How many artists can claim praise like “punk rock provocateur,” “jazz vibraphone visionary” and “percussion master” in the same sentence? There’s only one: Texas-native Mike Dillon. Whether it’s through his affiliation with artists like Les Claypool and Ani DiFranco, collaborations like Garage A Trois, The Dead Kenny Gs and Critters Buggin or bands he’s fronted, including Billy Goat and Hairy Apes BMX, Mike D (as his fans refer to him) has set his own standard going on 25 years now.
His current full-time focus, The Mike Dillon Band, is perhaps the perfect storm of all these past experiences. Dillon’s manic creative energy has found a foil in three young New Orleans-based musicians. Carly Meyers on trombone provides melodic and harmonic counterpoint to Dillon’s vibes and percussion as she feverishly whirls about the stage driving audiences into a frenzy. The rhythm section of guitarist/bassist Cliff Hines and drummer Adam Gertner turns on a dime from blinding punk rock assaults to deep funk go-go, skanked-out ska grooves to old school hip-hop beats with all points covered in between.
