It's been a whirlwind month for Dance Gavin Dance. On April 13th, the post-hardcore group tragically suffered the unexpected death of their longtime bassist Tim Feerick, which they described as "the most challenging time in Dance Gavin Dance's history." After taking some time to consider their next steps, the band decided that soldiering on with their fast-approaching touring plans and album announcement is what their brother would've wanted, so last week they detailed their 10th LP, Jackpot Juicer, and played their first show since Feerick's death on Saturday April 23rd.
From the footage that's available on YouTube, the show — a headlining set at their own festival, Swanfest — looked like an incredibly emotional experience for the band. For at least a portion of their set, they performed with a massive photo of Feerick as their stage backdrop, and his presence was felt by every member onstage in visibly devastating ways. Clean vocalist Tilian Pearson and scream Jon Mess were audibly on the verge of tears throughout the whole show, their voices trembling as they sung through tracks without Feerick plucking away beside them.
At the beginning of "Man of the Year," you can hear the crowd chanting, "Tim!," as Pearson wipes away tears and struggles to get through the whole thing without breaking down. It was clearly an immensely difficult performance for everyone onstage, but by the sound of the supportive crowd and the way they stuck it through, their late bandmate would've been proud.
Watch footage of the night above and below via YouTube.
