Dispatch (band)

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Dispatch
Promotional photograph of Dispatch.
Background information
Origin	Colchester, Vermont, USA
Genre(s)	Rock
Years active	1996-2004
Label(s)	Bomber Universal
Associated acts	State Radio (Chad Urmston), Braddigan, Pete Francis
Website	http://www.dispatchmusic.com/
Members
Chad Urmston Pete Heimbold Brad Corrigan

Dispatch was an American indie/roots folk band formed at Middlebury College in Middlebury, Vermont. They were active from 1996 to 2004. Dispatch is known as a very difficult band to place a label on, as they incorporate many different styles into their music. These include reggae (Passerby, Ride a Tear), ska (Bats in the Belfry), folk (Craze, The General), rap (Just Like Larry, Here We Go) and rock (Even, Time Served). The band was also instrumental in the creation of the nonprofit organization The Elias Fund. Dispatch consisted of Brad Corrigan (vocals, drums, guitar, and percussion), Pete Heimbold (vocals, bass and guitar), and Chad Urmston (vocals, bass, guitar, and percussion).

1 Band history
2 The Elias Fund
3 The Relief Project
4 Dispatch: Zimbabwe
5 Discography
6 Band members
7 External links

[edit] Band history

[edit] The beginnings

The band originated in the early 1990s as One Fell Swoop, but soon changed their name to Dispatch, after a dispute with another band of the same name. Chad Urmston, Brad Corrigan, and Pete Heimbold, who were all attending Middlebury College in Middlebury, Vermont comprised the band's lineup throughout their entire career. Their music drew upon several influences, such as acoustic folk-rock, reggae, and funk.

Dispatch gained much recognition outside of New England, without any help from a label, thanks to peer-to-peer file sharing programs such as Napster, as well as word-of-mouth. Dispatch stayed together long enough to release four studio albums and three live ones, compiling over 600,000 in album sales. During concerts, the band was known to improvise upon their album releases, often resulting in a song running twice the length of the original. The group was also fond of switching instruments and lead/harmonized vocal duties when playing live.

[edit] The Last Dispatch

Main article: The Last Dispatch

Upon the announcement of its break-up in late 2002, the band scheduled one final concert. The free show was performed at the Hatch Shell in Boston on July 31, 2004. "The Last Dispatch," as it was referred, is said to be the largest concert in independent music history, where roughly 110,000 fans attended the show. The original prediction of the turnout was between 10,000 and 30,000. Fans reportedly flocked from Italy, Portugal, South Africa, and Australia among others. The performance was released as a three-disc set (2 CD, 1 DVD) later that year, entitled All Points Bulletin, along with an earlier show in Somerville, Massachusetts.

Dispatch then released a documentary entitled The Last Dispatch in July 2005, which chronicles their final 12 days together as a band and tells the story of how they became "the band that redefined independent music history". The film was released and previewed in Boston. Urmston, Corrigan, and Heimbold attended the showing and celebrated throughout the weekend with their fans. The film was released on DVD September 26, 2006.

[edit] Post-breakup

All three of the band's members are currently still in the music industry. Urmston is now the front man of State Radio, while Corrigan (now credited as Braddigan, a nickname by which he was known since his time with Dispatch) and Heimbold (now credited as Pete Francis, his middle name) are successfully pursuing solo efforts.

On January 5th, 2007 the band announced a benefit concert which will reunite the band on July 13th, 14th, and 15th of 2007 at Madison Square Garden. All of the money raised from ticket sales will go directly to charities that are fighting disease, famine and social injustice in Zimbabwe; a portion will be allocated to local charities that the band supports in the United States. On January 10, during the first half hour of the exclusive presale, available to their MySpace friends only, the band announced that the show was "officially sold out." Dispatch quickly scheduled another show scheduled for Friday, July 13th, 2007. This show sold out within 24 hours, resulting in the addition of yet another night: July 15th, 2007. Tickets for this show went on sale January 20th at 9:00 AM on Ticketmaster, which have sold out also.

[edit] The Elias Fund

Main article: The Elias Fund

After the song Elias was written by Chad Urmston about his experience living and teaching in Zimbabwe, the nonprofit organization the Elias Fund was formed. The Elias Fund looks to provide hope and opportunity to Zimbabwean youth through community development and education while empowering the American youth culture to embrace their global role and make it an active one.

[edit] The Relief Project

On December 22, 2005, Corrigan helped to organize a benefit concert, known as The Relief Project, at Irving Plaza in New York City. Along with several other performers, Corrigan invited Heimbold and State Radio to play. The three reunited very briefly, playing the song "Here We Go" as an encore. Corrigan stated there that he plans further Relief Project concerts featuring all three.

[edit] Dispatch: Zimbabwe

On January 5, 2007, the official Dispatch website posted information on an upcoming concert to benefit the nation of Zimbabwe. To be held on July 13, July 14, and July 15 at Madison Square Garden, it is a "100% benefit concert," with all proceeds to go towards "fighting disease, famine, and injustice in the country of Zimbabwe." A portion of the proceeds will go towards local New York City charities, as well.[1] The presale (available to Dispatch's MySpace friends) started on Wednesday, January 10 at 12:00PM EST. Within 30 minutes, the show completely sold out. In response to this, Dispatch announced another concert for Friday, July 13, which subsequently sold out as well. On January 12th Dispatch added a third show for Sunday the 15th. Tickets for the July 15th show have sold out, not surprising as 110,000 people were present at Dispatch's Hatch Shell performance. Dispatch announced on February 22, 2007, that they will be using an online auction system to sell tickets that were previously reserved for family and friends. All funds raised from these sales will go to the charity for Zimbabwe. A third show has been added for the 16th, which too sold out in minutes. The band has also opened up extra seating that was being saved for their friends and family to be sold to the thousands fans who are still searching for a ticket. These tickets will be bidded on and 100% of these proceeds will go to charity. This amazing selling out of Madison Square Garden has gained the band more attention, even a spot in Rolling Stone Magazine stating that it is easier to get tickets for a Justin Timberlake Concert than it is to get tickets for Dispatch.