Hope Dialect

"'Infobox musical artist
Name = Hope Dialect


Img_capt = From left to right: Noel Clark, Jesse Florida, Art Wong, Allen Wong, Tyler Malone
Img_size = 200
Landscape =
Background = group_or_band
Alias =
Origin = USA
Genre = Indie rock Christian rock Acid Jazz
Years_active = 2000-2006
Label = unsigned
Associated_acts =
URL =
Current_members =
Past_members =
Notable_instruments = "'Hope Dialect is a defunct American Christian rock/acid jazz group.

History

Hope Dialect formed in 2000 when the members of the band were all attending Union University in Jackson, Tennessee. Originally performing under the name Greenwood, they attracted a following amongst the local college students and music aficionados. It was during this time that they developed the sound they would come to be known for - a rock sound punctuated with violin that would set them apart from many rock bands.

Early career

The band performed regularly throughout their four years at college, at one point boasting seven members and becoming the "house band" of a local bagel shop, Bubbas. The band's original name, Greenwood, came from a faulty run of girl's soccer shirts found at an area Goodwill. The band purchased the shirts and immediately re-sold them, thus having merchandise with a minimal outlay of funds. At this point in the band's career, the members were unable to tour extensively due to being college students, and they instead became a mainstay of Tennessee rock music, expanding from Jackson into Nashville and Memphis.

Late career

In 2005, the band decided to move, as a group, to the more densely-populated northeast to further their music career without touring extensively. The band often stayed near their new hometown of Baltimore, Maryland until the release of their album, The Hope Dialect, in December 2005. After a last-minute trip back to Jackson for a CD release show, the band began to see the benefit of life on the road.

Beginning in March 2006, the band began touring heavily, opening for bands such as Anathallo, Saxon Shore, and Plain White T's. During this time, they changed their name from Greenwood to The Hope Dialect. The name Greenwood was held by many bands at the time, and thus their Google ranking was quite poor, but a search for The Hope Dialect - the name of their album - showed immediate results for them. Wanting a more clearly identifiable moniker, the name change went ahead, despite mixed reactions from fans.

After a few months on the road, in the band's own words, the inevitable cliché of Behind the Music occurred. Tyler Malone, the bassist for the band, stepped down from playing with the band, and for some time it seemed as though the band would simply cease to exist. Fans were thrilled to find that the band was able to put together one final farewell tour, and on November 20, 2006, the four remaining members of the band - Noel, Art, Allan and Jesse - played a final show in Spartanburg, SC at a coffee shop known as Cross Roads Coffee. Roughly seventy people attended, packing the shop to its legal capacity and giving the band a heartfelt goodbye after one of their strongest shows.

Trivia

The drummer, Jesse Florida, loves Cheerwine, a soft drink local to the North Carolina area.

The band immediately began selling off its equipment at the end of their final show, selling a bass cabinet for well under its resale price.

Drummer Jesse now plays with upcoming Baltimore singer/songerwriter, Cameron Blake.

References

* [http://www.hopedialect.com Official Site] Official website for the now defunct band
* [http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=2038502858930704221&hl=en Final Show] Video of the final show, hosted on Google Video with the band's permission