Christina VarvisDREAMERS
Modern Space, The Arkells
Jan. 30: Doors @ 7:00 p.m.
Shaw Conference Centre (9797 Jasper Ave NW)
$32 (ticketfly.com) $1 from each ticket will go to Partners In Health Canada
“ARE YOU A DREAMER?” flashes in big neon letters in front of a picture of the moon on the homepage of DREAMERS’ website. The rest of the page is dinosaurs, Illuminati symbols, and pictures of the band, all flashing like technicolor strobe lights in front of a backdrop of outer space. The bright, pulsing energy matches the Brooklyn band’s infectious sound — a sound that over the course of their year and a half playing together has earned them praise from Billboard, NOISEY, Fader, and Sirius XM’s AltNation, just to name a few.
Their most recent single, “Shooting Shadows,” is a compellingly moody dance beat with venom-packed in the lyrics, they’ve rightfully compared to the Arctic Monkeys. “We’re definitely a big mix of influences,” says vocalist Nick Wold.
From the jazz they grew up playing, to the basement grunge of Wold’s own hometown of Seattle, it all has an impact on their music. “We love brit-rock… we’re all huge Beatles fans, so that’s probably where that comes from.”
The success of DREAMERS’ first self-titled EP is a testament not only to their musical ability, but their fearless, experimental attitude.
“We like to believe in anything we want to do, and not restrict ourselves with insecurities or self-doubt,” Wold explains of the band’s manifesto to “push boundaries and rewrite the rules.” The philosophy is one they share with their fans, with a section on their website for visitors to submit their own dreams, whether a life goal or a dream they had last night.
Even their Twitter and Instagram handles — DREAMERSjoinus — suggest a collaborative idealism. “The great thing about making music is that it attracts people from all over the world who are in some way like-minded. It’s kind of a call out for people to come together, from any background and any point,” says Wold.
Right now the band is dreaming on the road, waiting for February 5th to release three more songs as an EP called “You Are Here” before their first full-length album. The album was recorded in Sound City Studios in LA, which has seen such greats as Nirvana and the Red Hot Chili Peppers.
“All kinds of amazing things happened there, so it kind of made us do our best. We’re really happy with the outcome!” says Wold.
Meanwhile, the band is touring with Arkells and Brazilian Girls, they’re looking forward to branching out to different parts of the world. “We’ve only played a couple shows in Canada, so we’re excited about this tour,” s ays Wold.
They love meeting new people on tour, even though the day-to-day is spent mostly on the road. “Right now we’re out on the open highway, surrounded by orchards of these strange white trees,” Wold describes, earning a laugh from someone in the vehicle. “I have no idea where we are.” For DREAMERS, it’s all about the journey anyway.
