Dave Chamberlain

On any other occasion, this show would gather a high level of interest on its musical merits. The Dials are poised in the next couple months to release their debut full-length, "Flex-Time," a power-pop record that--without giving away too much--I believe will wrench them out of Chicago's underground and into the national consciousness, and deservedly so. But tonight they play a show in the wake of tremendous tragedy; less than a month ago, the band's drummer, Doug Meis, was killed in the infamous car accident that also took the lives of Silkworm drummer Michael Dahlquist and Returnables guitarist John Glick. In the case of Dials front-lady Rebecca Crawford, the loss cut even deeper--Glick was her husband. But here they are, putting their collective heads down and grinding through to the stage at a time when a good many of us out there would still be lost in the flow of an endless liquor stream, trying to desperately to feel nothing. Though the Dials play an upbeat, inherently friendly flavor of snappy rock `n' roll, harbor no doubt that tonight (especially), the songs will ring with an unmatchable wellspring of emotional strength, and assisted by sit-in drummer Chad Romanski of Sarge/The Reputation fame. As to the Dials themselves, going on stage? That's tough, man. That's double tough.

The Dials open for Thunderbirds Are Now!, August 20 at the Empty Bottle, 1035 North Western, (773)276-3600. (2005-08-16)

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