"I think most of the people with drums were near the front and the people near the back had a less good experience."
I'm gonna brag here -- I was in the back, and picked up the beat / spirits with some pretty excellent improv kazooing.
I highly recommend kazoos for their loudness to weight ratio, and darbukas / doumbeks occupy a similar area in drum-space. Kazoos do need to be used in moderation in most ritual spaces, however.
(minor typo: "I might so strongly triggered" -- missing a word, like "be" or "become")