In the last eight years, many graduating classes have come and gone in Athens. The bands these students listened to and the bands they composed have made their mark on the town, but many have since disbanded and left town. The Dragline Bros., not bound by looming graduations, has been a constant presence in Athens. The band's brand of messy, Rolling Stones-influenced rock has persisted through nearly a decade and shows no signs of stopping, although one of their members will be stepping away from the band after this weekend.
Tomorrow's show is the last opportunity to see guitarist and saxophonist Jesse Dillon perform with his friends and bandmates. Just three days after the show, Dillon will be moving to Stockholm, Sweden, to live with his girlfriend.
The band jokes about having Dillon appear at subsequent concerts via hologram and cardboard cutout. Even some sort of podcast would work, chimed in drummer Chris McKee.
Dillon said he befriended all of the guys in the band well before he joined, and he was not looking forward to leaving the band behind.
It's a little rough
he said.
The rest of the band is taking a similar reaction to Dillon's departure.
There is a hole in my heart McKee said, half-joking.
McKee and Dillon joined the band more than two years ago when the band made its transition from a trio to a quartet. The original trio included bassist and vocalist Andrew Weiland, guitarist and vocalist Seth Riddlebarger and Riddlebarger's brother, Bram, who since has left the group in favor of his solo project.
Once Dillon makes his final departure, Weiland said, the band's core will most likely go back to the trio format and invite various friends to play with them live. Eventually, he said, one of them probably will attempt to fill the void left by Dillon's spectacular moustache.
Last summer, the band broke out of the local scene and went on tour in the South. The tour went well, members said, and it gave them a new perspective on the country.
America is a big weird country
Dillon said.
However, clarifying his bandmate, McKee jumped in and said, The South is a big
weird country.
Although the band enjoyed the tour, Dillon said, one of the best parts of the trip was crossing back into Ohio and playing in Columbus, even though it was after a 12-hour drive.
At the band's practice sessions at The Union, 18 W. Union St., the band sometimes acts like a magnet of sound, Weiland said. Passers-by are often attracted to the sound and are treated to a semi-private concert when they find the source.
However, the preferred way to experience The Dragline Bros. is through one of the band's live performances, surrounded by dozens of other swaying, dancing or head-banging fans.
The Dragline Bros. will be playing at 10 p.m. tomorrow at The Union, 16 W. Union St., with Columbus rock trio Grave Blankets.
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Disrupting traffic for the last time with their current lineup, The Dragline Bros. (Andrew Weiland, Jesse Dillon, Chris McKee, and Seth Riddlebarger) will perform at 10 p.m. tomorrow at The Union.
