Gradience to take Dickinson Bandshell stage
Jun. 30—DICKINSON — After playing six shows in June, the rock band Gradience is making its way to the Western Edge for a stop on their tour to participate in the Summer Bandshell Concert Series in Dickinson.
Gradience will take the Phil Patterson Memorial Bandshell stage from 7 to 9 p.m. Tuesday, July 5, for the first time. Featuring Dickinson native John Dvorak, the four-member band comprises a rock sound, with heavier influences ranging throughout the decades.
Dvorak, who plays guitar and vocals for the band, said that the band was wanting to play more shows in western North Dakota. Last summer, due to an already booked schedule at the Bandshell, Dvorak said that they were anticipating returning to Dickinson in 2022 for the Summer Bandshell Concert Series. In February, Dickinson Parks and Recreation contacted the band, asking that they perform.
For Dvorak, this has been a long awaited moment.
"Growing up in Dickinson, I always found it really cool," Dvorak said, adding that the remodeling of the Bandshell has turned the venue around over the years. "... I thought it'd be really cool to play somewhere like that. I used to go on a bike ride next to it all the time as a kid. It's like a really nice stage and area for it. So we figured it'd be really cool while we're on our tour to stop there and play."
The band is based in the Fargo-Moorhead area, featuring half North Dakotan and half Minnesotan natives. With Dvorak representing western North Dakota, the band also has another North Dakotan with Tom Nelson, a Grand Forks native. Ford Johnson comes from Alexandria, Minnesota, and Darian Clark originates from the Twin Cities.
For Dvorak, his musical preferences range from 70s hard rock, 80s rock and thrash metal. On the bass guitar and vocals, Clark's musical inspirations derive from various genres including modern rock, pop and even the 60s — The Beatles and Paul McCartney. With Johnson on the guitar and Nelson on the drums, the band's musical influences also entail a heavy metal touch.
"Basically, we're four people that have a lot of different tastes in music, but still have similar tastes to where it works," Dvorak said, adding, "The music we make is just what we like. We don't really follow any one set thing."
The band is hoping to make a splash on the Dickinson scene with its authentic sound.
"We try to make mostly originally music and play shows where the music is all original. But a lot of the times, it's a really long show, so we have to fill in the extra time with covers," he added.
For additional information about the band, visit
linktr.ee/gradience
. View the complete 2022 Summer Bandshell Concert Series at
visitdickinson.com/events/2022/bandshell-concert-series
.
All event details are subject to change, so residents are reminded to visit the Convention & Visitors Bureau for a complete list of information provided by event coordinators.
