Watch: THE DILLINGER ESCAPE PLAN plays first reunion concert at California's No Values Festival
10-06-2024
THE DILLINGER ESCAPE PLAN returned to the stage for the first time since 2017 on Saturday (June 8) for a reunion show celebrating the 25th anniversary of their 1999 debut, “Calculating Infinity”, at the No Values festival in Pomona, California.
THE DILLINGER ESCAPE PLAN played “Calculating Infinity” in its entirety for the first time, with original vocalist Dimitri Minakakis joining founding guitarist Ben Weinman, bassist Liam Wilson, drummer Billy Rymer and guitarist James Love. THE DILLINGER ESCAPE PLAN also performed a cover of the DEAD KENNEDYS‘ debut single, 1979’s “California Über Alles”, with a guest appearance by DEAD KENNEDYS‘ Jello Biafra, and rendition of MINOR THREAT‘s “In My Eyes”, with Weinman‘s SUICIDAL TENDENCIES bandmate Mike Muir joining in on vocals.
Watch the footage below.
When the first THE DILLINGER ESCAPE PLAN reunion show was announced last December, Minakakis said in a statement: “It’s been a long time coming for this opportunity to perform in a project I helped create over 25 years ago. Having the chance to celebrate 25 years of ‘Calculating Infinity’ with my closest friends in life is just a dream turned real. I’m looking forward to seeing all the old faces, as well as all the new ones. THE DILLINGER ESCAPE PLAN has always been more than just a band. We were a force of nature. This reunion show is our way of thanking the fans who have stood by us and the album we made in a small basement in NJ all those years ago.”
Wilson who shared the stage with Dimitri soon after the release of “Calculating Infinity” and continued to share the stage with Weinman until the band farewell shows in 2017 had this to say: “Amped to go party like it’s 1999 again and give this album the birthday party it deserves! These songs are still unfuckwithable and as a musician, it’s rad to have the opportunity to get back under the hood of this album and revisit my salad days, this time with more seasoning. Dimitri always had such a menacing presence and venomous voice, it’s gonna be killer to rip these songs with him up there with us!”
“Dimitri has remained one of my longest and closest friends,” added Weinman. “Even after leaving the band, his support and contributions through his work on our first albums have kept an everlasting spark in my heart for what we did together. I remember the first day we met. He was the new guy in school and I drove by him and gave him the finger. Then I reversed the car and asked him if he wanted to hang out and make a band. I said, you look like a singer dude. ” We could have never imagined what an impact that moment would have.”
He continued: “While we are all very happy with the resolve of the band in 2017 with Greg, something still feels unsaid as far as the Dimitri era of the band and with so many people talking about the album and after performing a handful of first album performances with SUICIDAL TENDENCIES, it just all made sense. This needed to happen!”
Remaining “Calculating Infinity” 25th-anniversary celebration shows:
Jun. 21 – Brooklyn, New York – Brooklyn Paramount
Jun. 22 – Brooklyn, New York – Brooklyn Paramount
Jun. 23 – Brooklyn, New York – Brooklyn Paramount
Aug. 06 – Lokeren, Belgium – Lokerse Feesten
Aug. 24 – Chicago, Illinois – The Salt Shed Outdoors
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