Dispatch

Dispatch was formed in 1996 by singer/multi instrumentalist Chad Urmston, drummer Brad Corrigan, and vocalist/multi instrumentalist Pete Francis Heimbold. The members formed the band while they were attending Middlebury College and gained a following around campus by playing local shows throughout their years at school. After graduating from college the band relocated to Boston, Massachusetts and began touring regularly. The band were known for their innovative live performances that contained extended jam sessions and displays of their versatility as musicians, which included members constantly switching up their instruments they were playing. Although the band was not initially under a major label, their music gained attention through word of mouth and peer-to-peer file sharing sites like Napster.

The band released their debut album “Silent Steeples” in 1996. The album was less intricate than their later albums and consisted of mainly folk rock songs. The album consisted of catchy melodies and contained guitar rhythms and solos that were presented in a style similar to flamenco music. In 1997 Dispatch released the album “Bang Bang”, which showed the band using a wider range of instrumentation compared to their debut album and incorporating more progressive and intricate musical elements.

In 1999 the band released their third album “Four-Day Trials”. The album showed Dispatch performing their music in a more funk and reggae oriented way. The album also contained an interesting cover of the Beastie Boys’ song “Root Down”. The band released their fourth album “Who Are We Living For?” in 2000. The album conveyed a more rock vibe than their previous albums and also contained strong political undertones that were not present in previous recordings. The album also contained a cover of Rage Against the Machine’s song “Bulls on Parade”.

After the band released “Who Are We Living For?” they toured extensively in order to support the album, but their was later a tension amongst the members of the band, which caused them to go on an indefinite hiatus. Before the band went on a hiatus they had planned to perform one last show in Boston. The band had expected around 20,000 – 30,000 people to show up for the show, but around 166,000 people came from all over the world to see the Dispatch concert. During their break from Dispatch, each member pursued a different musical endeavor apart from one another. Urmston formed the group, State Radio, while Corrigan and Heimbold pursued solo careers.

In 2007 the band reunited for benefit concert at Madison Square Garden and in 2011 they embarked on a full-fledged reunion tour. In 2012 the band released their first album in 12 years called “Circles Around the Sun”. The album contained mixing and production work from Adam Young of Owl City. The album also did well on the Billboard charts reaching the No. 24 position on the US Billboard 200. Since their reunion the band has had the opportunity to play on Late Night with Jimmy Fallon as well as to participate in Dave Mathews Band’s “DMB CARAVAN”. Apart from making music and touring, Dispatch is highly involved in charity work and has formed their own non-profit company, Amplifying Education.