Scanning the colorful, graphic lineup posted on Mo Pop's website, certain names immediately pop out. The notoriety of acts like Modest Mouse, Iron and Wine, and Passion Pit is reinforced by the giant letters that spell out their famous names at the top of the list in bright, eye-catching colors. Scroll down farther, past Chromeo, past James Bay, and you'll find another name, three rows from the bottom, which bears plenty of significance to the trio that it represents: Dreamers.
The Brooklyn, New York-based band with the cosmic rock sound has been slowly creating buzz since the release of their 2014 album, This Album Does Not Exist. Dreamers' members Nick Wold (guitarist, vocalist) Chris Bagamery (backup vocalist, drummer) and Marc Nelson (backup vocalist, bassist) came together a little over a year ago, as relative unknowns in New York's hipster underground. Wold and Bagamery had been making music together since high school, and when Nelson joined, the three began to find their sound.
"There was palpable excitement and good vibes so we quickly decided to record our songs in the woods of Virginia," Nelson said. "We arrived at our name and our identity out there and emerged with recordings to share with the world. Finding our sound was a natural process. We all vibe on the same influences."
Those influences are easily recognized by fans of the band. Sites like Billboard and Alternative Press describe their sound as "psychedelic," "grungy," and "vintage." The band says they draw a lot of inspiration from the '70s, and are often flattered to be connected to that decade because they have a lot of admiration for bands like Led Zeppelin and Talking Heads.
The band's unique combination of grunge and pop was woven together seamlessly in their 2014 single, "Wolves." The infectious track brought Dreamers notoriety from online listeners and on the radio, topping charts and gaining critical acclaim, even helping the band make Alternative Press's list of "100 Bands You Need to Know." They got their first big break this past spring, embarking on a tour with California rockers Stone Temple Pilots.
"STP were great — they had no reason to be as cool as they were to us. They were helpful and constructive, professional, and always friendly," Wold said. "They showed us the importance of staying calm and patient when dealing with the inevitable logistic side of things, setting up and breaking down a growing production each night, and to stay relaxed, be cool to each other, and never forget to look around and take stock in how good things can be."
The band said the tour has helped them gain valuable experience, and that they're grateful for members of the industry who have taken a chance on them, including Fairfax Recordings, which recently signed Dreamers. This marks another step forward for the band, who are excited to bring their unique sound to Mo Pop.
"It's really a dream come true for us to be sharing a stage with great bands and to play for real excited music listeners," Nelson said. "It's all we ever wanted when we started a band."
Dreamers play Mo Pop Sunday, July 26, on the Grande Stage at 1:05 p.m.
Madison Dettlinger is a summer intern for Metro Times.
