Dynamite Walls

New Song Du Jour Friday October 29th: Dynamite Walls - "Keep Spinning Around"

The 2nd annual 91X Boo's Cruise is tonight on the Hornblower Inspiration. We'll have local music aplenty on the boat, including Dynamite Walls. Jump for a taste of what you'll hear, you know, if you go. And why wouldn't you go?

@caponenation - San Diego 91x

Dynamite Walls have been chosen by Clear Channel’s iheartradio
as the Alternative Pick for this week’s NEW! Music Monday
receiving homepage placement across their Alternative websites!

Examples of homepage coverage today:
http://www.987fm.com/main.html
http://www.1059thex.com/main.html
http://www.radio1045.com/main.html - Clear Channel iheartradio

Blowing up
Dynamite Walls are working for more than local detonation
By Scott McDonald, Seth Combs


When Bon Scott and the Young brothers wrote AC/DC’s perennial rock anthem “It’s a Long Way to the Top (If You Wanna Rock n’ Roll)” for their debut album, they were speaking from experience. They had already spent many a night trudging through the Australia bar scene and didn’t yet know the success that was in store. No one knows, er, lives, the meaning of the words in that song more than the working local band making constant sacrifices to break through and break out.

Take the five members of San Diego’s Dynamite Walls, who know a little something about trying to make it to the top. Since 2005, they’ve been honing their sound and have garnered a huge Southern California following. In fact, everything about the band says “poised to break.” Melodic pop-rock songs in the vein of Dashboard Confessional and Coldplay that get stuck in your head? Check. Three independent releases (two EPs, one album) that caught the ear of MTV2 and landed them a residency at O.C.’s Detroit Bar? You bet. A manager / producer who’s worked with R.E.M., Bjork and XTC? Oh, yeah.

Yet, just because they’re suit-wearing pretty boys and their music is catchy doesn’t mean the quintet haven’t paid their dues. Exhibit A: the “Taco John” story.

“On our winter tour, we drove a veggie-oil / grease bus across the country. When we got to Nebraska, all of our grease was completely frozen,” says singer and guitarist Tom Pritchard. “We went to a pawnshop to see about heaters to warm the grease and were told to go and see ‘Taco John.’ He owned some Mexican restaurants and saved all of the grease. We went on a wild goose chase, but when we got to his garage, there was a mecca of 5-gallon barrels of warm grease. Not only did he let us fill our tank, he let us take as much as we wanted. ‘Taco John’ probably gave us $700 worth of fuel and got us to Seattle.”

It’s that kind of persistence, whether a search for grease or trying to find that perfect musical hook, that drives the band—so they can be viewed as one of the hardest-working bands in the scene. After all, many of the members (along with Pritchard: guitarist Alex Blundell, bassist Allan Bates, drummer Steve Serrano and keyboardist Paul Kimmel) sowed their oats in other bands before forming Dynamite Walls, and it might be that they see the band as their last chance to make it big before the threat of, you know, responsibility kicks in. When they’re not rehearsing new songs or playing live shows, they’re mailing their album (The Blinding Lights Above) to radio stations and promoting their nomination for MTV2’s “Band on the Rise.” Getting to top ain’t easy.

“We definitely get some love, but it’s hard to get beyond the local shows,” says Pritchard. “And it’s not just about us. I feel like [local pop band] Get Back Loretta has got some great fucking songs, but they don’t get a lot of radio play. If the local music is good, yet you’re still hearing Bush or Alice in Chains, then there’s still some work to be done.”

Whatever happens, San Diego will always be the city they claim. And in a local scene where many bands, once they’ve garnered enough buzz, forsake San Diego and move to L.A. or San Francisco, so they can make that supposed next step, that kind of loyalty is admirable.

“It’s great to be part of the local scene,” Pritchard says. “We love playing across the country and telling people that we’re from San Diego. You always get a positive reaction when you say that you’re from San Diego.”

If Dynamite Walls do make it to the top, San Diego will—much like AC/DC—salute them.

Dynamite Walls play Friday, Dec. 26, at The Casbah and Saturday, Jan. 3, at SOMA. www.myspace.com/dynamitewalls.

Published: 12/22/2008

- San Diego City Beat

Pray for luck
The rough patches in Tom Pritchard's life help fuel Dynamite Walls' catchy, melancholy songs


By Nina Garin, Staff Writer
2:00 a.m. December 25, 2008

Usually, when a new band – one that's never even played a show before – gets attention from a major record label, it's considered incredibly lucky.
But luck isn't a word usually associated with either the North County band Dynamite Walls nor its frontman, Tom Pritchard.
“I think there's a curse following me around,” he said with a melancholy laugh.
Pritchard's misfortunes started early, even before he had a band that almost signed with Epic Records.
His mother died when he was just a year old and he and his brother were raised by their father, Chris Pritchard, in Rainbow, near Fallbrook. Chris Pritchard had played guitar for the Surfaris (of “Wipeout” fame) in the 1980s, meaning that the Pritchard boys were introduced to music at an early age.
“My grandfather on my mom's side was a jazz musician, so I had music on all sides,” he said. “There's pictures of my aunt as a baby sitting on (saxophone legend) Charlie Parker's lap.”
Still, at first, Pritchard gravitated toward football. But after giving “the life of a jock” a try, he picked up a guitar in high school and found that writing Bob Dylanesque songs came naturally to him.
Making music was an escape from things like his brother's crystal meth problem and friends that he called “bad elements.”
“As soon as I turned 18, I got out of Fallbrook,” said the singer, who now calls Encinitas home.
Pritchard formed a band, Concord, with his girlfriend of seven years, but he admits it was a bad idea. As soon as the couple broke up, the band did, too.
And just like he did in Fallbrook, Pritchard turned his sadness into music.
“That year was great for my songwriting,” he said. “It was terrible for me, but awesome for my music.”
Eventually, from being around the music scene, Pritchard met the guys who would form Dynamite Walls: guitarist Alex Blundell, drummer Steve Serrano, bassist Alan Bates and keyboardist Paul Kimmel.
The group, which performs tomorrow at the Casbah, makes uplifting rock songs in the spirit of U2, Coldplay and fellow North County band Switchfoot. The music is easy to like and has a way of appealing to both alternative and mainstream fans, thanks to Pritchard's slightly scratchy vocals.
When they first formed just over three years ago, Serrano and Pritchard sent samples of their songs to a friend at Epic Records. They got a development deal, which meant the record company wanted them to record a little bit more, play some shows and build some buzz before signing to a major deal.
But then, more bad luck.
Two days before Dynamite Walls was set to record their professional demo, Pritchard's brother died at age 27 of a drug overdose.
“I went and recorded anyway,” he said. “I knew he would want me to do it. He was always very supportive, he would send me song lyrics from jail.”
After recording the demo, however, the band went to play the South by Southwest music conference. When they returned home, everyone at Epic had been fired.
“At least we got to keep our masters,” laughed Pritchard.
But lately, it looks like the streak of bad luck surrounding the band is ending, or at least is on hold for a while. Dynamite Walls is going the slow-and-steady route of building an audience. The group has been playing lots more shows, including a weekly residency at Orange County's Detroit Bar.
The band also self-released “The Blinding Lights Above,” a 10-song disc that's filled with soaring melodies, instantly catchy choruses that also, understandably, have a touch of melancholy.
“I'm always writing,” Pritchard said. “I'm kind of like a campfire guy. I like to keep it tight.”
Though the band is prolific, the guys are hoping to reach fans outside of their familiar Casbah, Belly Up and Beauty Bar surroundings. Dynamite Walls already went on one national tour and got attention for more than just its music.
The band traveled the country in a bus that runs on “grease” instead of gas – they drove from San Diego to Florida and then up to Seattle getting free “grease” from the Chinese food restaurants.
“We didn't have much money and gas prices were ridiculous, so we had to do something,” Pritchard said. “Our last trip to Texas cost $40, only because we had to get diesel. I know other bands that were spending, like, $400 in gas.”
To pay the bills, Pritchard works as a carpenter, but he's also been dabbling in the world of jingles. Which is another thing he has in common with his dad.
“My dad wrote a song for the Chargers when they went to the Super Bowl in the '90s,” he said. “Man, it was so bad but so bad that it was good.”
Though his dad's no longer in the Surfaris, father and son perform together every now and then.
“We'll play a bar like the Surf & Saddle (in Solana Beach),” he said. “We'll play cover songs, have some drinks and make a little money.”
And when it comes to his future with Dynamite Walls, Pritchard says there's no other way to go but up.

Two more for the road
Who are these other bands performing the day after Christmas?
Crash Encore: If there's a band that can cure the holiday blues, this is the one. The local indie-pop band makes some of the city's most infectious and creative music with multidimensional melodies that always keep the songs interesting. More at crashencore.com.
Stripes and Lines: Made up of members from Government Grown and Yovee, Stripes and Lines plays catchy pop music with soulful vocals. Though it's easy to think of them as adult rock, the band surprises you with a tiny bit of punk undertones in its songs. More at myspace.com/stripesandlines.
– NINA GARIN
- Sign On San Diego

Dynamite Walls
By Dave Good | Published Wednesday, April 22, 2009

Dynamite Walls first crossed my radar in 2007, after the band, while on tour, unknowingly spent a night in a rented home that had once been the site of a mass murder. That same year they were picked by MTV2 as a “Band on the Rise.” They had just released their one (it remains their only, if exceptional) full-length CD, The Blinding Light Above.

“A band on the verge” is what I thought of them when I first wrote about Dynamite Walls in these pages in a music feature in that same year. Today, by all outward appearances, Dynamite Walls remains a band on the verge. Even after a development deal with Sony and a recent production assist on a new five-song demo by Paul Fox (of XTC and 10,000 Maniacs fame), the band is still label shopping.

Tom Pritchard fronts Dynamite Walls and writes most of their material. He says he grew up listening to surf rock and the blues, neither of which registers as an influence. More like Radiohead on a short leash, Pritchard’s songs burn with the kind of brokenhearted harmonies patented by Nashville a generation before he was born. He has mastered the art of stitching raw emotions to power chords, and why DW is not the next Maroon 5 is a mystery to me.

“It goes from a lot of talk to a lot of nothing in this business,” Pritchard says on the phone from his Encinitas home. He should know. The Sony deal fell through suddenly when the West Coast staff, he says, was fired. Dynamite Walls has since performed music-industry showcases where they have generated buzz, interest, and promises. He describes dealing with labels as “putting everything on hold.” Pritchard adds, “At some point you have to break, or else you’re just sitting around. We’re busy, busier than people know.”

DYNAMITE WALLS: The Casbah, Saturday, April 25, 8:30 p.m. 619-232-4355. $8.

- San Diego Reader

http://www.nbcsandiego.com/around-town/events/Listen-Locally-Get-to-know-the-SDMA-Nominees-56439557.html

Listen Locally: The SDMA Nominees
By SAM DORMAN
Updated 11:50 AM PDT, Tue, Sep 1, 2009

It's T-minus 10 days until San Diego’s annual SDMA’s, Listen Locally is going to help introduce you to some of these nominees. Collect some gems of coveted local music knowledge to be used at your discretion. Even if you don’t have a clue what’s going on in our colorful local music scene, the SDMA nominees are a ready-made cheat-sheet.


Let’s talk pop bands. There are eight great nominees in this category. Regardless of inhabiting the same category, each group under the “Pop” umbrella possesses a distinct sound that commands equal love from the listeners, thus making voting extra difficult. There's nothing wrong with a little healthy competition. Let’s have a closer look at a couple of promising nominees: Dynamite Walls and Lights On.

Dynamite Walls is a quintet of talented, handsome musician-types with instant appeal. Now one must carefully introduce a ‘Pop” band made up of nice looking males, as not to conjure images of highlights, matching sunglasses and color schemed outfits. Thankfully that brand of pop doesn't exist at the SDMA’s so read on!

Dynamite Walls' strike the ear as an indie, alternative rock sound, likened to INXS or Coldplay, only bolder with a delightfully rancorous edge. That element resides in the lyrics, just a little more provocative then you would expect from such likable, well-constructed music.

Meet the boys: Tom Pritchard- vocals and guitar; Alex Blundell- lead guitar; Allan Bates– bass and vocals; Paul Kimmel – keys, and Eric Pritchard– drums. DW has been together for four years with one full-length album, The Blinding Light Above (2007) under their belt. A follow up EP released this year- Stay Awake can be summarized as this: Tom Pritchard’s lithe vocals drive emotion-riddled lyrics, atop power chords and diverse styling. You listen and wonder as one would about a 36-year old surgeon with good hair. How are they not spoken for?

DW has captured attention of major labels but has yet to find the right match that can put their music where it needs to be, so they continue to shop. Scaling upwards for a few years now, in the same year they released their album DW was spotted by MTV2 as a “Band on the Rise.” So the guys don’t seem too stressed on not being signed yet. Irrefutable talent will do that to you.

Tom Pritchard describes how they felt about being labeled a pop band this year, "When I think of pop I think of a mini-microphone headset and hair highlights, or an emo cut, dance moves and screaming young girls. But, when I took a look at the past winners in this category, I felt that maybe I was the one mislabeling what "pop" is.... maybe we should run with this whole thing anyways!! Perhaps a new hairdo for the ceremony..."

Look out Jonas Brothers…Check out Dynamite Walls at www.myspacemusic.com/dynamitewalls.

Lights On is no stranger to an unexpected categorization of genre. Their pop nod for this year matched their surprise from last year’s for best electronic band according to guitarist Tim Hines.

"We’re definitely not strictly either of the two, pop or electronic. But we do have elements of the two, along with other genres," he said. "So I guess it’s just a way of them (the academy or whatever you call it) plugging you in somewhere that loosely fits… I wouldn't even know how to properly classify us either! But ultimately were just happy to be recognized."

Lights On is hot. Their sound is hard to pinpoint thanks to the mélange of genre influences but they really nail the concoction of electro-pop, indie post-punk and do it with recognizable style that’s downright lovable.

Having wasted no time, Lights On debuted their EP Waiting For the Heart to Beat in July 2008 just a few months after getting together and expects to release a vinyl EP (w/ a digital download card!) late September 2009. Hines notes that although they have a good amount recorded they continue to grind away in the studio, “to see what else comes out,” he said. It doesn't hurt that drummer Mike Kamoo owns Earthling Studios in El Cajon, a well-established local studio.

Lights On is: Mike Kamoo- bass guitar, drums, guitar, keyboards; Timothy Hines- guitar, keyboards, piano, vocals; Andrew Bernhardt- guitar, keyboards, vocals; Brooke Rowland-keyboards, vocals; Robert Netcoh- bass guitar.

Waiting For the Heart to Beat is a solid example of their quality.The songs consistently sweep you up from the get go, engaging, captivating and consuming. Although you hear a generous amount of 80’s synth band resonating on their 2008 album, don’t pigeon hole them, Tim Hines advises. They are shedding that a bit with current recordings. On the upcoming EP fans can expect “songs a little more guitar-oriented… Definitely more Post Punk/jangle core with a modern approach." Whatever that means!

Cool things are going on lately for Lights On. They recently did a Brooklyn tour and had a blast playing shows, getting the exposure; no doubt a great step in turning Lights On to the East Coast. LO did disclose that they fancy the East Coast crowd more akin to their tunes. Let’s not take it personally San Diego. The NYC scene makes for tough competition for the affections of a musician.

Most recently, their song “Wild At Heart” was featured on HBO’s Hung episode 8. Check out Lights On at www.myspacemusic.com/lightsonband.

Have a listen to these awesome local bands and check out the rest of the Best Pop nominees:
Echo Revolution; Gray Ghosts; Team Abraham; The Paddle Boat; The Silent Comedy and Wendy Bailey.


Stay tuned for more Listen Locally SDMA Nominee preview articles over the next ten days, happy listening!

- NBC San Diego

http://rivetingriffs.com/dynamite_walls.htm

The San Diego-based band Dynamite Walls ventured north to Hollywood on Thursday night, playing after local favorites Dead Country at Three Clubs, a hip and intimate venue for live music. The band consists of Tom Pritchard (lead vocals and guitar), Alex Blundell (lead guitar), Allan Bates (bass), Paul Kimmel (keys), and Eric Pritchard (drums). Picked by MTV in 2007 as a “Band on the Rise,” they have had their ups and downs over the five years they have been together, including near deals with record labels, but with new management and new material they could once again be on the rise. They are working on their second album with manager/producer Paul Fox at his Coldwater Canyon recording studio.



Front man Tom Pritchard names surf rock and blues among his early influences, and his Dad was a member of the Surfaris, but he admits that one might be hard-pressed to those influences in his music. The more obvious comparisons would be to Augustana and Kings of Leon. Pritchard's voice is reminiscent of The Fray’s Isaac Slade, as with eyes half-closed, he leans back and delivers his songs filled with heartache and yearning, while power chords emanate from his guitar.



The background vocals by Allan Bates compliment the soaring melodies, inspired, Pritchard says, by his love for the music of Bob Marley. Songs such as, “That Girl (Out of Control)” and “Mystery,” possess rhythms which at times keep you off balance. More straight-ahead songs such as, “Kiss and Ride,” and “Blood on My Hands,” build to powerful choruses. Dynamite Walls band members are able to play with a sense of dynamic and unity, evidenced at several climactic moments in the group’s set when they were clearly pushing their music to a higher level.



One of the highlights of the night was a song introduced as “Untitled,” presumably a piece found among the new material that Dynamite Walls is in the process of recording. It opened with a choir sample on the Korg keyboard, which is difficult to use effectively, but it worked well in this sonic space as it wove its way throughout the entire song. In this song, still searching for a title, one can hear, what others have referred to as a mid-career U2 sound, as the tune reached an ecstatic midpoint. The song also evoked the most positive response from the crowd.

The music of Dynamite Walls feels structurally organic, maybe a reflection of where they have been and where they find themselves now.



Symbolic of this is their tour bus, what Pritchard affectionately refers to as the “grease bus.” It was parked on Vine Street, and although he noted that it was nothing special to look at, it did take them across the country and back during their winter tour in 2008. The bus runs on bio-fuel, more specifically, the grease that they can get from helpful restaurateurs. The band was also surprised to learn that the same grease freezes at sub-zero temperatures, which they discovered the hard way while traveling through the Rocky Mountains.



The same spirit of adventure that is evident in their touring, affects the music of Dynamite Walls, and one suspects that it acts as an additional source of inspiration. One gets the sense that Dynamite Walls is on the road to discovering new musical territory. As their name implies, they are aiming to find open spaces in the wall of sameness that is indie rock.





November 2009



Click here for printer friendly copy



Contributing writer Susan Ferrari resides in El Segundo, California

- Riveting Riffs Magazine

Dynamite Walls

Buzz Track: That Girl
Link: myspace.com/dynamitewalls
Contact: paulfox@paulfoxmusic.com

Posted on Nov 30, 2009 • Filed in A&R Picks

http://www.crazedhits.com/dynamite-walls/
- CrazedHits.com

Thanks, Girlfriend
By Dave Good | Published Wednesday, Jan. 20, 2010
TEXT SIZE: A | A | A
E-MAIL THE EDITOR


Dynamite Walls

Members of Dynamite Walls write and record radio-ready pop-rock from their Encinitas home base. But if Tom Pritchard had not broken up with his girlfriend five years ago, there might not be a band today.

Post-breakup, Pritchard took a year off from performing and turned his sorrows into songs that he began writing in a North Park studio with a friend named Doug Evans. When they had enough new material, Pritchard reasoned that it was time to form a band. He and Evans assembled members for the first Dynamite Walls, and things immediately began to look up.

“We got a development deal with Epic as the result of a demo we made,” says Pritchard. “My brother had passed away two days before we were supposed to record. It was pretty gnarly. We just went in anyway and made the demo and sent it off.”

Pritchard says Epic shopped the band around to various producers and that showcase gigs followed.

“We went out and played SXSW [South by Southwest, the annual music-industry gathering in Austin], got taken out to dinner, thought we were gonna get a record deal, and found out later that our label contacts at Epic had all gotten fired.” D-Walls went from deal to no deal.

Today, the band is Pritchard and his younger brother Eric on drums, with Alex Blundell, Alan Bates, and Paul Kimmell. They recently caught the ear of Paul Fox (XTC, 10,000 Maniacs), who is now managing them. Once again, the band is recording and label-shopping.

WHAT IS DYNAMITE WALLS WORKING ON?

Tom: Recently we had the opportunity to rerecord a song of ours called “Kiss and Ride” at Westlake studios in L.A., where Thriller was recorded. As soon as I walked in, I felt the vibe. There were some Michael posters — signed — in the lounge. It really brought the best out of us to know we were in such an historic studio.

NERVES BEFORE A GIG?

Alex: We’ve all been performing most of our lives, so the nerves have mostly faded. We get excited to play. Also, one or two adult beverages before the show seem to mask any lingering butterflies before we hit the stage.

Eric: I am more nervous about my equipment than actually playing. I have the most crap to lug around, and it is all very expensive. I constantly have to worry about it getting stolen or damaged.

BEST WAY TO COMBAT BOREDOM WHILE ON TOUR?

Eric: Nothing like an impulse-buy to keep you occupied for hours. Beer, fireworks, and fingerless gloves are just a few of the many ridiculous ways we have wasted our money.

BETTER TO SELL DOWNLOADS OR CDs AT A GIG?

Tom: Selling music online is effortless, and I’m pretty sure we have made about the same amount of money with it.

Eric: If we all hustle, we can make some good money off of CDs at a show. Unfortunately, it’s not always easy to jump offstage and become Billy Mays. We have to deal with our gear and being burnt out after our set.

BEST MUSIC TO HAVE SEX TO?

Paul: Seventies-porno style. I like the classics.

Eric: I’ve only had sex to an Interpol album, but it was great!

D-WALLS’ BEST SONG?

Alan: My favorite song of ours to play live would definitely be “Mystery.” It’s just sexy and makes people wanna move, myself included.

Tom: I think it would be our newest song, “Cold World.” It has a lot of story and a chorus that pays off.

IS THERE A SIMILAR THREAD THAT RUNS THROUGH YOUR SONGS?

Tom: This is a hard question. I write in different moods, different settings, and try to make each song different. Some would probably say I write about girls a lot. I try to put my own spin on it to make it unique to our perception of the world.

BEST ERA IN ROCK HISTORY?

Alan: Myfavorite era in rock history would have to be the late ‘60s. I think all the drugs everyone was doing at the time made for some amazing music, even if unfortunately they all didn’t live to see how influential it would be.

Eric: Sixties, hands down. Beatles, Stones, Led Zeppelin.

EVER BREAK IT OFF WITH A GIRL BECAUSE OF HER TASTE IN MUSIC?

Alan: I’ve never broken off dating a girl because of her musical taste, but it’s definitely prevented otherwise attractive girls from having a shot in the first place.

TOM PRITCHARD’S TOP 10 FAVORITE BANDS/ARTISTS?

Bob Dylan, Led Zeppelin, Arcade Fire, Broken Social Scene, Peter Gabriel, the Strokes, Pinback, Coldplay, the Mermen, Jimi Hendrix. - San Diego Reader

I started to write about Dynamite Walls a few days ago, but my focus has been hard to harness this week, but since the band has now shared their news publicly, I'm happy to report that Dynamite Walls has inked a deal with Universal Republic. They're up in LA recording with producer Paul Fox and sound engineer John Mosser. I had an inkling something was up when they were billed second next to Switchfoot for the Bro-Am. It couldn't happen to a nicer group of guys. Congrats! - San Diego: Dialed In

Review: Dynamite Walls – Stay Awake [EP]
March 3, 2010 by gogonutz
Dynamite Walls – Stay Awake [EP]



Stay Awake by Dynamite Walls
Dynamite Walls is a cool indie rock band from San Diego. Their previous album “The Blinding Lights Above” was a great listen and I’m very curious to hear what they can show us on this brand new EP.

“Stay Awake” features 6 well-balanced songs with a pointy edge and fun attitude. While it’s only a short album it still shows variety and creativity. But most of all I think it just shows a lot of musicality and class.

The EP starts out with the uptempo That Girl (Out of Control) which is a nice pointy pop/rock song that would make a good radio single. It’s fun to listen to and to sing along to. (or shout along to if you’re not such a good singer, haha). After that we hear the title track Stay Awake which took me a little longer to really get used to. I like the cool indie vibe to this song. It kind of feels like the song is pushing itself along, which is not a bad thing. It gives the song kind of a special signature sound that grows on you if you take the time to sit down and listen to this. A true album track.

Obvious radio single Kiss & Ride is up next. It was on the previous album also, but sounds even better this time. The chorus is amazing, as it just takes you along. It’s like The Fray mixed with a little Jimmy Eat World and then topped off in the Dynamite Walls specialty. I really enjoy this song. Blood On My Hands is probably my least favorite track on this EP, yet I still am really feeling it. So that’s a sign this is quite a strong EP. The song’s very uptempo and carries along with a steady beat and infectious rhythm. It would make a very cool live song.

Mystery is a song that some people might need some time to get used to, with its insanely cool indie sound and mysterious vibe. However, that’s the part that immediately intrigued me. And as it leads into the more melodic chorus, the song comes to full bloom. I like the raw edge to it as well as the changing rhythm throughout the song and the way this thing is such an organic and interesting whole.

The EP ends with Ain’t That Special which was also the closer on their previous album. It was a splendid way to end that album, and it still is a splendid closing track. The acoustic track just gives you that sense of close connection. And the raw but excellent harmonizing vocals are just a thing of beauty. At some points it reminds me of early Beatles a little bit. Might take a little imagination, but I can hear it.

“Stay Awake” is an excellent follow-up to “The Blinding Lights Above” and Dynamite Walls is a band that is very close to a break through. The music is commercially attractive (especially That Girl and Kiss & Ride) and it has a cool and somewhat original groove to it, that could really speak to people. With the right kind of marketing and promotion I feel there’s a very bright future for this band. I know I will be keeping an eye out for what will happen with Dynamite Walls. And so should you!
- Inner Ear Media

25 Jun
2010
Switchfoot’s 2010 Bro-Am This Saturday June 26th

By drainu182 , Tags : Chris Shiflett & The Dead Peasants, Dynamite Walls, Kate Voegele, OK Go, StandUp For Kids, Switchfoot, The Almost, Timmy Curran, Young The Giant
This Saturday marks the sixth annual Bro-Am (http://www.switchfoot.com/p/broam) charity event at the Moonlight Beach in Encinitas, California. Created by the band Switchfoot to increase awareness and raise funds for homeless children in the San Diego area, the Bro-Am is not merely a concert. The Bro-Am has grown now to consist of a pre-event charity auction and surfing contest featuring professional surfers Rob Machado, Tom Curren and Timmy Curran as well as some of the bands performing at the concert. This year’s Bro-Am will raise money for all local chapters of the StandUP For Kids charity (http://www.standupforkids.org).

“The Bro-Am has been my favorite day of the year ever since we started it back in ’05,” says Switchfoot’s lead singer, Jon Foreman. “To see our hometown come together to help out a deserving group of kids is an incredible experience – surfing, music, and the San Diego scene at its best. Last year was our biggest year ever, and we hope to top it again this year.”

This year’s lineup is surely the best yet. Musical guests include: Switchfoot, Timmy Curran OK Go, Chris Shiflett & The Dead Peasants, Kate Voegele, The Almost, Dynamite Walls, and Young the Giant.

Foo Fighters guitarist Chris Shiflett is especially excited about the event. “It’s something that I’ve wanted to be a part for a while and if Switchfoot’s involved with it, it must be great”

Last year’s Bro-Am raised over $100,000, a feat even more impressive considering that there’s no admission/entry fee to the Bro-Am! Funds are raised via donation, the pre-event auction, sales from local venders at the event as well as the after-party at the Belly Up Tavern in nearby Solana Beach.

The Bro-Am’s not only benefits charities but also highlights the best of the local community.
“It shines a light on North County San Diego’s unique character, and happens to take place on one of the most beautiful beaches in California,” says Dynamite Walls bassist Allan Bates.

If you’re in the San Diego area, make sure to check out the Bro-Am tomorrow. If you can’t make it and would still like to contribute the StandUp For Kids charity at http://www.standupforkids.org/donate/default.aspx.

For the latest news on the Bro-Am, make sure to go to http://www.switchfoot.com/p/broam



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New Song Du Jour Tuesday September 7th: Dynamite Walls - "That Girl"

September 7, 2010, 3:25 pm

@caponenation

Lots of great things happening musically, here in America's Finest City. Case in point: Encinitas' Dynamite Walls. When I moved here about 3 1/2 years ago, DW were one of the first live shows I saw in town. Nice to see their progression. Get to know "That Girl" after the jump, live from the Loudspeaker Living Room! - San Diego 91x

MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 13, 2010

2010 San Diego Music Award Winners
It doesn't look like the San Diego Music Awards have been listed on the official site quite yet, so since I failed to live-tweet last night, I've compiled the winners today. Some shockers, some not so shocking, but it was such a fun night all around. There are always things that can be improved and hopefully as the music community grows, so will the academy to make sure people get nominated in the right categories. I suspect my personal education of the Electronic and DJ scenes will grow this week at the SDMTC and it's good to know that more hip-hop players will be involved in the future. I was a slacker blogger and hardly took any photos, but you can see a nice gallery over on SoundDiego.com

Best Pop: Dynamite Walls - San Diego: Dialed In

Dynamite Walls Are On the Verge
Local band are ready to blow up for real
A A AComments (0) By NATE JACKSON Thursday, Sep 23 2010
It may have taken five years, but the members of Dynamite Walls can finally say the band are ready to blow up—for real this time. A couple of weeks ago, lead singer/guitarist Tom Pritchard’s midday drive through San Diego was interrupted by his band coming over the airwaves of local station XTRA-FM 91.1. Listening to the explosive, summertime chorus of “That Girl”—from the band’s self-titled album—on an FM frequency was surreal, to say the least.


Dynamite Walls normally stand around the kitchen in their down time
“It took me a second to realize it was us,” Pritchard says. “It’s like you’re working on it, and all of the sudden, it’s on the radio. It sounded like it fit there.”

Signed with Universal/Republic since January, Dynamite Walls’ disappointing record-label search is a distant memory. With their new album in the final stages, the cycle of “hurry up and wait” is punctuated with reminders that life is about to change for this Encinitas quintet.

“I think getting what you want is scary sometimes,” Pritchard says, “because what comes with that is responsibility. We [probably] dodged a bullet by not getting signed back in the day because, now, our sound is really together.”

Like most bands, Dynamite Walls didn’t get themselves “together” without a slew of significant highs and lows.

Pritchard remembers a break-up with a girlfriend of seven years inspired the band’s first few songs in 2005. Three months later, the band were courted by Sony/Epic after sending out a self-produced demo. Before they knew it, preparations were made to record another demo with the ginormous New York label. Unfortunately, momentary bliss was followed by unforeseen tragedy. Two days before recording, Pritchard got word that his oldest brother—who’d been in and out of jail most of his life—died after trying to conceal illegal drugs in his stomach. In a situation in which most people would’ve succumbed to grief, Pritchard followed through with recording.

“It’s always been my personality to internalize [a bad experience] and find an outlet for it,” says Pritchard. “To this day, I’m amazed I got through that.”

By 2006, label reps were pitching Dynamite Walls’ well-manicured indie-pop to high-profile producers. Their future was nearly secured. Then another bad break—their development deal fell through when Epic cut back West Coast operations in 2006 and laid off all the contacts who’d offered the band a record deal.

“We had this feeling of, ‘Yeah, we’re gonna get there,’ and it was a letdown,” says Pritchard.

Cast back into the local pond, Pritchard and guitarist Alex Blundell, bassist Allen Bates, keyboardist Paul Kimmel and Eric Pritchard (Tom’s younger brother, who replaced former drummer Steve Serrano) became seasoned scrappers on the San Diego music scene. Inside booze-filled taverns such as the Belly Up and Tidewater, Dynamite Walls developed tunes for independent releases, including 2007’s full-length, The Blinding Lights Above, and 2009’s EP, Stay Awake.

These days, Pritchard says, new tracks such as “Cold World” represent the band’s moody, chorus-driven sound. Utilizing the radio-friendly, emotive hook power of the Fray and Jimmy Eat World, Dynamite Walls’ cocktail of smart pop poetics is undoubtedly familiar. However, Pritchard says, the band take a varied approach to carefully carved songs about everyday disillusionment and love gone awry.

“The album ebbs and flows between songs you really want to hear, depending on what kind of mood you’re in,” says Pritchard.

Whether they’re inspired by catchy classic rock à la Rick Springfield or Coldplay’s contemplative piano pop, each song on their major-label debut—prepped for release late this year—strives to fulfill a distinctive space in your emotional index.

The band entrusted their songs to the hands of LA producer Paul Fox, whose credits include Phish, XTC and the Wallflowers. Fox recalls catching one of the band’s Belly Up gigs by chance, leading to his partnership with them as both producer and manager.

“If I see something that I really like and I want to put a lot of time and effort into it, I wanna be the one who’s hands-on, trying to keep moving the band forward,” Fox says.

Ushering the band into several recording studios, including Threshold in Santa Monica, Fox was instrumental in polishing song structures and creating business contacts, eventually resulting in a meeting with Universal/Republic. Crediting the band’s staying power and ability to take direction, Pritchard says trying to break out has been a supreme lesson in patience.

“I always tell Paul [Fox] that we didn’t break the door down,” says Pritchard. “We just knocked politely for five years.”

Dynamite Walls perform with Stereofix, Italian Japanese, the Vespertines and Railroad to Alaska at the House of Blues, 1530 Disneyland Dr., Anaheim, (714) 778-2583; www.houseofblues.com. Fri., 8 p.m. $12.50; day of show, $15. All ages.



This article appeared in print as "The Calm Before the Storm: Dynamite Walls are definitely blowing up— it’s just taking time." - OC Weekly

Friday night consisted of grunge, trumpets, indie rock, a disco ball, endless guitar riffs and a sea of sounds at the House of Blues in Anaheim. Sponsored by KROQ’s Locals Only, five bands rocked the stage, giving the audience a wide array of sights and sounds throughout the evening.

Throughout the five sets, Railroad to Alaska, The Vespertines, Dynamite Walls, Stereofix and The Italian Japanese offered the audience several different types of sounds, while also providing their own styles. The crowd fluctuated in size from song to song but the venue remained pretty full.

Contrary to The Vespertines, the lyrics of Dynamite Walls played a big part in their set. Through their soft sounding instrumental base and crooning vocals, the San Diego band had a more kicked back vibe. - Daily Titan

On their single "Keep Spinning Around" San Diego's Dynamite Walls make sure the melody is even bigger than the guitars with frontman Tom Pritchard's voice the perfect foil for the churning wall of sound behind him. Strip back the dense production layers and you've got a song that could be just as effective with a stripped acoustic backing. The band is wrapping their new album for Universal/Republic now.
Dynamite Walls - "Keep Spinning Around" - Direct Current Music

December 17, 2009

Indie Spotlight: Dynamite Walls

The sound of San Diego band Dynamite Walls has been compared to contemporaries from Coldplay to The Strokes. Producer Paul Fox (XTC, Sugarcubes with Bjork, Phish, 10,000 Maniacs, Grant Lee Buffalo and others) recognized the band’s potential and took them into the studio to record new tracks. Lyrics and melodies are delivered through lead vocalist and writer Tom Pritchard’s soulful voice, which brings to life thoughts and emotions we've all had trouble expressing. With a sexy, edgy sound, Dynamite Walls offers songs that tempt and tease. Band members Alex Blundell (lead guitar), Allan Bates (bass), Paul Kimmel (keys), Eric Pritchard (drums), and Tom have found a common bond built around the notion that great songs should tell a story and touch lives of people both young and old.

www.myspace.com/dynamitewalls

Read the BMI MusicWorld story on Dynamite Walls here.
- BMI

sandiegomusicawards.com

And the 2009 SDMA nominees are...

Best Cover or Tribute Band
40 Oz. to Freedom
Cashed out
Cheap Leis
Dazed & Confused
Electric Waste Band
Rockola
Rolling the Stone
The Tighten Ups

Best Jazz
Chris Klich Jazz Quintet
David Patrone
Gilbert Castellanos
Jaime Valle
Karin Carson
Mattson 2
Nena Anderson
Steph Johnson

Best Acoustic
Astra Kelly
Erica Davies
Jordan Reimer
Marie Haddad
Smart Brothers
Steven Ybarra
Sven-Erik Seaholm
Veronica May

Best Blues
Chet Cannon & the Committee
Johnny Vernazza Band
Michele Lundeen
Nathan James
Robin Henkel
Steve White
Tomcat Courtney
West of Memphis

Best World Music
Danyavaad & The Shimmy Sisters
Elijah Emanuel
Skelpin
Split Finger
Stranger
The Devastators
Tribal Seeds
Tribe of Judah

Best Americana or Country
Bill Cardinal & The Canyon Band
Billy Midnight
Cathryn Beeks Ordeal
John Meeks
Mark Jackson Band
River City
Sara Petite
Tornado Magnet

Best Hip Hop
afterschoolspecial
Deep Rooted
Jimmy Powers
Lil Uno
MC Flow
The Concrete Project
The Kneehighs
Vokab Kompany

Best Pop
Dynamite Walls
Echo Revolution
Gray Ghosts
Lights On
Team Abraham
The Paddle Boat
The Silent Comedy
Wendy Bailey

Best Alternative
Apes Of Wrath
Hotel St. George
Monsters From Mars
Republic of Letters
Swim Party
Tape Deck Mountain
The Drowning Men
Vision of a Dying World

Best Rock
A Scribe Amidst the Lions
Burning of Rome
Dirty Sweet
The Creepy Creeps
The Dabbers
The Night Marchers
The Pheromones
Transfer

Best Hard Rock
All Leather
Archons
Benedictum
Children of Nova
Earthless
Mower
Superunloader
The Long and Short Of It

Best Club DJ
DJ Artistic
DJ Edgartronic
DJ Gabe Vega
DJ Lord Nelson
Dub Traffik Control
Ikah Love
Mario Orduno
Tribe of Kings

Best Electronic
Illuminauts
Jamuel Saxon
Marcelo Radulovich
MutantSpaceboy
Q'uest Que C'est
Satanic Puppeteer Orchestra
The Album Leaf
UBUV

Best Pop Album
Anna Troy - Wait Another Day
Fiction Family - s/t
Gayle Skidmore - Cowley Road
Get Back Loretta -Where Did You Go
Joey Harris & the Mentals - s/t
Silverleaf – s/t
The Modlins - Where Does it End?
The Predicates - Let Me Carry Your Books

Best Rock Album
Astra - The Weirding
Buckfast Superbee - Turn of the Radio Age
Citizen Band - Breaker Breaker My Heart
Irradio - I am the Horn
The Morning Riot - Carmenita
The Donkeys - Living on the Other Side
The Shamey Jays - Your Pretty Packages
Thin Man - Flush With The Moon

Best Alternative Album
The Powerchords – Think I’m Gonna
Crocodiles - Summer of Hate
Drew Andrews - Only Mirrors
Endoxi – New Blood Old Soul
Flight to Athena – City Under Fire
New Day Mile - Damn Straight
Scarlet Symphony - Foundation
The Fascination-We Can Take Care of Our Own

Best Hard Rock Album
All Leather - Hung Like A Horse
Cage - Science of Anihilation
Cattle Decapitation - The Harvest Floor
Children of Nova - The Complexity of Light
Goblin Cock - Come With Me If You Want To Live
Modern Rifles - I was Young, it was Dark
Unset - Remains of a Dream
The Long and Short Of It - CAW!

Best Hip Hop Album
afterschoolspecial – Not One for Words
Bloodstone and the Princess - Vintage Raw
Deep Rooted-D.E.E.P. R.O.O.T.E.D.
M-Double-A-L - Think and Grow Rich
Microphone Mike-Teen Idol
R.C.K. – Confidence of a King
The Breaux - Restocked
Young Mass - Best of Daygo City

Best Blues Album
Bill Magee - Good Morning Mississippi
Candye Kane - SuperHero
Charles Burton - Everybodys talkin'
Hugh Gaskins - Hughmanity
Lady Dottie & The Diamonds - s/t
Mississippi Mudsharks - Train Rolls On
Sue Palmer & her Motel Swing Orchestra - On Air
Missy Andersen - s/t

Best Jazz Album
Allison Adams Tucker-Come With Me
Bradley Leighton - Soul Collective
Chuck Perrin - Down 2 Bone
Danny Green – With You In Mind
Deejha Marie – Carpet Ride
Lori Bell - The Music of Djavan
Patrick Yandall - A New Day
Peter Sprague & Kevyn Lettau - What is Enough

Best World Album
B-Side Players - Radio Afro Mexica
Danyavaad and the Shimmy Sisters - March of the Gypsies
Keltic Kharma - IKharma
Peter Pupping - Sea Journey
Quinazo-La Ofrenda
Skelpin - Rua Rojo
Stranger-Some Kinda Show
Tribal Seeds- The Harvest

Best Americana or Country Album
Berkley Hart - Las Vegas
Charlie Imes – On an Island
Eve Selis - Angels and Eagles
Folding Mr. Lincoln - Within My Reach
Gregory Page - Bird in a Cage
Joel P. West - Dust Jacket
Sara Watkins - s/t
The Farmers - Fulmination

Best Local Recording
Chad Farran - On Surfari Sessions
Chris Leyva - 27
Goddamn Electric Bill - Topics For Gossip
Happy Ron - Terribly Happy
Josh Damigo - Raw
Pocket - s/t
Rafter - Sweaty Magic
Shark Attack - Shooting Judas

Album of the Year
Anya Marina - Slow & Steady Seduction, Phase II
Crocodiles - Summer of Hate
Drew Andrews - Only Mirrors
Jason Mraz - We Sing, We Dance, We Steal Things
Scarlet Symphony - Foundation
Slightly Stoopid - Slightly Not Stoned Enough to Eat Breakfast Yet Stoopid
The Donkeys – Living on the Other Side
Wavves - s/t

Best New Artist
Bad Science Fiction
Beaters
Black Mamba
Maren Parusel
Sunday Times
The Bloodflowers
The New Archaic
The Styletones

Artist of the Year
Anya Marina
Crocodiles
Delta Spirit
Jason Mraz
Scarlet Symphony
Slightly Stoopid
Switchfoot
Wavves

Song of the Year
Anya Marina - Move You
Crocodiles - I Wanna Kill
Delta Spirit - People C'mon
Jack Tempchin – It Could Have been You and Me
Jason Mraz (with Colbie Caillat) - Lucky
MC Flow - Created Equal
Scarlet Symphony-Your Blood is Mine
Slightly Stoopid - Thinkin Bout Cops
- San Diego Music Awards 2009

http://www.parisblues.com/artists.html

Dynamite Walls
The sound of San Diego band Dynamite Walls has been compared to everything from Coldplay to The Strokes.
Tom Pritchard leads Dynamite Walls thru songs that tempt and tease, a singer and band, who's voice and songs are sticky like glue.
Tom, and other members Alex Blundell (lead guitar),Allan Bates (bass), Eric Pritchard (drums), and Paul Kimmel (keys) decided to leave their individual bands, found a common bond built around the notion that great songs should tell a story and touch the lives of people both young and old. Alex comments, “We’re still a young band pulling from our individual lives and influences.”
Together the band has found their true voice, and the fans are listening.
One of the newest fans is record producer Paul Fox, who is known for having produced records for such bands as XTC, The Sugarcubes ( with Bjork) , Phish, 10,000 Maniacs, Grant Lee Buffalo and others, and heard the band, saw the potential, and has taken them in the studio to cut five new tracks so far, which demonstrate the growth of the writing and performance of the
band as they continue to grow their style and their audience.
The group’s lyrics and melodies are delivered through Tom’s soulful voice, bringing to life thoughts and emotions we’ve all had trouble expressing. “I write about everyday things, the good and the bad,” says Pritchard.
Led by this bold and honest song writing, the band has found a growing fan base that continues to demand more of the quartet’s creative works. With recent interest from major labels, Dynamite Walls is poised at the edge of stardom and eager to share their music with the world.

More information at: http://www.myspace.com/dynamitewalls
- Paris Blues

RM64.com

Dynamite Walls

Who Dynamite Walls
When Thursday, June 4, 2009
9:00 pm - all ages
Where Viper Room
8852 W Sunset Blvd
West Hollywood, CA 90069 - RM64 Blog

http://la.metblogs.com/2009/05/20/dynamite-walls-at-the-viper-room/

Dynamite Walls At The Viper Room
By Victoria Lane May 20th, 2009 @ 8:38 PM Entertainment, Music

One of my favorite parts of living in Los Angeles is the music scene. While it’s not nearly the veritable buffet it has been in the past, particularly due to the death of Sunset Blvd’s nightlife, there are still bright spots to be found. A faint, nostalgic pulse returns any time Camp Freddy takes up residency at The Roxy but beyond that one has to dig past all the hobbyists and garage bands paying to play in various venues.

Earlier in the year I was turned on to an indie rock band called Dynamite Walls out of San Diego. While I missed the opportunity to see them during the last L.A. Fashion Week, I did soak up as much of their music as I could find on the internet. It was good enough to keep my attention. But that’s only half the formula for me. They have to put on a killer show to be truly rock worthy. Apparently, from what I can gather, Dynamite Walls delivers on that promise. They’ve been named the 2009 break-out San Diego act by more than one source.

Dynamite Walls has been around for a few years, paying their dues while finding their stride. They have made the most of their learning curve, evolving beyond the typical guys in a band circumstance to garner the interest of Paul Fox – a producer with an eclectic musical pedigree. I can only imagine what magic and serendipity has been occurring with such fertile grounds to create upon.

Dynamite Walls will be returning to Los Angeles twice in the next couple of weeks to play at the Viper Room on May 21st (11pm/$10) and June 4th (10pm/$10). If you like what you hear, you can pick up their brand new limited run EP Stay Awake.

- LA Metblogs