Dance Gavin Dance

Dance Gavin Dance, formed in Sacramento, California, in 2005, started with lead guitarist Will Swan, drummer Matthew Mingus, harsh vocalist Jon Mess, and clean vocalist Jonny Craig. The band quickly signed with Rise Records after self-releasing their debut EP, “Whatever I Say Is Royal Ocean,” in 2006. Their first studio album, “Downtown Battle Mountain,” was released in May 2007. The band has undergone numerous lineup changes throughout its career, with Swan and Mingus being the only constant members across all studio albums. This evolving roster has contributed to their experimental and progressive sound, blending elements of post-hardcore, experimental rock, and math rock.

Over the years, Dance Gavin Dance has released a series of successful albums, including “Dance Gavin Dance” (2008), “Happiness” (2009), and “Downtown Battle Mountain II” (2011). The band saw significant growth with the addition of Tilian Pearson as clean vocalist, releasing “Acceptance Speech” (2013), “Instant Gratification” (2015), and “Mothership” (2016), which charted at number 13 on the Billboard 200. Their subsequent albums, “Artificial Selection” (2018) and “Afterburner” (2020), also achieved critical and commercial success, entering the Billboard 200 at numbers 15 and 14 respectively. They further expanded their discography with the live album “Tree City Sessions 2” in 2020.

The band’s journey has also been marked by personal challenges and changes, including the passing of bassist Tim Feerick in 2022 and the departure of vocalist Tilian Pearson in 2024. Despite these events, Dance Gavin Dance continued to release music, including “Jackpot Juicer” (2022) and recently announced “Pantheon” (2025), featuring Andrew Wells as the new full-time clean vocalist. Their consistent output and ability to adapt have allowed them to maintain a dedicated fanbase and achieve four top-twenty albums in the U.S., including one top 10.