So Long to a So Many Dynomite

When I was in High School, one thing was understood—either you were in a band, or you dated someone who was in a band…Me? I opted for choice “a.” I played (acoustic) violin with Starscream for nearly all of High School and into College. As a graduation gift, my family bought me an electric violin which furthered my opportunities into the realm of recording. The luckiest break I got during this time was when my all-time favorite semi-local band, The Floating City, asked me to play on their CD.

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The Floating City, based out of St.Louis, MO, was known for their Radiohead-esque flare. Incorporating everything from cell phones to bowed guitars; I really respected them. They were regulars at a living room type venue on Lemp Avenue called The Lemp Neighborhood Arts Center. Director of LNAC, Mark Sarich, had an ear for organizing shows, they were always loud, rambunctious, and genius—but nothing was more genius when he discovered the following lineup:

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The Floating City, Target Market, So Many Dynamos.

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Listeners were in for a musical apple pie when these three bands played together, which was actually quite frequent, but exciting nonetheless. We all had it in our minds that The Floating City was the “bigger” band and So Many Dynamos and Target Market were more like novelty cousin bands to TFC..

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But oh, how these tables have turned- out of those three bands, Target Market and So Many Dynamos are the only ones still going strong.

Not only do they have three albums out, but the third, The Loud Wars, was released by Vagrant Records

(Dashboard Confessional, Saves The Day), produced by Death Cab for Cutie’s Chris Walla, and mixed by The Mars Volta‘s Alex Newport; not to shabby for a couple of boys from the little town of Edwardsville, IL. They’ve found themselves a huge following around the country because of extensive tours, part of which included opening for Death Cab for Cutie. In many ways, they have inspired all of us from the southern Illinois area, but alas, a change has occurred- guitarist Ryan Wasoba is leaving the band.

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News hit the band’s recording blog on Tuesday, but Wasoba had been sure of this decision for a while. In the blog Wasoba writes, “A few months ago I was hit with the unfortunate realization that I no longer wanted to be in a touring rock band…”

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I have complete faith that the new guitarist, Nathan Bernaix (ironically from Target Market) will continue the success of SMD, but it’s still a sad moment for the musicians of St.Louis like me who remember sweating on a couch at LNAC in between sets of So Many Dynamos and The Floating City.

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Of course this isn’t an end to SMD at all, but as someone who sat on those couches, I had to give my final good-bye to the SMD that I’ll always remember…

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We all wish you success Ryan Wasoba—love, St.Louis

All Photos by Dustin Winter, all rights reserved.