new generation of jam bands are entering the scene and Dogs In A Pile are leading the pack. If you haven't heard of this up and coming quintet from New Jersey, let me start off by saying that they are not a Grateful Dead cover band! Even though the band is named after a "He's Gone" lyric and they are known to insert clever references to the Dead in their original songs, Dogs In A Pile have found a way to establish a unique musical identity while also honoring the history of jam music. DIAP are usually touring across the country with their special blend of psycehedlic music but they just finished up a 6-show residency at Garcia's in Chicago where they got to play their new album, 'Distroid', for the first time.
The new Dogs In A Pile album showcases their signature switch up sound where they seamlessly move into different musical genres and timings at the drop of a hat. At one moment you'll be paralyzed by a hauntingly beautiful, slow spanish ballad and in the next you're headbanging to a high-energy metal song. This is the sort of range that Dogs In A Pile employs and it somehow works perfectly. Their ethos as a band is similar to Queen's Bohemian Raphsody because they have the ability to drastically switch the musical direction multiple times in one song and you never know whats coming next.
In ancient times it was common for new generations to use the foundation of older structures to create new buildings and spaces that reflect the new culture. In many ways, that's what Dogs In A Pile is doing in the jam scene right now. When you see DIAP live, you can almost feel a new branch of musical exploration unfolding as they take an old formula and apply very youthful energy to it. The musical freedom to include long jams, multiple genres and tight timing changes in a live show wouldn't be possible without bands like the Grateful Dead but it's invigorating to see a young band use those techniques to explore new musical realms.
It was clear during DIAP's penultimate show of their Chicago residency that they enjoyed honoring jam history while also introducing their own sounds. Early in their first set they started to play my favorite Dead song trio of Help On The Way/Slipknot/Franklin's Tower. The vocals were perfect and the piano re-created the trippy atmosphere of the songs perfectly but as they ventured into Slipknot, Franklin's Tower never came. Instead they moved into a hard rock original called 'Creep' and the juxtaposition was poetic. It was an homage to the past and introduction to the future at the same time. The first set also included a rendition of Cab Calloway's Minnie the Moocher and a song by the Stan Jones and his Death Valley Rangers that was sandwiched between two movements of their original tune, Bent Strange.
During the second set, they played the new 'Distroid' album all the way through in honor of the release on the same day. Two standouts were Shenanigans and Thomas Duncan Pt.3 as they are able to pull at the heartstrings of the past and keep you in the present moment at the same time. The long jams and intense improvisation will make you feel you're dancing in the 70s but this is a young band! It's one thing to recognize the clear talent of Dogs In A Pile but it's another to realize they are all under the age of 29. This is a band that can go the distance and advance the genre of jam music for the next 40 years. Make sure to see Dogs In A Pile soon before they are playing in the arenas!
