the dirges

HERE'S OUR NEW VIDEO FOR "FIGHT" Thanks to Mikey at Calibur films!
An aggressive folk/punk hybrid, The Dirges perform weekly at the legendary Molly Malones in Hollywood as well as various local venues. They've shared the stage with some of L.A.'s top bands including, Flogging Molly, Cranky George, The Filthy Thieving Bastards, and The Young Dubliners. Their live show can turn the most ardent music critic into a beer drinking dancing fool! Here's a little history:
In 2001, Francis and Pete found a four track underneath the tire wall of a friend's rent-a-wreck and started writing songs. After many raucous all-nighters, they decided to round up some friends who could play and The Dirges were formed. Stuytown and Hattie Street are two of the first songs Fran and Pete penned. Both of which are inspired by the tragic deaths of good friends. The Dirges were so named in tribute to friends and family lost.
Francis, The Dirges front man, thinks of himself as a classically trained antagonist who decided to spread his word through music. He was born and raised in the small factory town of Schenectady NY where a love for tradition and hard work were pounded into him during his formative years. He became a bartender, a chef, and a man whose songs recognize that the stumbling sadness of life needs an energetic nod from time to time. After listening to his songs, you'll realize that ballads aren't always soft and sweet. They may well rile you into a frenzy before the tears begin to flow.
Bass player , Tall Pete finally found his calling when he started working with Fran. Never having committed himself to anything prior, he picked up the bass and discovered his natural rhythm. His driving bass lines are the bedrock for The Dirges deeply layered reality.
Although she was a fan, Alicia Allen didn't join the band until 2003 when Fran and Pete got into an altercation after one of her solo shows. Fran encountered a broken pint glass to the tendon in his hand and enlisted Alicia to cover the rhythm guitar during his recovery. They decided to keep her when they discovered that she's always willing to learn and play new instruments when needed. Now she is playing guitar, mandolin, and flute. In the future she might even put her education in classical oboe to use.
Marc Strommer joined the band in late 2005. He plays lead guitar and lap steel and has become a cornerstone of the bands new sound. He is a graduate of Berklee College of Music in Boston and a member of L.A.'s Dan Band and The Rays. Marc's talent, and more so his attitude towards music and life, have been a driving force in The Dirges recent endeavors.
On drums, Bill "Stuhlly" Brennenstuhl has been making his living as a drummer since attending Berklee school of music. Stuhlly has performed with the likes of John Lee Hooker, Hypnotic Clambake, Mike Gordon, and The Fourhorseman. His driving beats and inventive fills are a perfect fit for The Dirges rambunctious style of music and Fran's heartfelt working class lyrics. This creep can roll.
2008 was a hell of a year for the band. They opened new routes North and South culminating with the now infamous opening slot @ the Anaheim HOB with Flogging Molly. 2009 will see a new album and more touring across the country...
In a world where music is inundated with samples and pitch correction The Dirges let the listener remember that there is beauty in the fallible nature of the human race and that blood still flows in the veins of rock-n-roll.