Mike Portnoy played with many bands over the years. But in 2024, he found himself in an unusual situation — playing a Nickelback song for the first time.
Portnoy was asked to perform ‘Burn It to the Ground’ as part of a challenge on Drumeo, without ever hearing it before. What happened next was a mix of prog-metal flair and an alternate reality where he almost joined the Canadian rock band.
Portnoy’s Drumeo Challenge
Drumeo challenged Portnoy to play Nickelback’s ‘Burn It to the Ground’ on August 4, 2024. He had never heard the song before and admitted that he doesn’t listen to the radio. He listened to it carefully, took notes, and then played it in his own way.
Instead of following the original drum pattern by Nickelback’s Daniel Adair, Portnoy added double bass drumming. This is something not present in the real version. He later realized he also added an extra bar at the start of the song. He laughed after listening to the original and said that if he had played it that way with Nickelback, he would’ve been fired immediately.
The Gig That Almost Happened
Portnoy also revealed that in spring 2022, he was nearly hired to play drums for Nickelback at a festival in Vancouver, Canada. Daniel Adair was recovering from surgery, and the band needed a fill-in. Chad Kroeger sent him a setlist, and his wife and daughter were convinced he would recognize the songs.
But Portnoy admitted, “I’ve never heard any of these songs.”
He was ready to play the gig, but the festival was canceled, and the opportunity never came to life. Looking back, he said playing with Nickelback would’ve been fun and that he regretted not getting the chance.
What Portnoy Thinks About Nickelback
Portnoy pointed out that Nickelback have just as many fans as they do critics. He also respected them for their connection with Pantera.
After playing ‘Burn It to the Ground’, he admitted, “That was a good song, man.” He thought he could fine-tune his drum parts, but he preferred the raw first take.
