Listening to ‘future cowboys’ Dirtwire is a musical journey unlike many others. The trio, comprised of David Satori of Beats Antique, Evan Fraser of Bolo, and Mark Reveley of Jed and Lucia push musical boundaries, whether they’re performing sold out shows or recording in the studio. Fusing Americana, Beats, World, Funk, Blues and pretty much anything else the multi-instrumentalist were moved by, their latest release Showdown is an aural blast that is so unique and distinctive the listener will discover new sounds, grooves and melodies with each listen. They will also be recreating this sonic stew live on the road through the months ahead on the Showdown world tour, covering much of the states, Canada, and far flung stops such as Tokyo and Bali.
Satori, Fraser, and Reveley trace their friendship to studying world music together at CalArts in Los Angeles, with Satori and Fraser beginning to perform together as Dirtwire in 2012. Showdown, their fifth album but first with Reveley, explores themes of authenticity and resistance, and comes at an important time. “Showdown is about standing up for what you believe in. We are living in a time of great extremes and polarized political spheres. The risk of totalitarianism is real. The risk of environmental collapse is real. We hope to unify people under the banner of music and inspire action in a world that is crying out for help. Showdown is about walking the walk and not backing down against oppressive powers that be which try to control and manipulate the people in their never ending pursuit of power. Its also about Shish Kabobs and spaghetti westerns”
Recorded “in fields, hotel rooms, and at Beats Antique’s Shadowbox Studios in Oakland, CA,” Satori and Fraser were thrilled with the addition of Reveley, who brought a new approach and instruments – the electric resonator guitar, and the Whamola, a one-string stand up electric bass – to the band. Experimentation and live dates helped Dirtwire refine their sound, while their writing process remained as diverse as they are. “Our writing happens in a lot of different ways. One of us might bring something like a lick, a beat, or some lyrics and another will spin off of that idea and take it somewhere else. Or sometimes we might begin a track from scratch, jamming or producing together in the studio. Sometimes we’ll set up some mics in a room and hit record and see what we get in the moment. We recently had the opportunity to go to Standing Rock in North Dakota where we helped work on winter survival projects in the camps. There we were fortunate enough to collaborate with traditional Sioux singers and the Sami people from Norway to create music in support of the water protector movement.”
The outcome is nothing short of musical paradise for those who are fans of genre bending experimentation. “Vibez,” a harmonious voyage, showcases the band member’s strengths, steeped in rootsy organic instruments from around the world. Lead track “Struttin” starts the album out with the funk, featuring a lap steel slide guitar with a wild-west-saloon cowbell backbeat. Los Abandoned singer Maria Del Pilar guests on down tempo “Viento,” sung entirely in Spanish, as well as “Bridge of Suns,” a track featuring the aforementioned whamola and is inspired by old spaghetti western soundtracks. They make their theatrical interpretation of Hank Williams “Lost Highway” all their own [I’m a rolling stone/All alone and lost/For a life of Sin/I have paid the cost.] by setting it to a 6/8 rhythm with Ethiopian electro sounds.
From a kazoo section, to a cigar box guitar, to Satori’s rapping alter ego “Dirty Joe,” Dirtwire’s Showdown emphasizes how eclectic the band is, the chances they take to get the sounds they want, and, most importantly, their evolution. “The sound of the Showdown album is bigger, and it’s exciting to us because it represents where we are going as writers, producers and performers. It’s coming into the world in a time of great change. The cards are being reshuffled and the times ahead will be challenging. It is more important than ever to shine as brightly as we can. It is our hope that this album serves as a beacon of motivation and inspiration to everyone who listens and dances to it.”
Dirtwire 2017 Tour Dates:
02/11 – Mystic Island Fest – Maui, HI
02/16 – High Watt – Nashville, TN
02/17 – Asheville Music Hall – Asheville, NC
02/18 – Terminal West – Atlanta, GA
03/01 – Hopmonk Tavern – Sebastopol, CA
03/02 – The Independent – San Francisco,CA
03/03 – Trocadero Room – Reno, NV
03/04 – Tahoe Beach Retreat – Tahoe, NV
03/05 – Arcata Theatre – Arcata, CA
03/07 – Volcanic Theatre Pub – Bend, OR
03/08 – Hifi Music Hall – Eugene, OR
03/09 – Star Theater – Portland, OR
03/10 – Nectar Lounge – Seattle, WA
03/11 – Wild Buffalo – Bellingham, WA
03/15 – Rickshaw Theatre – Vancouver, BC
03/16 – The Royal – Fernie, BC
03/17 – Bloom – Nelson, BC
03/31 – Powers 2 – Tokyo, Japan
04/05 – 04/09 – New Earth Festival – Bali, Indonesia
04/07 – 04/09 – Lucidity Festival – Santa Barbara, CA
05/18 – 05/21 – Joshua Tree Music Festival – Joshua Tree, CA
05/25 – 05/30 – Lightning in a Bottle – Bradley, CA
06/15 – 06/18 – Sonic Bloom Festival – Hummingbird Ranch, CO
08/17 – 08/23 – Eclipse Festival – Big Summit Prairie, OR
