Ears Wide Open: Nightmare Air

Kevin Bronson on November 20th, 2009

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Dave Dupuis is a familiar figure to Eastside clubgoers, and not just for his head of hair, which seems to occupy the whole room. Dupuis, who plays guitar in Film School and was a sound man at Spaceland and for several bands (including Silversun Pickups), recently debuted his new band, the trio Nightmare Air. It features Film School drummer and longtime friend James Smith and bassist-singer and fellow New Hampshire native Swaan Miller, and it’s not just their local associations that have ears turning. Nightmare Air’s freakout-meets-space rock sounds like a Silversun Pickups vs. No Age street fight with Crystal Antlers refereeing. The songs, which Dupuis starting writing on Film School’s post-tour hiatus, bristle with distortion and agitation; it’s as if he can’t wait to blast off – which may be true, considering, he says, “that it’s a dream come true to be starting a band and playing music with good friends.” “Who Who Lies” has already gotten some spins on the BBC and WOXY, and the trio’s debut EP will be out Dec. 1.

||| Stream: “Who Who Lies”