the DaliDrama

by T. Ballard Leesman
January 13 2006

DRAMATIC:
Local riff-rock/alternative band The DaliDrama made their official debut only a few months ago and they're already halfway through recording their debut full-length. They've tracked a half-dozen songs with engineer Chris Walldorf (of N.C. ensemble Pyramid) at Sioux Sioux Studio, the engineer's home studio in Charlotte. The Drama share the stage at Cumberland's this Fri. Dec. 15 with Columbia act Hot Lava Monster (who have a brand-new one titled The Belly of a Whale), LaHorla, and DJ D-Rock. Check out www.myspace.com/thedalidrama for more. - Charleston City Paper

By T. Ballard Lesemann
October 18, 2006

This Friday marks the official stage debut of local rock band The DaliDrama — singer/guitarist Chris Patterson (ex-Maestro, Wormbelly), guitarist John Emerson (formerly of Green Jello, Harriett), bassist Todd Few (ex-Wormbelly), and drummer Stephen Blackmore (ex-Maytag, also of the Lowercase Thieves). After several months of lineup adjustments, recording sessions, and a spur-of-the-moment Wormbelly reunion gig, they're focused and ready to jam hard on a dramatic set of anthems, tricky time signatures, post-grunge fist-shakers, and guitar heroics. Check www.myspace.com/thedalidrama for more. —T. Ballard Lesemann - Charleston City Paper

Charleston's Free Time
The Lowcountry's Original Entertainment Newspaper
October 17 - November 13,2007

Music Reviews
by Steven Kramer
The DaliDrama
Self-Titled
(Lunartik Entertainment)
When I see this band on their album cover, I am slightly amused. Four guys, riding tricycles, with funny looks on their faces in front of a slightly blurred background. The name DaliDrama is, I must say, the most original band name I have heard since the band Clap Your Hands and Say Yeah. It's just a fun name to say. But behind their seemingly comical nature is a group of very
serious musicians. This Charleston band has toured with major label bands such as Mute Math and Lynyrd Skynrd. They've toured through South Carolina, Georgia, Alabama, Florida, Tennessee and played hard through the rest of 2007. The lead singer, Chris Patterson, won Charleston City Paper s Best Male vocalist award. It was, of course, well deserved. The songs on this album are excellent and I'm surprised they have not been signed to a major label yet. This five-track album is very gratifying to listen to.
The first track, "She Says," is a very interesting opening track. The guitar solo that opens the chorus is catchy at best. The song has influences from hard rock and heavy metal which makes for some excellent vocals and guitar riffs. But it gets even better. "Thanks for the Cards" is the best song on the whole album, and I listened to it over and over again. The guitars sound very techno and let's hope the band posts the guitar tabs on the Internet. But no one else can ever truly reproduce the haunting riff. Chris Patterson's vocals are very well sung, and you can hear the emotion strained in his voice. If this band goes big, this will most likely be their hit single. "Chasing Cannonballs" has some more hard rock licks, and they seem to be reminiscent of Pearl Jam or even Led Zeppelin. The drumming has a straightforward and simple beat but it still got my foot tapping. "Poor Richard" is my favorite track along with "Thanks for the Cards." I found myself playing air guitar along with the song. The DaliDrama should be commended for their excellent guitar riffs. The guitars are especially memorable on this song. The chorus is easily remembered and pleasant to sing along to. "Loritab" reminds of Nirvana's "Something in the Way," Beck's "Ramshackle," or Weezer's "Only in Dreams." It is a quiet (compared to rest of the album) and slow end track. It's a perfect way to end the album. "Loritab" is a great song to mellow out to.
To summarize it all, the DaliDrama's album is one of the best that I have heard of the Charleston music scene. The comparison may seem big, but they are like the Beatles for the Liverpool scene or Nirvana for grunge. Look for their album in a record store near you.
- Charleston's Free Time

BY DEVIN GRANT
Special to The Post and Courier
Thursday January 11, 2007

Bands come and go, lineups change, even an act's sound morphs faster than it sometimes seems possible. That's the way it has been since human beings first began making music. Sometime, way back in the Stone Age, a group of cavemen fired one of its peers because, "the band decided to go in another direction." That's actually band talk for, "you stink, and we've found someone who plays his or her instrument better." Be it The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, The Temptations or even the latest inductees to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame such as R.E.M. and Van Halen, it is a rare thing when a band hasn't experienced some sort of lineup change, style shift or splintering into one or more different acts.

When the popular Charleston band Wormbelly called it quits in May 2005, there were more than a few fans who were sorry to see that band go. However, as usually happens with any group of musicians that takes its craft seriously, when one door closes, another opens.

When I covered the farewell show for Wormbelly back in 2005, I concluded the review by stating: "Wormbelly might be gone, but with any hope one or more of that band's former members will move on to the next artistic project. Let us all hope that it proves to be as much fun as Wormbelly." Well, it seems that two Wormbelly alumni, singer and guitarist Chris Patterson and bassist Todd Few, have indeed formed a new act, and they do indeed seem to still be having fun making music.

The new band, called The DaliDrama, earns the award in my book for the best local band name since Steve Hit Mike. In addition to Patterson and Few, The DaliDrama's lineup includes guitarist John Emerson and drummer Stephen Blackmore, who replaced original drummer Brian Hokin. The DaliDrama has been playing together since last fall, but Jan. 6 was my first chance to check out the band. The Cumberland's performance was a free show that opened with a performance by the Atlanta band Mizer-Max. This four-piece band played a fairly straightforward brand of rock, a little on the heavy side, but its original material was quite good. Lead singer Chris Cummings was particularly impressive, able to change his voice from a slick falsetto to a roar with seemingly little effort. The crowd showed its appreciation for Mizer-Max, and anyone looking for a good set of rock music, without the theatrics that sometimes make the emo-rock scene at times unlistenable, should check it out. That isn't to say that Mizer-Max is emo-rock, but it seems that

these days anyone playing rock music also must have black polish fingernails and a concept album. Thankfully, Mizer-Max didn't seem to sport either of those tired cliches.

If you find my assessment of emo-rock a bit harsh, just remember that less than a decade ago, a lot of people thought nu-metal was cool, too.

With Mizer-Max finished, it was time for The DaliDrama to take the stage. Admittedly, there are some ghosts from Wormbelly circling the new group, but thanks to Patterson's infectious stage presence and the band's ability to mix its influences up a bit, The DaliDrama definitely had its own groove going.

A little rock, a bit of funk and a less-than-serious stage demeanor lent itself well to songs such as "Poor Poor Richard," "She Says" and "Chasing Cannonballs."

My personal favorite song of the night was "Cromagnon," which to me came off as a bit more laid-back than the other material, most of which was admittedly loose. Most of The DaliDrama's short set was as entertaining as Wormbelly's once was, and it is obvious that the band members are having fun up on the stage. Bands will continue to be born and die in Charleston, as well as all over the world. One never knows whether a new act will trump its former incarnation, or simply fall flat on its face. In the case of The DaliDrama, it seems its members have hit upon a balance of decent musicianship and songwriting, coupled with an obvious love for being on stage.

Devin Grant can be reached at chucktowncritic@yahoo.com. - The Charleston Post & Courier

By Mathew Godbey
Special to The Post and Courier

The DaliDrama
Featuring the former Wormbelly singer/guitarist Chris Patterson and The Lowercase Thieves drummer Stephen Blackmore, The DaliDrama will bring its energized brand of melodic rock 'n' roll to Cumberland's (301 King St.) on Saturday for a free show. Patterson's voice remains affecting and memorable, but the seasoned Charleston singer/songwriter displays a new depth and creativity with The DaliDrama.

Call 577-9469 or visit www.cumberlands.net for more information. - The Charleston Post & Courier

BY EVANS PUTMAN
Special to The Post and Courier
November 23 2006

New in town:
Even though the band's debut show was in October, local outfit The Dalidrama isn't really new to the Charleston scene. The band features a former member of Wormbelly and the Lowercase Thieves and, according to Cumberland's Web site, the group is "the newest buzz band in town." See what the buzz is all about Saturday when The Dalidrama hit the stage at Cumberland's. Point and click your way to www.myspace.com/thedalidrama to hear a couple of tunes, and read more about the band. Call 577-9469 for more information on the show. - Charleston Post & Courier