Drums may not always be appropriate in a folk context but I have many positive memories of drums and drummers I've seen live: of wooden slit drums in the S.Pacific (Cook Islands); steel drums, goatskin drums and assorted percussion in the West Indies (St Lucia).The Corries making the hair on the back of the neck stand up when singing accompanied only by 2 bodhrans, and of course the many, many jazz drummers I've enjoyed over the years from the stick juggling of Sonny Payne with Basie to the wig whirling of Lennie Hastings with Alex Welsh....
and I haven't mentioned washboards...
RtS