So this has been just a liiiiiittle bit delayed haha. If you saw my National Zoo post below, this was a concert I went to that same day (October 11th, 2012), but it deserves its own highlight. In fact, it was the reason for the trip to DC in the first place.
Dispatch is a band that I feel I cannot do justice. The Boston-based band released their first
album in 1996 and supposedly retired in 2002, but they have continued to tour
on-and-off since then even released an album with six new songs 2011. Over the years they have gained an extensive
and loyal following. They’re described
as an American indie/roots band (at least on Wikipedia they are), but that’s up
for debate IMO. No matter how you categorize
their music, it’s just plain good. I had
listened to them a little bit in high school, but I was more into the hard rock
scene at that point versus Dispatch’s more laid back sound. Which is a real shame because the thing that
makes Dispatch so awesome is their live show.
I felt so out of place at their concert because I wasn’t a
fan. I hadn’t heard enough of their
music to be one. But my friend was and
he needed a partner in crime (and someone to pay him for the $60 he spent on an
extra ticket). It was DAR Constitution
Hall, a BEAUTIFUL venue that I couldn’t believe was hosting what I thought was
a hippie jam band concert (we’ll disregard the $12 kiddie cup drinks). I was surprised at the number of people
there. Almost every seat in the place
was filled. And my friend got his
tickets early and they were still $60, so I can’t imagine what some people paid
for tickets, especially where we were up front.
I didn’t know what to expect from the show. I was worried I would be bored and just kind
of bob my head along with songs I didn’t know.
But oh how wrong I was. The band
members’ dynamic on stage is unparalleled. I guess after hanging out, making music, and
touring for so long, you can’t help but develop an awesome chemistry with your
band mates. They weren’t just talented,
they were funny, creative, and incredibly energetic. They definitely know how to put on a
show. For this concert, they also had a
group of four girls called The Parkington Sisters play a lot of songs with
them. They were pretty cool, with three
of them playing violins, one playing an accordion, and all of them singing back
up.
In the second song of the show, the two lead singers were
playing guitar back-to-back and kept leaning on each other more and more until
eventually they both (gently) laid down on the stage, and got up without ever
missing a beat. During two songs, there
were serious microphone/sound problems.
The first time it happened it really sucked because it was a new song,
and it was a damn good song. The singer
didn’t notice for awhile that no one could hear him, but the crowd eventually
joined together in yelling (not boo-ing) to let him know. They fixed it and he started over half way
through the song. But then the next song
it happened again. This time they were
playing a crowd favorite, and while they temporarily fixed the mic problem, it
went out again and the singer was more aware (and frustrated). So he jumped up on the front of the stage and
started leading the crowd in singing the words!
And it sounded GOOD! J
It was one of my favorite moments of the show.
It kind of touched me. I think I
got a little teary eyed. Not gonna lie. It was awesome.
The guys were hilarious between songs, too. When they would talk to the crowd and share their stories, you could just tell these guys were smart and had been through a lot during their careers. And the crowd ate it up. It was a very interactive show actually, which I always appreciate. At one point they brought four fans up on stage to help sing a song. Funnily enough, only two of them were really into it. One girl just thought she had an awesome singing voice but didn’t really know the words she was singing jumbled words loudly haha I liked her spirit. But one guy knew every word and sang clearly into the mic. The crowd loved him and cheered him on. After the song the band took a pic with all four fans on stage with the crowd behind them. It was so cool.
Then after one song, they began to tell a story about
someone they considered their number one fan who had died recently. They explained how a friend of theirs had
supported them and hung out with them since they started, and every time they’d
pass through his town the band would go over to his mom’s house and she’d cook
for all of them and give them a place to stay, never asking for anything in
return. They also talked about how they
got to know his little brother. Then
they informed the crowd that the family was in the audience and asked them to
stand up. The entire place applauded, of
course. But then they asked his little
brother to come up on stage, because the next song was dedicated to his big
bro. I’m not sure what disability the
little brother had, but you could tell he had some sort of mental
handicap. But they brought him on stage
and let him say a few words, and then the band thanked him and his family again
and told them how awesome their son and brother had been. Then they had little bro sit down on the front
of the stage while they played a sweet song in memory of his bro. At one point both lead singers sat down next
to him on the front of the stage and put their arms over his shoulder. I cried for almost the entire song. It was so genuine and touching. These are some really good guys who just like
to make music.
I went to see Dispatch only knowing one or two of their
songs and not expecting to get much more than a new band experience. Instead, I laughed, I cried, I danced around,
and had an amazing time that made me an instant fan. If you get the chance, check out their
website (DispatchMusic.com)
or to see the awesome things they’ve done, even benefit shows post-breakup, go
to the band's Wikipedia page.
Thank you Brad Corrigan, Pete Francis Heimbold, and Chad
Urmston, for doing what you do and being who you are. I hope I get to see you guys again in the
future!
