Life of Dillon opens for Meghan Trainor at Mid-State Fair
Life of Dillon were Meghan Trainor’s opening act on opening night of the California Mid State Fair Wednesday. Photo by Paula McCambridge
British musicians shine as Meghan Trainor’s opening act at fair
Meghan Trainor showed charm and talent, but the highlight of the California Mid State Fair’s opening-night concert was arguably the opening act, Life of Dillon.
The three young men from Great Britain, all in their mid 20s, were charming and humble as they sat in their tour bus before Wednesday’s concert and talked to Paso Robles Daily News about their new life on the road.
“This will be our biggest audience ever tonight,” Joe said of the fair crowd expected. The three musicians are brothers Joe and Robert Griffith and their longtime friend, David Keiffer. Their music is pop with a fluid sound, sometimes with a twinge of reggae and other times with a dance vibe.
The trio signed on with Disruptor and Epic records less than a year ago last November. They attribute their signing to their diligence motivated by the fact that they were about to be evicted from their home — the eviction was by Joe and Robert’s “mum” who had had enough of the three making music, destroying her home, and not yet making much progress in their careers.
“We were going to get thrown out of where we were living,” Joe said. David interrupts with a clarification, “It was their mum’s place, and I was slumming with them,” David said. “I was there for three years.” The three laugh and acknowledge mum’s generosity, and admit her ultimatum motivated them to action.
“One time, we were playing music so loud that plaster fell off the ceiling,” Joe said. “When my mum said we had to go, we were motivated. We made calls to managers and sent emails,” said David, “We were sure we would find someone — we had all this music.” They sent 300 emails, heard back from four, and two of those were serious contenders, they said.
David and Joe met eight years ago in boarding school and, with common music interests, they began writing music together. “Even before we met, we were making music,” Joe said. “We were producing and writing our own music,” David said.
Asked whether they were happy to be performing in the United States, they all chimed in with a resounding, “Yes.”
“In England, musicians want to make it in England just so they can make it here,” David said. “We jumped over that part and just made it here.” Added Robert, “It’s pretty amazing.”
Asked if the new performers had any pre-show rituals, they laughed and said it was too soon for that.
“For me, it’s pacing up and down,” he said, smiling. “After five minutes onstage, that all clears away. It’s hardcore; there’s so much adrenaline after the show.” David laughed and jokingly described his nerves before going on stage. “We don’t have any ritual; we just pee our pants a little bit,” he laughed.
Life of Dillon will be guests on the Late Late Show with James Corden tonight on CBS.
