Before They Hit the Road: Dreamsickle's Send-Off at Velvet Fudge

Before bandmates piled into the van for their first Texas tour, fans and fellow musicians gave Dreamsickle a proper send-off at Velvet Fudge.

The Monday night show brought together three bands: openers Krack, midwest emo act Losing Connection, and headliners Dreamsickle. By the time the last note rang out, the evening had delivered inside jokes, a shattered light strand, and a room full of people who showed up on a weeknight just to see their friends off right.

Gas, Beer, and a Nintendo 3DS

Dreamsickle hit Texas stops in the Dallas-Fort Worth area, Austin, and San Antonio. Bassist Jacob Sanchez was particularly excited for Dallas-Fort Worth because his sister lives there. "She's feeding us, putting us up for the night," he said. Guitarist Aaron Kerr named Austin as a toss-up with San Antonio, citing conversations with the band Diemart about the Texas scene. Vocalist Asa Thompson echoed the Austin enthusiasm. And guitarist Cole Thompson had perhaps the most specific reason: "Barton Springs. I just want to go there and get baked and swim."

When asked what the fundraiser money would go toward first, the answers were unanimous: gas. "With the gas crisis as of late, that'll definitely help," Kerr said. Asa added, "Prices are pretty outrageous right now." Cole, however, added a second priority without further comment: "Beer."

As for what fans could buy them for the van, the answers varied. Kerr said a case of water would work. Asa requested a handheld gaming console adding, "You ever played a [Nintendo] 3DS? There are a lot of great games on there." Cole asked for a six-pack of Budweiser. Sanchez, the practical one, said "air freshener for sure — gonna have a lot of smelly shoes and smelly boys."

After Texas, the band heads to Colorado: June 4 at Sunshine Studios in Colorado Springs, June 5 at AnteUp in Denver, and June 8 at The Atrium in Fort Collins. They return to headline Velvet Fudge on June 12, with Colliding and Morris Village on the bill.

Krack: Chaos and Charm

Krack took the stage first, fronted by Zach Thrasher. A jazzy interlude gave way to traditional punk rock energy, and the self-deprecating humor that defines Krack's live presence came out early.

Bobby Wintle from District Bicycles showed up in the crowd, raised both thumbs in the air — pointed down — and booed along as fans shouted "KRACK SUCKS," an inside joke the band actively cultivates. Between songs, band members joked about stringed instruments needing to tune and mocked the city's new construction projects. At one point, bassist Hayden Robert Botter attempted throat singing through a saxophone mic. The set included a cover of System of a Down's "Prison Song," which landed exactly as messy and triumphant as it needed to.

Krack guitarist Robert Paddock later offered a deadpan explanation for the band's success: "A lot of our fans are engineers, and they're able to create and mathematically formulate such a structure to uphold the stage that Krack sits upon."

Paddock also claimed, with a straight face, that Dreamsickle had taught him how to ride a bicycle — "previously I've only been able to ride a unicycle and then they taught me how to use two wheels, which has been, you know, hugely inspirational, maybe the next step they'll teach me how to ride a trike." Paddock also claimed that Dreamsickle guitarist Cole Thompson had broken into his house "deep in the night" to steal all his guitars for the tour. "True story," Paddock added with a sly smile.

As the night wound down, Krack had their own message for the road. Olivia Tucker put it simply: "A lot of the time people get into music, and sometimes they take it a little too seriously and lose the passion. Just have fun. Maintain a passion for music." Thrasher, who called himself the "brain father of Krack," added one plea: "Do not let Cole drive."

Paddock, who had spent most of the night in character, turned sincere. "I'm incredibly proud of them as musicians," he said. "Having gone from seeing them as Ruckus, and playing with them in some of their early shows — how much they've grown as musicians, how much progress they've made, becoming a very well-rounded act. It's been hugely impressive to see."

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Losing Connection Brings the Heart

Losing Connection followed with what I'd call a fantastic set — extremely well-knit, with good energy on stage and a sound that blended midwest emo (or as one fan called it, "Mid South Emo") with traditional punk rock. If anything, they were tighter than they'd probably want you to think.

The band's lead guitarist, Aaron Sageser, is something of a local fixture — he plays in four bands plus a country side project on banjo. After the set, Sageser talked about what the Stillwater scene has given him. "It all comes down to community in my mind," he said. "There's no band without a scene, and there's no scene without a community."

Sageser said Dreamsickle had taught him one thing above all: "Don't take it too seriously." He hopes audiences walk away from Losing Connection's sets feeling like starting a band is something anyone can do. "I want people to know that it's like a community thing," he said. "We wouldn't have a show if there weren't the people."

Bassist Alex Walker, who has only been playing music for about two years, said that sharing stages with bands like Dreamsickle has been an education. "I take inspiration from both the current and the past," Walker said. "I love getting the chance to kind of leech off of their ideas."

And vocalist/guitarist Cash Layton revealed a behind-the-scenes detail that might explain Dreamsickle's budget priorities: "They were very concerned about how much of their budget for the tour would be going to beer. They really want to make sure that they have enough beer for the tour."

Before the night ended, Losing Connection sent Dreamsickle off with a few parting words. Layton kept it practical: "I hope that you guys are able to afford all the beer you're gonna drink, and I hope you make it there and back safely." Walker was direct: "Just keep doing it, dude. Touring is definitely the way. I think more bands need to start doing that from our local scene so we can branch out." Sageser echoed the advice he'd been giving all night: "Have a good time and don't take it too seriously. Treat it as just a little field trip. Playing in new places is always a lot of fun." Drummer Mason Farrell was more concise: "Good luck. I don't know. Good luck. Yeah."

By the time Dreamsickle took the stage, the room was packed and primed. The band invited multiple audience members on stage to sing along, including Aaron Sageser. But the most telling moment of the night wasn't musical. At one point, a hanging light strand broke, scattering glass on the floor. The crowd immediately cleared a space, and Henry Ramsay — owner of Velvet Fudge — came out with a broom to sweep it up, drawing cheers from everyone.

Rituals, Pranks, and Forgotten Chargers

Every band has its quirks, and Dreamsickle is no different. The designated driver, navigator, and most likely person to forget a charger all belong to drummer Bradford Demuro, according to multiple bandmates. "He's also among the most absent-minded in the band, to put it lightly," Cole said. Sanchez added: "Cole's always forgetting his charger and not allowed to drive."

Before shows, the band gathers for five to ten minutes to lock in — a ritual Sanchez said they'll keep on the road. Cole revealed a post-show tradition: after every set, he and Asa sneak off while their ears are still ringing, have a cigarette, and talk about the fans who were going crazy. "How it made us feel and stuff," he said.

As for who would start a prank war in the van? Cole volunteered himself. "Not to be self-absorbed, but I think it will be me." Who would end it? Asa, probably. "He'll get really, really annoyed after the first one, and it won't happen again," Cole predicted. Sanchez agreed: "Cole's going to start it, and he's going to take it too far and end it. He's gonna say ... no more Cole."

McDoubles and Wisdom

When money is tight on tour, Dreamsickle has some creative — and questionable — meal plans. Kerr's go-to is two McDoubles and a large Dr Pepper, currently $6.34 at the Stillwater McDonald's. Asa Thompson admitted to "gas station rummage: a cheese stick, four hard-boiled eggs, and some pickles." Cole Thompson described a childhood staple: a "cheese sandwich" consisting of two thick slices of cheddar with mustard. "It was disgusting, but I've grown to love them, and I eat them all the time now. And it's cheap as s***."

Splurging means DoorDash. "That would be a big splurge," Kerr said. "I'm really balling if I order on DoorDash."

The most valuable lesson from playing locally, according to Kerr, is that no one knows who you are when you leave town. "You've got to make them know who you are, make them care about you." Asa Thompson said they've learned "what gets a crowd moving," which mostly comes down to having a good time with them. And Sanchez pointed to a specific connection: working with their sound engineer Eric, who has helped develop their sound and will be joining them on the road. "I wouldn't trade that for anything."

"This Is Just the Start"

Before Dreamsickle loaded into the van, Aaron Kerr stood in the room and looked around at the crowd that had shown up on a Monday night. He thought about what Velvet Fudge has become.

"When I started school here, there was nothing like this," he said. "You couldn't see all these wonderful faces in the same spot. The fact that this is a normal and regular thing now — I don't think we can take that for granted. This is just the start of what should be a legendary music venue in Stillwater."

Asa Thompson put it more bluntly. Asked what he would say to the room before leaving, he didn't hesitate.

"Thank you so f***ing much."