Fans Win Big On Jackpot Juicer Tour With Dance Gavin Dance

2023-09-16

Orlando, FL – Music fans won big when Dance Gavin Dance’s Jackpot Juicer tour dropped into Orlando with three high-energy bands in their wake.

While the tour supported the post-hardcore band’s tenth studio album Jackpot Juicer, the setlist was amply padded with hits going back decades.

Kicking off the set was a single written in memory of longtime bassist Tim Feerick, who died of an overdose in 2022. “The Ghost of Billy Royalton” features verses from most of the band, and is a perfect showcase for newcomers to DGD’s sound.

While critics attempt to define DGD with labels like math rock, post-hardcore and prog rock, fundamentally they find success in creating tension. The airy clean vocals of Tilian Pearson compete with Jon Mess’ raspy vocals. Thick, ropey bass lines from Sergio Medina bump up against delicate riffs from Will Swan. Stuttering riffs from Andrew Wells are carried by choppy, precise drumming from Matt Mingus.

Combined it creates an irresistible potpourri of music that compels you to dance one minute, headbang the next. The icing on the cake was an elaborate series of bright, animated visuals that complimented the casino theme and played to DGD’s quirky aesthetic.

The first half of the setlist featured more contemporary DGD tracks, with “For the Jeers” and “Cream of the Crop” doing duty for Jackpot Juicer. “Count Bassy” was the first trip back in time, but only to 2018’s Artificial Selection. Still, it was one of the most poignant performances of the night, with another tribute to Feerick. The closing wordless melody was carried with a goosebumping-inspiring acapella by the crowd.

The tempo picked back up again for “Chucky vs. The Giant Tortoise” performed to perfection. “Feels Bad Man” and an encore performance of “We Own the Night” were the other highlights from the night.

Joining DGD on tour was another band that defies description: SiM (Silence iz Mine). This was my first time hearing them, and I’m glad I experienced them live first. The whiplash going from straight hardcore to a reggae cover of “Get Up, Stand Up” in the middle of the same song will take you by surprise the first time.

Frontman MAH seemed to anticipate the confusion, reassuring SiM newcomers “Don’t try to understand it. Just enjoy the music!” By the time the second track “T X H X C” kicked off the reggae I was ready, and by the time “Set Me Free” seesawed from an uptempo Rancid sound into the beatdown of Malevolence I think I had them figured out.

They brought nonstop energy to the stage, with their last song just as wild as the first.

Also on tap was Rain City Drive, formerly known as Slaves. While SiM emulated the heavier half of DGD, Rain City Drive resembled the lighter, more pop rock-oriented half. Their big choruses and driving guitars brought to mind Thousand Below and maybe hints of Dayseeker.

Last but certainly not least was Within Destruction. While they formed as a straight deathcore band (Rok Rupnik’s pig squeals are the best in the business), they’ve evolved into something more akin to really heavy metalcore with some hip hop leanings. Paired with a new slick, anime aesthetic and they’ve brewed something truly unique.