The experience at a show is almost as important, if not more, as the quality of the sound or the music being played. But when all three work out perfectly you've got an amazing night that you'll remember for years to come.

Take the intoxicating melodies of a band like Dispatch and place them in a venue like Red Rocks in the foothills of Colorado and you've got that great night. For three nights the three guys gave Denver everything they had, making it feel like no time had passed since The Last Dispatch show in 2004. Following the official "break-up" only a few random performances could be seen from the band. There wasn't a single word uttered about the future of Dispatch. That was until November 2010 when a mysterious countdown began, a countdown that eventually revealed a highly anticipated reunion tour. It was this tour that brought me and thousands of other fans to the foot of the Rockies for an unforgettable June evening.

Alright, so you've been gone for essentially seven years, what do you play? Well, everything! Ok, so they didn't play everything, but they did fill an entire two hours with solid goodness. Every album was pulled from, spanning four years of releases. But it was the classics that got the audience going. The gorgeous acoustic notes in "Flying Horses" started off the evening in a majestic way. A few hints of harmonica and a touch of banjo really brought this song to a fun groove level. The tempo for the evening was officially set.

Perhaps the true standout number from the evening was their most recent single "Melon Bend". As the first studio song released in 10 years, naturally the sound is going to be a bit... well... different. When set within a mix of songs from previous records, this one sounds more alternative and has a darker tone. However the live performance was still full of energy. A heavy electric guitar and dominating bass had the audience banging their heads. And even though it might not have been accepted on first listen by old fans, I believe this one will be loved... eventually.

If you wanted a first love, heart melting, teary-eyed number, then you only had to wait two more songs for "Out Loud". The beauty of this song stems from its simplicity. A large percentage of the song is purely acoustic guitar and a single voice. The addition of vocal harmonies effortlessly took the song to a level of musical elegance. It was with all of this that the mountains were drifted away by a ballad - Dispatch style. Time is obviously no deterrent for the music Dispatch makes, as even with songs from their first album Silent Steeples, which was produced 15 years ago, fans still had the poetic lyrics seared into their minds. This was definitely true with "Steeples" and as the guitar took us through a journey of folk-infused notes the sound of thousands of voices accompanied Brad and Chad's musical story. This was one of those times when the bongo drum added so much character to the music and heightened the live atmosphere by adding a great reggae groove.

Ask a fan to call out one song from the four albums and you're most likely going to get "General". The beginning series of notes and chords has got to be one of the most recognizable of the '90s. And as the band worked through the story that each of us knew by heart, the excitement grew. With a bit of sashaying from the guitars and a swing groove to the percussion, it was just as easy to get lost in the melodies and notes as it was to get lost in the lyrics. As a defining song for my growth as a music journalist, it was incredible to see this live.

For an encore, the band chose "Elias", because why wouldn't you end on one of your funnest numbers? Even though the first portion of the song is in a different language (African) that didn't stop the fans from keeping up with every word and every beat of the bongos. The quick beat of the indie rock guitar kicked up the tempo to a level that only waiving arms and gentle hops can accommodate. This was the kind of music that needs air and, thus, seemed to feel completely at home in the mountains. The bows and goodbyes were bittersweet. Many fans at that show, myself included, had been waiting for this show for seven years, if not more. No one wanted it to end. However, we walked away with a new EP and the memory of a great night.

-Rachel Fredrickson

Dispatch
June 5, 2011
Red Rocks Amphitheater, Denver, CO

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