By Denny Dyroff, Entertainment Editor, The Times
The Dandy Warhols
Wednesday night is frequently a slow night for concerts in the area.
While tonight’s schedule may not rank high in the quantity department, it definitely holds its own in the quality category.
Two bands who have been making music for more than three decades will be performing at local venues on May 14.
The Dandy Warhols, who got their start in 1994, will be headlining a show at the Ardmore Music Hall (23 East Lancaster Avenue, Ardmore, www.ardmoremusic.com).
Living Colour, who were formed in 1984, will be performing at the Keswick Theater.
However, there is a difference in the bands’ longevity.
Living Colour has just one original member left in the band. The Dandy Warhols, meanwhile, have three of the four original members.
They have had the same lineup since 1998 — Courtney Taylor-Taylor (vocals), Zia McCabe (bass, keyboards), Brent Deboer (drums) and Peter Holmström. The band’s name is a play on the name of American pop artist Andy Warhol.
The Dandy Warhols’ debut album was “Dandy Rules OK,” which released on 6 April 1995 by Tim/Kerr Records. The band gained recognition after they were signed to Capitol Records and released their major label album debut, “…The Dandy Warhols Come Down,” in 1997.
In 2001, the band rose to new levels of fame after their song “Bohemian Like You” enjoyed extensive exposure due to being featured in a Vodafone advertisement.
The Dandy Warhols were the subject of the 2004 documentary film “Dig!,” along with San Francisco psychedelic outfit The Brian Jonestown Massacre. They have released 13 studio albums, two compilation albums and six EPs over the last three decades.
“We celebrated our 30th anniversary last year,” said Holmström, during a phone interview Monday afternoon from a tour stop in Rochester, New York.
“This year is the 30th anniversary of our first album and 25th anniversary of ‘Thirteen Tales from Urban Bohemia.’
“It definitely blows my mind. I didn’t expect this to last more than five years.”
Over the last 30 years, the band members have remained friends and the music they make has remained fresh.
“We’re all still very much into the music we make onstage and in the studio,” said Holmström. “We all get along just enough to make this possible – probably because we had just enough success to keep us dependent on each other.”
The Dandy Warhols’ most recent album is “Rockmaker,” which was released through Sunset Blvd Records and Beat the World on March 15, 2024 and includes guest appearances by Frank Black, Slash, and Debbie Harry.
It marks their return to rock music after the over three-hour-long experimental album “Tafelmuzik Means More When You’re Alone.”
“The ‘Rockmaker’ album was the result of a long time with just Courtney and me in the studio,” said Holmström. “It was started pre-COVID. It came together during that time period mainly because we didn’t have anything else to do.”
It helped a lot that the band has its own recording studio. Located in the northwest section of Portland, the Odditorium is part converted warehouse, part state-of-the-art recording studio and part elaborate party space for the band and its extended family.
“With having our own studio, we’re able to build tracks over years,” said Holmström. “Changes happen all the way into mastering because it’s so easy to slot something in – even down to EQ and volume settings.
“With the Dandys, it’s really hard to finish. A lot of us just give up and walk away and Courtney is left tweaking until he’s satisfied.
“In the past, Courtney did the majority of the writing. He still does 90 per cent of the vocals but everyone is involved. On the last album, Courtney and I co-wrote a lot. This is much more a full band effort.”
Holmström and his mates hope to have their next album out in a more timely manner.
In the meantime, the Dandys have released an EP – “Rock Remaker.” It is a collection of five remixes of songs from “Rockmaker” with contributions from Andy Bell from Ride and Oasis, Anders Trentemøller, Oliver Ackerman from A Place To Bury Strangers, and Night Club.
“We’re always working on another record,” said Holmström. “We’re trying to get the next one done in less than five years. Ideally, we’ll finish the album this year. I know Courtney really wants to get it out.”
The band’s current live show is a career-spanning retrospective.
“Since it’s our 30th anniversary, we’ve decided to add a few more songs from our first record,” said Holmström. “It’s fun to play those songs.
“I wanted to play more from ‘Rockmaker’ but there’s only so much we can do in our set which is about an hour and 40 minutes. It’s become more and more difficult – too many songs. We don’t want to play for three hours.”
Video link for the Dandy Warhols — https://youtu.be/VPUBOJmXDg4.
The show at the Ardmore Music Hall on May 14, which has Sisters of Your Sunshine Vapor as the opening act, will start at 8 p.m.
Tickets are $46.32.
