Fresh on the heels of an incredibly busy 2016 filled with non-stop touring and the release of their new album, This Album Does Not Exist, LA three-piece DREAMERS are ready to take the new year by storm. Next month, the band will kick off tour dates alongside The Griswolds, and if you haven’t experienced their spectacular live show before, now is the time to do so! Read more about DREAMERS’ wild 2016 and their plans for the future below.
Interview by Shannon Shumaker
You had an incredibly busy 2016 of non-stop touring and the release of your album, This Album Does Not Exist! What would you say the highlight of the last year has been for DREAMERS?
There have been so many amazing things it’s hard to pick just one, but we’d say seeing more and more people coming to our shows and knowing all the words. Playing Lollapalooza and being able to hear the audience singing along from the stage. It’s the most validating rewarding thing to witness that in real-time.
Did you have any major goals for This Album Does Not Exist?
We just wanted to make a record we were proud of and that reached people. When you create songs you hope that they find their way into people’s lives. That they bring meaning to someone other than just you. We are so thrilled and grateful for the fans we get to share that with at shows.
Looking back, what was the most rewarding part about creating the album?
There is a moment when a song comes together, when you’re listening back over the studio monitors, and you know it’s done. You know you’re happy with it and it’s time to let go and release it into the world. We recorded in the historic LA studios formerly known as Sound City and the experience was magical. We felt like we had the tools we needed to realize our vision and be constantly inspired. The inspiration hasn’t stopped coming since.
In the last year or so, you guys have circled the country about 3 times, which is insane! What have been some of the craziest things to happen to you while out on tour?
Every night on tour is crazy. It’s the weirdest most surreal gypsy life. We’ve been robbed of our equipment twice but friends and fans came to the rescue. We’ve had some serious van breakdowns. A fan rescued us one of those times too. We’ve not slept in beds for days on end. We deliberately drove into the middle of the desert on a night off to watch a meteor shower. There was no trace of civilization in sight. We slept on top of the van while packs of coyotes howled all around us. It was beautiful. We nearly hit a black bear driving through the Colorado mountains. We had a stage collapse (no one was hurt, it was pretty rock and roll). Barely scratching the surface here.
What have been some of the most memorable venues, states or cities you’ve visited?
Lollapalooza in Chicago was a highlight. The festival has so much history, in general and for us personally. The crowd that day was FUN. We moved to LA from New York. We love both those cities for very different reasons and have had some epic shows there. We tend to have a great time everywhere though honestly. It’s our job to bring the party with us.
You’re starting 2017 on a high note with tour dates alongside The Griswolds kicking off next month, too! What are you most excited about on the upcoming shows?
We’re eager to hang with The Griswolds and catch their set every night because we’re fans. And we’re excited to play to new audiences and see familiar faces. We missed the Pacific Northwest on our last tour so we’re glad to be hitting Seattle (Nick’s hometown) and Portland. It’s going to be a very good time. Everyone needs to be there.
If someone is catching you for the first time on this tour, what would you like them to take away from your live performance?
Sweat. They should have our sweat, their neighbor’s sweat, and their own sweat. In buckets. Everyone should leave with something they’ll never forgot. That’s what we go for every night. No reservations, no self censoring. Just being alive and celebrating it. A party that can be seen from the cosmos. Like the Great Wall. Only it’s about no walls.
Do you have any other big plans or goals for the rest of 2017?
More tour dates, more festivals, releasing more visuals, writing more music. MORE EVERYTHING!! Who knows what the hell is going on in the world. 2017 is about making a statement for us. We want everyone who needs a lift to get one.
Thank you for taking the time to chat with us! Is there anything else you’d like to add?
Cosmic gratitude to the fans, friends and family helping us on the journey. We’ll see you soon.
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