Why I think ‘The Dreaming’ rocks.

August 14th of 2012, Los Angeles’ own The Dreaming came to town. In January of this same year, I was fortunate enough to share the stage with these talented guys. They came to Pop’s Nightclub in Sauget, Illinois on a Monday night then. This time around, they performed at The Old Rock House on a Tuesday night. They are all genuinely down to earth people before and after the show. Who are The Dreaming? One may ask. Allow me to explain their importance.

Lead vocalist Christopher Hall and percussionist Johnny Haro are known from the group that was formerly known as Stabbing Westward. The Dreaming also consists of guitarist Rich Jazmin from Kerli and Martin Kelly from Living Dead Lights on the bass guitar. These guys have been touring hard and building up a new hardcore following of their own alongside of the success of their first major label release “Puppet“. They previously released their first studio album “Etched In Blood” in 2007. Below is a video of their song “Breathing” that was recorded by Martin Kelly and Christopher Hall on the Apple I-Phone during the 2012 “End In Tears” summer tour. They do have a more recent and costly video they have done, but I want you to see the simplicity and effectiveness of the following video.

Not only does the band take you back to the “Darkest Days” era of Stabbing Westward, but they also present you with an onslaught of all new music that is a delicate and sophisticated blend of rock. Dark-wave meets new-wave, metal meets alternative-rock and electronica. Why, Christopher Hall even breaks out an acoustic guitar on a song. The production value of the show is excellent too, I must add. Precisely synchronized with their music, they bring a rock show that is also similar to the likes of 30 Seconds To Mars, My Chemical Romance and The Birthday Massacre.

Key songs that they performed off their album were “Hole“, “Breathing“, “There Will Be Blood” and “Every Trace“. Not to mention, classic Stabbing Westward songs they played like “Save Yourself” and “Sometimes It Hurts“. It was on the latter song just mentioned that Christopher played the first half of the song acoustic, meanwhile the band built the progression up after the first verse and such. I encourage you to judge them for yourselves. Look at the pictures below, take the time to check them out online and they do have a song or two for download on their Facebook fan page. Sign up for an alert there for the next time they come to town via email. Then, when you see me at their next show in Saint Louis you can come and thank me.

(Look for this post to be published on the St. Louis Music Press in fall of 2013.)

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