Featuring members of Dear Blanca, ET Anderson, and Niecy Blues, Mids meshes characteristics of each band, affording them the chance to expand past the confines of each of those acts stylistically.
The first time Michael Crawford (drums), Cam Powell (bass), Dylan Dickerson (vox, keys), and Jon Warf (guitar) got together to jam it was to rehearse for a cover show. At New Brookland Tavern on New Year’s Eve 2018 they would perform as Sack Blabbath, a Black Sabbath cover band that went over so well they’ve been asked to perform several times since. While they’ve declined most of those opportunities, they did agree to bring it back one more time for the New Brookland Tavern ELECTRIC FUNERAL: A Sack Blabbath Halloween Party at NBT. After Halloween they’ll turn the page on Sack Blabbath and focus on the original music that organically formed from that project, one that they’re calling Mids.
Wellness Check, the first song the band wrote together serves as the title track of the new EP.
“We had a great time playing together (for Sack Blabbath) and wrote one original song called “Wellness Check” shortly after the show.” said Dickerson. “For a while after that Jon and I traded little musical nuggets back and forth to workshop some ideas. Eventually we decided to book a show and use that as an excuse to actually finish writing the full band set (thanks to Jordan Lawrence for taking a gamble on us and booking that gig at Freeway Music Fest). Right after that show (played under a fake/temporary band name) we hit the studio and recorded this EP in a day. Eventually we landed on the name Mids and here we are.
Dickerson says of Mids that it’s a chance to let his “freak flag fly” along with sighting Outback Steakhouse’s slogan “No Rules, Just Right” when talking about the inspiration behind the band.
In many ways the band pays homage to their musical heroes with a lot of classic punk and obscure 70’s pysch-rock vibes. We mentioned a few of the members primary bands at the beginning of this post, but to name them all is a laundry list that Skanksgiving’s organizer Brett Kent attempted in promotion of their upcoming show at the annual Skanksgiving show at New Brookland Tavern.
In addition to those, Several members are always open to the challenge of a cover set. They serve as somewhat of an inspiration.
“If anything those cover sets serve as a sort of low budget take on musical theater for me” says Dickerson. “I really enjoy trying to take on the persona of whoever we’re covering at those gigs. I’m definitely not an actor but I like to pretend that I’m one from time to time. Musically, it’s a nice challenge and tool for growth to take a crack at someone else’s tunes. I wouldn’t say it influences our music or performance much other than just being a good exercise for keeping your chops up.”
Mids have several shows coming up. Catch them Thursday November 7th at First Thursday in Boyd Plaza with Babe Club and Glass.
November 29 at Skanksgiving 5
ANNOUNCING MIDS – Super group? More like super mega ultra group of Columbia musicians featuring members of Dear Blanca and ET Anderson and Cayla Fralick Band and Kemp Ridley and Sea Wolf Mutiny and Ivadell and Old Canoe and Stagbriar and Vacation State and Calculator and Actor Dad and Dark Entries and Sack Blabbath and The Patient and Niecy Blues
Mids Release Debut EP Wellness Check
