You can hear the drums before you even walk into Magoon’s. Loud, thumping, pounding, pulsing. But once you get inside, you see that the noise isn’t coming from just one drummer, or even a complete drum set.

The music is the work of multiple musicians — and instruments — taking part in a monthly drum circles. The drum circles start around 9 p.m. on the first Monday of each month (this month it will be the second Monday, due to Labor Day).

Bartender Jerry Vanderpool, who started the drum circles, says the idea stemmed from the Grateful Dead concerts of decades past, when people would sit in the parking lots and jam together after the shows.

The drum circles are a way to get everyone involved in the music and to give the drums a chance to be showcased.

“I kind of think drums always get overlooked in bands,” Mr. Vanderpool says. “They’re always looking at the stars.”

Here, the drummers are the stars, the main attraction. The arrangement can range from a few guys pounding rhythms to as many as 20 people laying down beats.

There’s only one rule about what can be played in the drum circle: No strings. But other than that, it’s pretty much fair game. Drummers beat on everything from bongos and congo drums to pots and pans and even minnow buckets. Rainsticks, Zydeco ties and woodblocks might be added in for some additional rhythms.

The drummers can just jump in when the mood — or rhythm — strikes them. Sets can last 10, 20, even 30 minutes, with drummers taking breaks when the beats play out or to get a drink.

There are at least a few musicians who know what they’re doing taking part in the drum circle, leading the way. But anyone — no matter how little musical experience or talent they have — can join in and bang on a drum. (Although the minnow bucket might be best for those wanting to start small.)

Musician Jesse Boley, who sometimes leads the music, says at his first drum circle he “expected everybody to be clanging things together,” without much rhythm. That’s still sometimes the case, but that’s part of the beauty of it, he says.

“Just the fact that we’re allowed to pick up and play, that’s freedom that most people don’t know about,” he says. “(Non-musicians) seemed pretty happy to play — I take it for granted.”

Jason Ingram says a benefit for the musicians that participate is that they just might pick up some “new licks or styles” that they couldn’t have created during a performance.

“There’s no big, demanding crowd that wants to hear certain styles or songs,” he says. “You don’t have to worry about restrictions.”

Don’t be afraid to just play what you feel, he says. No matter what, it’ll be good.

“Unrehearsed and just totally from the heart, that’s the best kind (of music),” he says.

Lifestyles reporter Lacey Storer can be reached at lstorer@npgco.com