Dispatch is back in Louisville, shaking off the midday haze for an intimate WFPK session before their show at Iroquois Amphitheater. “This is very early for us,” Brad Corrigan says, rubbing his eyes. “Most humans are halfway through their day. We haven’t woken up yet.” But once the music starts, it’s clear they don’t need much warming up. They launch into Mr. Driver, the harmonies sharp, the energy effortlessly loose but locked in—that perfect balance that’s made them indie royalty for over two decades.
They’re here for the America, Location 12 tour, joined by Guster and Esmé Patterson, and it turns out the album’s title came from an unexpected place. “We recorded in Stinson Beach, about 30 minutes north of San Francisco,” Chad Stokes explains. “It was beautiful—ocean in front, redwood forest behind us. Real outdoor recording experience.” One day, they hiked to an abandoned missile silo and found something scratched into the concrete: America, Location 12. “It felt right,” Stokes says. “Not in a dystopian way—just like a sign.” We're relieved it wasn’t some Hunger Games nightmare.
The band has been through a few lifetimes. They were one of the first to sell out arenas without major label backing, then walked away at the height of their success. They returned in 2012 with Circles Around the Sun, but America, Location 12 feels different. “We hadn’t recorded since ‘99 before Circles Around the Sun, so we were kind of testing the waters,” Corrigan says. “This time, we just felt like everything should come into play.” Stokes adds, “To us, it feels like a continuation, but we still have people saying, ‘Wow, Dispatch is back together?’ and we’re like, ‘Uh…we played last year. And the year before.’”
They’re also doing what they’ve always done best—giving the music away. On release day, they just handed it out for free. “At this point, you just want your music to be heard,” Stokes says. “And if that means getting it out as quickly as possible, cool. The sooner you get your music out, the sooner you can get on tour.” It’s a strategy that works when your fanbase is as loyal as theirs. “You never know,” Corrigan admits. “Every time you start the engine again, you wonder, ‘Okay, which venues should we play? Will people still come?’ And then you realize, yeah, they’re still here.”
Midway through the set, Corrigan turns serious. Their longtime bandmate Pete Francis has stepped away, struggling with depression. “He wrote a letter a few months ago, sharing his story, hoping to encourage people who might be feeling isolated,” he says. “He’s with us a hundred percent in our hearts, and we’re believing next year will be a great year for him to come back.” In the meantime, the band has made their tour something bigger. “We have a wellness village at every stop,” Corrigan explains. “People can write little phrases of encouragement on these Tibetan prayer flags, and we hang them up around the stage. If you’re at the show tonight and see that, we’d love for you to contribute.”
They close the session with The One Night, a song that could’ve been written at any point in their career. There’s still the same earnestness, the same chemistry, the same mission. Still Dispatch. Still independent. Still evolving. And still waking up—just maybe not before noon.
Listen to the full live set and interview above.
