and LA Kings drumline.
Keelan currently drums at The Disneyland Resort in Anaheim, California, and is the battery arranger of The Yokohama Robins (Yokohama, Japan). He aims to inspire younger drummers as a snare drum clinician, and by cultivating sounds from his marching percussion and drum set background. He is available for clinics, remote recording sessions, drumline performances, live drums, and more.
Keelan proudly endorses Audimute Acoustic Solutions, Vic Firth drumsticks, Zildjian cymbals, Prologix Percussion practice pads, Snareweight drum dampers, Pearl/Adams percussion, StickTape.com, MoisesAI, Clocks+Colours.
EXPERIENCE
The Disneyland Resort (The Disneyland Band, Mickey’s Soundsational Parade, Green Army Patrol/ Trash Can Trio, Food and Wine Festival Jammin Chefs, Mickey’s Happy Holidays/ Disney’s California Adventure’s Festival of Holidays Toy Drummers, Disney Junior Fun Fest). Pharrell Williams, N.E.R.D, Migos at NBA All-Star Game, BTS on The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon, BTS “ON” Music Video, San Francisco Symphony: Pixar in Concert, Kanye West’s Sunday Service, KYGO at the Hollywood Bowl, NFC West Halftime with E-40, Disney’s High School Musical The Series at D23, Kurt Schneider & Sam Tsui, Steve Angello (Swedish House Mafia) at Coachella, Aloe Blacc, Shahkar Bineshpajooh & LA Symphony at Microsoft Theater, NBA Awards with SHAQ & Jabbawockeez on TNT, 2 Chainz on Jimmy Kimmel Live, Lil Pump on Jimmy Kimmel Live, Xzibit, Jimmy Kimmel Live at Sofi Stadium, Taraji P Henson’s White Hot Holidays on FOX, MLS All-Star Game with BD Entertainment and Hans Zimmer Orchestra, The NBA Finals, Disney’s Zom-Beatz Bash (Zombies 3 promo), Palaye Royale Music Video, My Chemical Romance at Wembley Stadium in London, UK. Golden State Warriors, San Francisco 49ers, Los Angeles Chargers, LA Kings, Street Drum Corps, Super Bowl 56 Pregame, Nissan (commercial), Hennessy (commercial), Descovy for PrEP (commercial), General Electric (commercial), Pixar Animation Studios, Twitter, Nike, AutoTrader, Babylon (feature film, 2022), Eddie Murphy’s Candy Cane Lane on Amazon, The Santa Clauses (Season 2) on Disney+, Welcome to Chippendales on Hulu (TV), BET America (commercial), Gucci (commercial), California Symphony, Hewlett-Packard (HP), World Gas Conference, Invision (Germany), World Mobile Congress in Spain (Opener for Andrea Bocelli), Huawei, and many more.
CLINICIAN
Northern California Percussion Alliance Presents Keelan On His Craft, Snare Solo advice from an I&E Champion
Cyclone Marching Academy 2023 at Iowa State University
Marching in Okayama (MIO) 2022 Virtual Clinic
System Blue Guest Clinician (United States, Lithuania, Malaysia, Guatemala).
Foothill High School (Pleasanton, CA) Featured Clinician
BATTERY ARRANGER
Yokohama Robins 2023
Yokohama Robins 2024
ENDORSEMENTS
Pearl Drums, Audimute Acoustic Solutions, Zildjian Cymbals, Vic Firth drumsticks, Prologix Percussion practice pads, Snareweight drum dampers, Sticktape.com
PARTNERSHIPS
Clocks + Colours, Moises AI - The Musician’s app
EQUIPMENT
Drums
Studio Kit - Pearl Reference Series Music City Custom in Nicotine White Marine Pearl 20x16 kick (6-ply: Maple 2, African Mahogany 4, Fully Rounded Bearing Edge), 8x7 tom (6-ply: Maple 4, Birch 2, Rounded 45°), 10x7 tom (6-ply: Maple 4, Birch 2, Rounded 45°), 12x8 tom (6-ply: Maple, Rounded 45°),14x14 floor tom (8-ply blended Maple 4, Mahogany, 4), 16x16 floor tom (8-ply, Maple 2, African Mahogany 6, Fully Rounded),
18”X14” Pearl Masters Maple Gum Bass Drum
Custom 14x12 Pearl marching snare floor tom “snom” in Nicotine White Marine Pearl (6 ply maple, Fully Rounded)
Gigging Kit - Pearl Session Studio Select in Nicotine White Marine Pearl 8x7, 10x7, 12x8, 14x14, 16x16, 20x14. 5.4mm EvenPly-Six combination of Birch and Mahogany with 60° outer bearing edges.
Pearl Carbonply Marching Tenors (6-8-10-12-13-14) in Black Silver Burst (Maple/ Carbon Fiber; fully rounded bearing edges)
Snares
Dialtune 14x6.5 snare drum (10-ply Keller maple)
Pearl Masterworks 14x6.5 20th Anniversary Limited Edition Snare (#18 of 20 sold, Maple Poplar Blend with Imbuia outer veneer).
Pearl Reference Series 14x6.5 snare drum in Root Beer Fade (20 ply Birch/Maple)
Pearl SensiTone 14x6.5 snare drum in Natural Wood (8 ply Maple)
Aluminum Pearl SensiTone 14x5 snare drum
Pearl Brian Frasier Moore Signature snare drum 14x 5.5 (12-ply 15mm (2-ply Gum Outer / 8-ply Maple Middle / 2-ply Gum Inner)
Pearl marching snare / customized 14x12 snare floor tom “snom” in Nicotine White Marine Pearl (6 ply maple, baseball bat top, 45° round over bottom)
Pearl Firecracker 10x5 (steel)
Championship Series CarbonCore Pearl Marching Snare in #408 Pewter Glass, Piano Black, and Black Silver Burst (6 ply maple hybrid, inner ply Carbon Fiber)
Cymbals
Zildjian Rides
20” K Constantinople Renaissance ride
22” K Constantinople Overhammered Thin
22” K Constantinople Medium Thin Low
Zildjian Hi-Hats
15” K Custom Special Dry hi-hats
16” KEFX crash as top with 16” K Light Bottom
15” A Zildjian New Beat hi-hats
Zildjian Crashes
Zildjian Splashes & Effects
10” K Custom Special Dry Splash
Hardware & Accessories
Pearl S1030, S930, 830, 2050 Redline Eliminator pedals (kick and hi-hat), P3000C Demon Chain kick pedal, 1050 hi-hat pedal, CLH930 Closed Hi-Hat w/ Boom, PMBDL3 Multi-Fit Bass Drum Legs (Chrome). Gibraltar hardware. Motion-Pro Drum Throne, Prologix Percussion Method Pad, Thunderkick, Green Logix, Red Storm, Blackout - Extreme Resistance pad. StickTape.com, Lowboy Beaters, Tylers Butt Wax, Big Fat Snare Drum, Snareweight M80, Stack Ring, Meinl Percussion, and Mid-East Ankle Bells
Sticks & Heads
Vic Firth Drumsticks
Remo Drumheads
Sound & Electronics
Acoustic Treatment
Audimute Acoustic Solutions Strata Wall
Microphones
sE Electronics 4400a Matched Pair
Zoom H5 (SGH6, XY)
Shure SM81 Matched Pair
Shure KSM137
Audix ADX5 (2)
Audix i5 (3)
Audix D2 (3)
Audix D4 (2)
Audix D6
Shure Beta52A
Warm Audio WA-47F
Shure SM57
Solomon LoFReQ
Tascam DR-10L
Studio Gear and Software
Roland SPDSX & Roland KT-10
Roland RT-30HR Dual Zone Trigger (2)
Logic Pro X
iLoud Monitors
Ultimate Ears IEMs
Sibelius
Zoom FN8Pro
Focusrite
Apple Macbook Pro
KIT CONFIGURATIONS
Kit Configuration 1.
Drums L-R: 10” x 5” Pearl Firecracker snare, 14” x 6.5” Pearl SensiTone snare, 14” x 6.5” Dialtune snare or Pearl Reference snare, 10” x 7” tom, 12” x 8” tom, 16" x 16” floor tom, 14”x12” snom (snom and floor tom interchangeable.)
Kit Configuration 2.
Replace 10” rack tom with auxiliary hi hats (top: 19” special dry trash crash, bottom: 19” special dry crash)
Kit Configuration 3.
Roland SPDSX with auxiliary hi hats or tom on the right.
MARCHING CONFIGURATIONS
Marching Configuration 1.
Marching Snare Drum
Marching Configuration 2.
L-R: drumset snare, marching snare, crash cymbal, vertical kick drum
Marching Configuration 3.
Added Roland SPDSX