Mike Dillon Band is returning to Denver to blast us in the face with a bizarre and righteous evening of vibraphone debauchery. Brace yourself, Dillon’s explosive energy combined with his insane percussion skills — plus his classically trained jazz background and NOLA roots — are guaranteed to work you into a sweaty frenzy. His funky beats and his hardcore punk attitude allows him to snap genres, creating fun and powerful music that is anything but boring.
Mike D tours like it’s, well, his job. Which it is. For years, he’s been playing shows nearly every night at a pace that makes me exhausted just thinking about it. He’s got friends all over the world, collaborating with the likes of Les Claypool, Skerik, Johnny Vidakovich (Professor Longhair), Brian Haas (Jacob Fred Jazz Odyssey) and the guys from Fishbone, Ween and lots more.
Dillon once told me: “I’m just a lifer: there’s nothing else I want to do. And you just have to know that. Play your music because you love music, not to make tons of money or have people worship you. That’s my advice to anyone.”
Catch the Mike Dillon Band at Cervantes’ Other Side this Friday January 29. The doors open at 8pm, show starts at 9pm. Punch Drunk Munky Funk (funk band from Fort Collins) and Dandu will be opening. Tickets are $10 in advance and $15 at the door.
Read more about the fascinating life of percussion master and legend Mike Dillon in my 303 Magazine interview with him from 2014, Madman of the Mallets.