DOGS IN A PILE / THE FAR OUT – LIVE @ THE SINCLAIR
By James Marinaccio
Dogs In a Pile and The Far Out play the Sinclair in Cambridge.
Many in the audience might not have chosen to see the opener, The Far Out, on their own, given their preference for jam music. However, the Friday crowd at the Sinclair quickly warmed up to The Far Out. The North Shore based six-piece opener was absolutely shot out of a cannon. They had an energy that is rare when it comes to an opening act. Their infectious rhythms and dynamic stage presence quickly won over the audience, setting the perfect tone for the night.
Each member brought their own unique flair, and if I recall correctly, 5/6 band members played various instruments throughout the set. The responsibility of vocals was spread across four different band members. The versatility of the musicians made for an engaging experience. The Far Out is certainly influenced by funk and rock of the late 60’s and early 70’s. I would describe their style as like that of a Lake Street Dive. My personal favorite song they performed was their latest single titled “Packed to Go”. The band did a great job to build energy in the room and get everyone excited for the main event: Dogs In a Pile.
The crowd at the Sinclair was on the younger side, which makes sense given where Dogs In a Pile are in their career. Although established, Dogs In a Pile definitely are on the rise within the jam band community. This is not to say that they were not weathered jam band enthusiasts in the crowd. There were countless ponytails and even few Jerry Garcia lookalikes.
Dogs In a Pile opened with a long melodic song that built up to a dramatic solo by DIAP’s Jimmy Law. They allowed plenty of time for the crowd to climb aboard and enjoy the ride. Jimmy Law’s “guitar face” looked as though he was simultaneously surprised, terrified, and enthralled with the sounds his guitar was producing.
In my opinion, a lot of bands that consider themselves “jam bands” are faced with a bit of an identity crisis. Undoubtedly, these bands are trying to tow the line of creating a Grateful Dead like jam environment all while producing their own sound. Likewise, the loyal fans of these bands are also faced with the same problem. There is a communal feeling that comes along with identifying yourself as a jam band fan.
Even more so when you identify as a fan of a specific band. It goes without saying that these fans are trying to be the next “Dead Heads” or simply recreate what they experienced when the Dead were in their glory days. Is trying to recreate a Dead like jam an honorable pursuit, or is it creatively limiting? I would argue the latter.
That being said, I believe DIAP did make some very solid attempts to stray away from the classic Grateful Dead sound. At times they had a very bluesy sound. Jimmy Law had some awesome solos. He allowed his guitar to breathe and songs to develop. At times I could certainly hear the influence of jazz on the band. They reminded me a bit of Santana in that way.
Sam Lucid on bass was vibing and you could tell he really was enjoying the music. Jeremy Kaplan on keys made for some dramatic bridges and light hearted keyboard solos. The show was fun, and I would say the whole crowd would have agreed. The crowd was constantly fluid and swaying with the music. If you have a chance to see Dogs In a Pile, I would highly recommend it. You might just leave the show a member of the “Dog Pound”.
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