This week on Kaleidoscope, Cincinnati band Dilly and the Doves joined host Juliet Fromholt for a live interview and studio session. Their debut single, “Love, From Versailles,” was released on October 11th. The band performed several original signs live on WYSO, and front man and songwriter Dylan Waters discussed the band’s history and musical influences. Dilly and the Doves also features Logan Harrera (drums), Vinny Miccuci (guitar), and Dale Hyde (piano). The band’s Bandcamp page describes their sound as a blend of “Jazz, Hip Hop, Funk, Rock and Alternative Music.”
Dilly and the Doves met as students at Cincinnati’s Xavier University, Dylan Waters told Juliet. They began performing together in 2021. Dylan, who graduated from the university last year, writes the band’s songs, though he called the composition process a “collaborative effort.” He said, “I write all of the songs, and then I come to the boys with their own takes, with their own flavors, how fast we want to take the song, what’s the vibe.” Dylan said that the band draws on an eclectic range of musical influences, new and old. He told Juliet that he tries to balance adhering to pop conventions with allowing for improvisation in the group’s live performances:
“That’s the hard part of writing songs—allowing musicians to feel like they can really express themselves within the structure of the song. We try to keep the pop elements where they should be, where we lead into a chorus or a verse, and really keep it tight and produced. But also when we play live, we try to have those songs or elements where we can turn a 3 minute song into a six minute song... It’s just trying to find pockets of time and energy where these guys can feel the freedom to move around and explore as musicians.”
Dilly and the Doves released their first studio single, “Love, From Versailles,” on October 11th. The song is available on Bandcamp and digital streaming platforms. The band will perform live at Arnold's Bar & Grill in Cincinnati’s Over-The-Rhine neighborhood on November 3rd from 8:00 to 11:00 pm. More information about the Dilly and the Doves, including upcoming releases and performances, is available on the band's Instagram page.
Text by Peter Day, adapted from an interview by Juliet Fromholt.
