Dopapod, the palindrome-loving, prog-rock nerds of the jam scene have announced that the band will go on an indefinite hiatus beginning in 2025. The announcement of the forthcoming hiatus came alongside news of a new set of Dopapod Best Friends Tour dates set to run through November, with “many more” to be announced.
“Before we get into details and such, we’ll just get right to the point,” the band wrote on social media. “Starting in 2025, Dopapod will no longer be touring, recording, or writing for the foreseeable future. The last sixteen years have been an unbelievable adventure. We really did get to experience the whole spectrum of having a full time, professional touring band. To paraphrase Homer Simpson: ‘The dizzying highs, the crushing lows, the creaaaaamy center.’ All of it, the highs, lows, and everything in between has been an absolute treasure trove of life and learning experiences.
“However, the price we have paid mentally, financially, physically and otherwise can no longer be ignored. We feel deep down in our guts and our hearts that this is the best possible thing not for the band, but for four dudes who truly love each other and want the best for each other. And to be clear, our families have always offered full support of this lifestyle and did not play a role in this decision. The touring life has never been easy and it seems to be getting more difficult. We send our love to all the artists/crew that put so much of their heart and soul into making live music possible.”
Dopapod previously went on hiatus for a little over a year from 2018–2019, something the band addressed in this latest announcement. The last break in touring/writing/recording was billed as a temporary sabbatical from the get-go seven years ago, but the band clarified that this time, “We are treating this as an indefinite hiatus.”
“We love you all and have endless appreciation for this journey and everyone who has enjoyed the music we’ve put out into the world this last decade and a half,” the band concluded. “In the meantime, we will continue to play tons of shows through the remainder of 2024, including all of these ‘Best Friends 2024’ fall tour dates in addition to the already announced summer dates. So come see us while you can. We fully intend on giving you the best shows we can possibly deliver, and savoring every second of it. With immense love and gratitude, Eli, Rob, Chuck and Neal, dopapod.”
The Dopapod 2024 Best Friends Tour includes over two dozen dates from August through November, though the band repeatedly stated that more dates are on the way. Dopapod will play familiar locales across the country from coast to coast, with the tour currently slated to run through November 11th in Pioneertown, CA. Visit the band’s website for tickets and a full list of tour dates.
Formed at the Berklee College of Music in Boston in 2008, the original Dopapod was a duo featuring keyboardist Eli Winderman and future Turkuaz drummer Michaelangelo Carruba. By the end of the decade, Dopapod had added guitarist Rob Compa and bassist Chuck Jones, while onetime percussionist Neal “Fro” Evans took over Carruba’s seat when the latter left to join Turkuaz. Since 2009, the band has released nine studio albums, seven of which are titled with palindromes. Back in April, the band broke from tradition with the surprise release of Aiboh only to follow it up five days later with Phobia, which combined form the palindrome Aibohphobia—the word for the fear of palindromes.
Those kind of shenanigans are emblematic of the niche Dopapod has carved out in the jam scene over the past 16 years. With a unique sound that mixes heavy prog rock riffs with acid jazz improvisation and inspirations from hip-hop to video game culture, Dopapod built a sterling reputation as a true jam fan’s jam band. Though the band earned national acclaim in Rolling Stone as one of Bonnaroo‘s “Best Kept Secrets” in 2015, Dopapod mostly remained just that throughout its run. Despite never quite breaking through to major headliner status or graduating out of clubs or small theaters, Dopapod for a decade-and-a-half has consistently proven a reliably entertaining, exploratory, and overall fun experience at music festivals, after-parties, and headlining shows. To quote the band’s 2011 live album, “I Saw Dopapod Live, Evil Was I”.
View this post on Instagram
The post Dopapod To Go On Indefinite Hiatus Beginning In 2025 appeared first on L4LM.
