After an extensive tour around the U.S. in support of their latest album release, Poetry; the beloved Chicago native indie rock band DEHD concluded their extremely sold out three night run at Pilsen’s charming Thalia Hall last Thursday as the grand finale of their Poetry album release tour. Thalia Hall’s space was jam packed before any performers even went on and understandably so! The third and final evening with DEHD featured Chicago’s very own Divino Niño as support for the band and if you’ve ever been to a DEHD show, you know that the beloved and hilarious Grelley Duvall is DEHD’s host of choice to MC their shows. It was an absolutely unforgettable evening with such a stacked bill of performances from two very gifted Chicago bands.
After an animated introduction by host Grelley Duvall for the genre-bending psychedelic rock band Divino Niño, the group of guys confidently took the stage. Though it may have just been an opening set, the guys of Divino Niño put their heart and soul into their performance. They played an admirable setlist that consisted of some of their greatest hits. At this point I’ve lost count with how many times I’ve seen the band but It’s always a treat to see Divino Niño perform. Their especially exuberant 2022 album Last Spa on Earth translates so well with their live production, containing some of my favorite tracks from the band! This included “Nos Soltamos,” “Tu Tonto,” and “Drive.” The crowd was absolutely locked into their electric performance which ended way too quickly.
DEHD almost seems to have a “cult following” among the Chicago music scene as they time and time again consistently sell out all of their hometown shows. Last year they did a three night run for New Years eve at the Empty Bottle where tickets flew insanely fast and this year's shows were no different. The trio took the stage after another hilarious introduction by Grelley Duvall, more than ready to command the packed venue. Lead singer and bass player Emily Kempf always radiates confidence on stage and this being their final show of tour; she put all of her energy into what was an exhilarating evening. The same could be said for bandmates Jason Balla and Eric McGrady as they tore into their songs with unwavering conviction.
The Chicago crowd went wild for the trio and I am sure it felt good for the band to be welcomed with such open arms for their final hometown show. DEHD performed a rather decent mix up of songs from their now extensively growing catalog of albums. Starting strong, the band opened up with their emotionally explosive song “Window” which was promptly followed by “Loner.” They of course performed all of their hits from their latest release Poetry including “Necklace,” “Dog Days” and the album’s lead single “Mood Ring.” Their raw guitar riffs accompanied by Emily and Jason’s defining vocals makes their sound so unique yet distinct that truly sets the band apart from countless others.
DEHD also performed a satisfactory amount of tracks from my personal favorite album of theirs, Flower of Devotion as they closed out the iconic evening with their typical set closing song, “Flying.” I fell in love with the band back in 2020 after the release of their critically acclaimed record, Flower of Devotion and have been an avid fan since! It truly is an honor to live in a city that has such a prominent music scene with its bands and artists constantly breaking boundaries in the fast-paced world of music. DEHD continues to consistently pump out flawless albums and I truly believe that they have imprinted their legacy onto the hearts of Chicago fans.
All photos by Andrew Lagunas