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Dispatch (band)

From Alfawiki
Dispatch
Company typeIndie music group
IndustryMusic
Founded1996
Headquarters
Boston area
,
United States
ProductsMusic albums, live performances

Dispatch is an American indie and roots music group composed of Brad Corrigan (vocals, drums, guitar, percussion, harmonica) and Chad Urmston (vocals, guitar, bass, percussion). The original bassist, Pete Francis Heimbold, left the band in 2019.

Based in the vicinity of Boston, the band was active from 1996 until 2002 before entering a nearly ten-year break. During this interval, they reunited for performances in Boston (2004), New York City (2007), and Washington, D.C. (2009). Their hiatus concluded in early 2011 with a nationwide tour and the release of a six-track EP—their first new recordings since 2000. In 2012, Dispatch unveiled Circles Around the Sun, marking their first studio album in over a decade, followed by an iTunes session and a North American tour to promote the release. On April 22, 2013, they revealed plans for "Ain't No Trip to Cleveland Vol. 1," a double-disc live album that was issued on June 4, 2013. After another pause, Dispatch returned with the album America, Location 12 on June 2, 2017.

Formation and early period

In the early 1990s, Hermit Thrush and Woodriver Bandits combined to form an entirely acoustic ensemble initially named One Fell Swoop, which was soon renamed Dispatch following a naming conflict. The trio—Chad Urmston, Brad Corrigan, and Pete Heimbold—came together while attending Middlebury College. Their sound incorporated elements of acoustic folk-rock, reggae, and funk. They cultivated a fanbase through performances around Middlebury.

Their debut concert occurred at Cosmic Cantina in Durham, North Carolina, during a visit to one member’s sister studying at Duke University.

Growth from mid-1990s to early 2000s

After graduating, Dispatch moved to the greater Boston area to broaden their touring reach. Their live performances grew to feature extended improvisations, guest musicians, and collaborative mashups with bands like Sublime, gaining momentum within the jamband scene. Each member frequently switched instruments during shows, highlighting their musical versatility. Dispatch built recognition beyond New England without traditional record label backing by utilizing peer-to-peer file sharing services such as Napster alongside grassroots promotion.

Over time, they released four studio albums that transitioned their style from acoustic arrangements to a full electric band sound. Their last album before their break, Who Are We Living For?, included artwork created by William Quigley. Following extensive touring across the country and internal strains, the band entered an indefinite hiatus in 2002 after appearing on The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson.

Farewell performance

To conclude their initial era as a band, Dispatch organized a farewell concert titled "The Last Dispatch" at the Hatch Shell in Boston on July 31, 2004. The free event was initially expected to attract between 10,000 and 30,000 attendees; however, fans traveled from countries including Italy, Portugal, South Africa, Spain, Mexico, New Zealand, and Australia—resulting in an estimated crowd of 166,000 people. Corrigan remarked that the turnout surpassed expectations—they aimed to fill enough people to close Storrow Drive—and they achieved this goal. The concert was later issued as a three-disc collection (two CDs and one DVD) entitled All Points Bulletin, which also featured recordings from a warm-up show in Somerville. Special guests at Somerville included Craig Dreyer on saxophone and Brian Sayers on drums. During the Hatch Shell performance, Dispatch was joined by Phil Keaggy (guitar), Paul Tillotson (keyboard), Brian Sayers (drums), and Reinaldo DeJesus (percussion).

Additionally, Dispatch released the documentary film The Last Dispatch in 2005. This film documented their final twelve days together as a band and highlighted their influence on independent music. It premiered at the Somerville Theatre and featured appearances by Urmston, Corrigan, and Heimbold. The documentary was subsequently made available on DVD on September 26, 2006.

Post-breakup

Each member continued their musical pursuits independently: Urmston took the lead role in State Radio, while Corrigan, performing as Braddigan, and Heimbold, under the name Pete Francis, embarked on solo ventures.

On January 5, 2007, Dispatch revealed plans for a benefit event titled "Dispatch: Zimbabwe," marking their reunion on July 14 at New York City's Madison Square Garden. The concert's earnings were dedicated to charities combating disease, famine, and social injustice—primarily supporting efforts in Zimbabwe, with a portion allocated to domestic causes. Tickets available during the initial presale sold out within half an hour, leading to the addition of two more performances on July 13 and July 15; all shows quickly reached capacity. Auctions for charity tickets on Ticketmaster generated over $20,000 for The Elias Fund.

Following these events, a show was announced for July 11 at New York's Webster Hall, with tickets auctioned online starting at $100 for a pair.

Charity and volunteer activities accompanied the concerts on July 14, involving band members who interacted with attendees. At Madison Square Garden, the group alternated between full ensemble performances on the main stage and acoustic sets atop their van, Wimpy, located within the venue. Special guests included the African Children's Choir, Zimbabwean ensemble Bongo Love, as well as horn and percussion musicians. The event also featured informational videos addressing famine, poverty, and AIDS challenges in Zimbabwe.

Recordings of the concerts were promptly made available: official audio was sold through SNOCAP on MySpace shortly after each performance; additionally, a complete video stream of the July 14 concert was accessible for one week on their MySpace profile. In December 2007, a Collector's Edition DVD directed by Danny Clinch was released alongside a photo book; a standard edition followed on January 29, 2008, containing both concert DVD and CD audio plus downloadable tracks.

At the invitation of Zimbabwe Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai, Dispatch held an acoustic benefit performance at Washington D.C.'s Kennedy Center on June 12, 2009. The event sold out within ten minutes.

Dispatch 2011 and reunion

A countdown labeled "Dispatch 2011" appeared on their website on November 15, 2010, fueling speculation about reunion concerts. Subsequent QR codes directed fans to venues including Red Rocks Amphitheatre in Colorado, Chicago, Berkeley, Boston, Atlanta, and Harrison, New Jersey—indicating an upcoming tour.

On January 1, 2011, Dispatch officially announced a reunion tour scheduled for June, committing part of ticket sales to support local education initiatives. They performed alongside Dave Matthews Band (DMB) CARAVAN at Governors Island in New York and at the Gorge in Washington. After cancellations caused by Hurricane Irene, shows were rescheduled for Randall's Island.

During early 2011, Dispatch shared rehearsal footage and studio images hinting at new compositions. On April 5, they confirmed work on a new EP. On April 27, they appeared on Late Night with Jimmy Fallon performing "Melon Bend." The EP was released on May 17 and quickly climbed to No. 2 on the iTunes albums chart.

In November 2011, Dispatch announced their inaugural UK/EU tour. The following year saw the release of their first full-length studio album in over ten years—Circles Around the Sun—which was supported by a North American tour.

On April 22, 2013, they unveiled Ain't No Trip to Cleveland Vol. 1, a double-disc live album capturing performances from their 2012 tour; it was released June 4. Production began on their sixth studio album in September 2014.

Dispatch announced a benefit concert called DISPATCH:HUNGER at Madison Square Garden for January 1, 2015, aimed at combating hunger in America; one dollar from each ticket went toward this cause. Due to overwhelming demand, an additional show was scheduled for July 10.

In April 2016, Dispatch revealed plans for concerts in Germany and Austria during July. On February 10, 2017, they announced a U.S. tour with Guster and released "Only The Wild Ones," a single from their album America, Location 12, which debuted on June 2. Following its release, the band toured extensively across North America and Europe.

The band announced another summer tour in 2018 alongside an "album project" entitled Location 13, releasing singles throughout that year including the lead track Cross the World.

Dispatch revealed their eighth studio album Break Our Fall on February 25, 2021; it was released May 28. Later that year in December, they announced a co-headlining tour with O.A.R., spanning July through September of 2022 with a total of thirty-seven shows.

In October 2024, Dispatch launched the "Amplifying Democracy" tour focused on key battleground states ahead of the election to encourage voter registration and participation. These performances included previews of an upcoming album scheduled for early 2025.

Musical style

Dispatch's sound is a fusion of diverse musical genres, defying straightforward classification. Their compositions draw from reggae, flamenco, funk, ska, folk, rock, and rap influences.

Members

Former members

Frequent collaborators

  • Jon "J.R." Reilly
    • Backing vocals, drums, percussion (congas, bongos, cymbals, tambourine)
  • Mike Sawitzke
    • Backing vocals, guitar, banjo, trumpet, mandolin, keyboard

Studio albums

EPs

Live albums

DVDs

Compilation albums

  • 2005: The Relief Project: Vol. I by various artists (part of The Relief Project)

Singles

Title Year Peak chart positions Album
US
AAA
"Bound by Love" 2015 — Non-album single
"Only the Wild Ones" 2017 9 America, Location 12
"Skin the Rabbit (Edit)" —
"Painted Yellow Lines" 15
"Father Christmas" — Non-album single
"Midnight Lorry" 2018 32 America, Location 12
"Dear Congress, (17)" — Location 13
"May We All" 2021 25 Break Our Fall
"—" indicates singles that did not chart or were not released in that region.

Elias Fund

The Elias Fund, created in 2005, draws its inspiration from Chad Urmston's song "Elias," which reflects his teaching experience in Zimbabwe. This nonprofit organization focuses on empowering Zimbabwean youth through education and community initiatives while fostering a sense of global responsibility among young Americans.

The Relief Project

On December 22, 2005, Corrigan hosted The Relief Project benefit concert at Irving Plaza in New York City, featuring performances by Heimbold and State Radio. The gathering included a brief reunion of the three musicians performing "Here We Go," with intentions to organize additional concerts involving all three artists in the future.

The Dispatch Foundation

Established in 2007 following Dispatch’s reunion concerts at Madison Square Garden, The Dispatch Foundation aims to combat Zimbabwe’s pressing social and economic issues, such as inflation, hunger, unemployment, and the HIV/AIDS epidemic.

External links

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