Dirty Heads at Marquee Theatre

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Dirty Heads perform at the Marquee Theatre on July 16, 2017 (Photo by Robbie Flores)
Dirty Heads perform at the Marquee Theatre on July 16, 2017 (Photo by Robbie Flores)

A last minute venue change and an apparent issue with the air conditioning (on an 110 degree evening in Tempe, AZ) wasn’ enough to deter loyal fans from coming out to the July 16th show of The Dirty Heads, an Alternative Reggae band with rock and hip hop influences out of Huntington Beach, CA and Soja. As the venue owner and security team feverishly passed out bottles of water, lead singers Jared Watson (Dirty J), Dustin Bushnell (Duddy B) and the rest of their bandmates, David Foral, Jon Olazabal, Shawn Hagood and Matt Ochoa, took the stage as the audience cheered.

Dirty J and Duddy B met in high school and began writing and playing hip-hop music with reggae and punk influences in Bushnell’s garage. The teens formed their band in 2006 and were given their name by older brothers jokingly calling them “dirty heads”. They soon added additional bandmates and released their first album, Any Port in a Storm, in 2008. Their most successful single to date was Lay Me Down, featuring Rome Ramirez of Sublime with Rome, which became a number one alternative hit for over 10 weeks.

The Dirty Heads have gained a loyal following and their current popularity seems to be soaring, judging by the over-packed venue. The energy between Dirty J and Duddy B is undeniable as they trade the lead vocal role back and forth. Throughout the night they played hits from their last four albums, including hits such as Medusa, Sloth’s Revenge and Lay Me Down, often engaging with the crowd by clapping and swinging their arms. Vacation, their most recent single had everyone singing along with its catchy chorus and inspiring lyrics.