The Dream Syndicate & Chris Forsyth and the Solar Motel Band – World Café Live – Philadelphia, P

Updated: Jun 27, 2022

The Dream Syndicate & Chris Forsyth and the Solar Motel Band – World Café Live – Philadelphia, PA – May 20, 2017

There is a parallel universe where The Dream Syndicate are one of the most well-known rock bands around. Blazing guitars and introspective lyrics are at the forefront of this four-piece. Steve Wynn leads the rock parade that disbanded in 1989 and reformed in 2012 with original drummer Dennis Duck, longtime bassist Mark Walton and frequent Wynn collaborator Jason Victor. They are tight knit in this 2017 iteration as evidenced at World Café Live on May 20.

With their first new album since 1988 set to be released this year, The Dream Syndicate played a few new songs among the trusted old material. Opening with the blazing “Halloween,” the band was on fire. Throughout the set, Wynn would levitate to Victor or Walton to join stringed forces. Victor brought out his monster guitar skills while Walton showed off his bass potential. All this transpired while Duck led the percussive barrage.

Wynn’s voice, which has added much depth since the ’80’s, delivered the familiar lines of such fan favorites as “Tell Me When It’s Over” and “The Medicine Show” with grit and nuance. New songs including “Out of My Head” fit into the mix perfectly, whetting the appetite of the Philly crowd for the new LP.

With a return to the area imminent with a performance at XPoNential Music Fest in July, The Dream Syndicate is bound to win over new fans and remind those listeners of the past that their dreams can come true.

Philly-based Chris Forsyth and the Solar Motel Band opened with a jam rock excursion. Forsyth was unrelenting in his guitar mastery, engaging a growing World Café Live crowd with his expert explorations into rock and roll’s stringed expanses.

Chris Sikich