Boston-Area band Dispatch is Lined-up for the 2019 Beach Road Weekend at Martha’s Vineyard Memorial Park
by Diane Alter
Dispatch, based in the Boston area, is an American indie/ roots band with a loyal and devoted following.
Band members include Brad Corrigan, Pete Francis Heim-bold, and Chad Urmston. Originally active from 1996 until 2002, the band took a decade long hiatus before reuniting in 2011 with a national tour.
In May 2011, Dispatch released an EP with six new songs. In 2012, after a more than 10 year break, the band released their first studio album called Circles Around the Sun. That same year, the band also released an iTunes session and toured North America during the summer months in support of the album.
In April 2013, Dispatch announced a double-disc live album called Ain’t No Trip to Cleveland Volume 1. The band returned to the music scene in 2017 with the release of America, Location. 12.
Dispatch will be headlining the 2019 Beach Road Weekend on Saturday, August 10 with John Fogerty.
Band member Chad Urmston spent some time talking to This Week on MV about music, life, and the Vineyard.
TW: Martha’s Vineyard holds some special meanings for you. Can you please explain.
CU: The Vineyard is a second home for me. My grandparents bought a house in Vineyard Haven years ago that has passed down through some four or five generations. When it is not rent-ed out, I am here with my wife Sybil, family members, and a multitude of cousins.
TW: So you have been visiting the island for years?
CU: At 16-years-old, I was a counselor at Camp Jabberwocky(a residential vacation camp for people with disabilities). I continued the position into adulthood. That job changed my life. It was during a point in my life when I was looking for my ‘tribe.’ I was living a little bit of a different world, a different dimension— flannel shirts and bandannas—before it was cool. Taking care of someone else made me forget about myself. It really was sublime and extremely helpful. Camp Jabberwocky was where I met my wife, Sybil. She was also a counselor. So yes, it was a life-changer.
TW: What are you doing to prepare for the Beach Road Weekend?
CU: I am on the Vineyard right now and I am wicked excited just to be in the presence of (John) Fogerty. I mean this is CCR– Credence Clear Water Revival.
TW: How would you describe your sound, which has been labeled folk, rock, and indie?
CU: I don’t want to use labels. I will, however, share who we were influenced by. The Band and The Kinks were early influences. Later on, influences included Rage Against the Machine and Nirvana. Sometimes were are a bit folky, but mostly we are more raw and rock.
TW: Anything special about this upcoming performance?
CU: This is an acoustic-only show. We wanted to change things up a bit.
TW: What do you want the audience to take away from your performance?
CU: We want people to have a good time. The show is outside and hopefully the weather will be good and people can just chill and enjoy. Also, we are proud to contribute to the rock music legacy of the island.
TW: Dispatch has taken a couple of hiatuses yet you all keep getting back together. How do you explain that?
CU: The last couple of years we have really kept each other going. It’s the love we have for each other and the love we have playing together. It’s great to be a part of something so connected. Our music has changed via the passage of time. We listen to each other and build on each other’s strengths. We all bring something to the table and we use that to get better and better. We have become a little more methodic in our performing approach.
TW: After the Vineyard, you head to Asbury Park, NJ. I grew up not far from there. The Stone Pony is legendary. Do you know it?
CU: Of course I know the Stone Pony. That is (Bruce) Spring-steen’s hangout. And let me tell you something about people from NJ. No matter where we perform, someone in the audience is always from New Jersey. It’s great.
TW: Any closing thoughts?
CU: Yes. Our success has given us a platform to speak out on issues we think are important. They include things like gun safety and the horrible conditions at the U.S. border. We are also active in calling out sexual violence in music. We are part of the Calling All Crows campaign, which is aimed at fighting sexual harassment and assault at shows, festivals, and the music industry through standard training. Check out #HereForTheMusic.
