Dispatch, John Butler & Friends Flood Skyla with Good Vibes
...with Donavon Frankenreiter & G. Love; Skyla Credit Union Amphitheatre
It’s likely that Dispatch isn’t a household name, or perhaps you can’t even name one of their songs. But the positive vibes that the band puts forth at every live show are infectious. The band performed at Skyla Credit Union Amphitheatre on Friday, capping off a night full of music to make you think, dance and sing along.
The indie roots-rock stalwarts have been at it under the radar for nearly three decades — and even if you don’t know the songs, it’s likely your feet will not take long to move if you find yourself at one of their shows. And if you’re new to their music, there’s new music to check out, as Friday’s show landed on the release date for their ninth studio album, Yellow Jacket.
John Butler performed with a new band, rifling through an hour of music that included new songs “So Sorry” and “Trippin’ On You” as well as the 10-minute instrumental “Ocean,” which he often sends out as a prayer. This time around, he sent his prayer out in the name of a free Gaza and Palestine. While only a dozen people were standing as Butler’s “Ocean” ebbed and flowed, the entire crowd was on their feet cheering by the end.
The night started with a brief acoustic set by Donavon Frankenreiter and G. Love & the Special Sauce, and the duo would return later for a second set — this time electric. While Frankenreiter was originally scheduled to perform solo, the last-minute combination offered an entertaining back-and-forth to get the crowd interested from the beginning.
Butler later noted that G. Love is an OG of the genre, fusing rap with roots-rock and inspiring other artists such as Jack Johnson, Dispatch and Butler himself. It appears that G. Love is set to join Dispatch and the crew on-and-off for the remainder of the tour, which will take them across the country until they end in Colorado with a few stops around that state in August.
Shows like these are custom-made for the warm weather of late spring and early summer, when it’s comfortable to step outside and let the music carry you away.
Be sure to check out Queen City Nerve’s Soundwave, Charlotte’s most comprehensive live music listing, so you don’t miss out on any shows or concerts coming up. And hell, if you’re looking for something else to do, you can check out our events page as well, which runs the gamut of things to do in Charlotte. You don’t ever have to be bored again. You can check out more of Jeff’s pics and live reviews here.
