Show Review: Dick Diver @ The Mohawk (7/13)

Some days you get to hit up a show, hope for huge attendance, and in the end, you’re just happy you got to be part of an intimate experience.  While I wish many more people loved Dick Diver as much as I do, I was glad I got to witness the band’s first Austin gig, and can only hope that as they travel across the States that they’re convinced to come back.

Read on for a few short words and photos by B. Gray.

 

Austin’s own Jonly Bonly opened the evening up, and while we’ve been hyping the band since their debut, Put Together, I’d like to say that last night was one of those nights where it made me sad more people haven’t gotten into their work.  I’ve always been a fan of Jason Smith’s guitar skills, but the whole unit last night was phenomenal.  They played some of their “hits,” but they also delved into what I can assume was some newer material we haven’t heard yet. Regardless, the rhythm section was incredibly tight, leaving plenty of room for Jason to work his guitar magic while the whole band rocked the set.

Then on came the toast of the night, Dick Diver.  It’s a wonder with all these guitar pop fans, and Flying Nun aficionados in Austin that these guys didn’t sell the venue out. They opened with what’s perhaps my favorite track off their most recent LP, Melbourne Florida, ” Tearing the Posters Down,” setting the mood with this perfect sound and bounce that would roll through the entirety of their set.  From there, they hopped all around, playing hits from the aforementioned recent LP, as well as tunes from earlier efforts like Calendar Days. Switching instruments seamlessly, they never seemed to skip a beat as they jumped through a set that lasted a little over an hour. It was also quite impressive how much fun they were having, not only with each other, but with the audience; it’s not always easy to be thousands of miles from home and entertain, but they succeeded in both their music and their banter. I can only fill this paragraph with so many nice things, but rest assured, if you didn’t show up last night, you missed an incredible treat.