Photo: DISPATCH
PORTLAND, M.E. (WBZNewsRadio) - Chad Stokes of DISPATCH, State Radio and The Pintos, is set to rock New England with a couple of shows this month.
The first takes place this weekend at Thompsons Point in Portland, Maine.
"It's such a great spot." Stokes told WBZ's Drew Moholland. "It's that hometown crowd, but you are a little bit north."
Stokes has long loved the city and the venue itself, saying it reminds him a bit of the 2004 'Last DISPATCH' show along the Esplanade in Boston. More than 100,000 flooded the city along the Charles River, in a scene that would live in Boston history forever.
Then next week, the Beach Road Music Festival comes to Martha's Vineyard.
"You feel like a kid again." He said. Stokes has spent a lot of time on the Vineyard over the years and says his “DISPATCH world and island world kind of come together.”
This will be the second time DISPATCH plays the Beach Road Festival. This year Chad and the boys will play Saturday, as will Mumford and Sons and Gary Clark Jr. Bon Iver and Patti Smith are Friday. Sunday is Leon Bridges and a whole lot more.
It's been a busy summer for DISPATCH, the band now coming off a couple of symphony shows with the National Symphony Orchestra in Washington, D.C. and the Colorado Symphony Orchestra at the iconic Red Rocks.
Next, Stokes says he's been working on a rock opera, "like the Who's Tommy, or The Wall."
Meantime, Stokes also has a family and says his young ones just bought DISPATCH merchandise for the first time.
"The cousins think (DISPATCH) is cooler than my kids do, but my kids like the touring..."
Listen to WBZ's Drew Moholland's (@DrewWBZ) full interview with Chad Stokes below.