The name Dry Reef brings up imagery of a late summer/early fall Shore day. The sun still shines bright in the sky, but a certain crispness hits the air. It’s a time of year that can be spiritual, introspective and yet at the same time joyous and remarkable.
This is how the music of Dry Reef hits this writer. Their music has this wondrous vibe of joy but also has a sense of introspection and intimacy. In short, it’s the perfect kind of music for this time of year.
Recently, we caught up with the band to discuss what makes them stand out in the jam scene, new music and more.
Dry Reef is (Band Members & Instruments They Play): Joseph Anderson: Drums, Patrick Gillen: Bass Guitar + Vocals, Charles Minehart: Guitar + Vocals, Collin O’Donnell: Guitar
Year We Formed In: 2013
The Story Behind Our Name: We like the idea of an abstract name, something the listener can find their own meaning in. Really we just tried to find some cool words that sounded nice together.
Bands That Inspired Our Sound: Talking Heads, Vampire Weekend, Jimi Hendrix Experience, Explosions in the Sky
You’ve Seen Us in Other Bands Before Such As: Not applicable.
Famous/Awesome Bands We’ve Shared the Stage With: We’ve opened for G. Love, Passafire, Reel Big Fish, The Expendables, The Movement, and our good friends Little Stranger.
Dry Reef played at the Peach Music Festival this year. Can you talk about the experience performing at the festival?
It was a blast. We got to play our set and then hit the water slides. But we also got to catch sets from some of our friends (Little Stranger, Yam Yam) who we’ve been playing with for years. It’s pretty satisfying getting to see our peers playing at a high level on big stages too.
Also, which do you prefer — playing inside a more intimate club setting or a large outdoor setting?
Playing an outdoor stage at sunset is our favorite way to play music.
You signed to APA Touring this year, how much of a game-changer was/is this for the band?
We have been looking for representation since we started touring in 2016, so it’s a huge step up for us. We got to meet our agent at a show in New York City, and luckily we hit it off and decided to join APA along with some other huge acts.
If someone wanted come out to Asbury Jams at Wonder Bar to hear you guys play – what song of yours would you suggest they “pre-game” with (listen to before they come to the show) in order to fully get what Dry Reef is all about?
We recommend “Checkpoints.” We recorded the song right after we all graduated from college when we decided to drop everything and go for Dry Reef full-time. That time was exciting, nerve-wracking, and hopeful – the stakes were high, and you can feel that in the song.
The greater jam/reggae scene is such a nebulous all-encompassing genre of music with a plethora of bands. How do you feel Dry Reef stands out from everyone else, and I mean this in the most positive way possible.
All of our fellow bands in the genre have great songwriting, next-level instrumentation, and a positive vibe. We try to emulate all of these aspects, but one thing we haven’t seen yet in the jam scene is a little bit of an “edge.” We pour our hearts out into every note, every beat, every word, and it brings a special energy to our performances. Our sound can get a little dirty, a little soulful, and even a little moody, and we haven’t heard a sound like ours anywhere else.
What do you love about being in this band?
We love this band because we are all best friends. Our arguments are over in minutes, and our laughs last for years.
What are you most excited about for the band in 2022?
Every year, our main focus is to write songs. It is the most exciting thing about being in a band, being able to create something that wasn’t there before. For the rest of this year and for the rest of our lives, we will always be most excited to write more Dry Reef songs.
