DED Takes Over New Brooklyn Tavern, Columbia, SC

BY: BREANNA WORKMAN​

On March 2nd, Ded hit the road in support of Butcher Babies once more since their 3 week
run back in 2024. Much like when they arrived on the scene 8 years ago, they
did so with a bang.

The duo kicked things off at the beginning of the month far away from home in Tyler, Texas; a
few days before heading to Destin, Florida where they later joined the rest of the crew to
officially kick off The All American Rejects Tour. Their 4 week trek spanned across 14 states,
and 24 different cities in just 31 days but their journey was far from over.
After the official All American Rejects Tour had come to an end in Tampa, Florida, the two
talents united solo yet again to finish off their independent run and headed to South Carolina,
where I was fortunate enough to catch their first appearance so close to my home at one of
Columbia's most profound venues - New Brooklyn Tavern. Upon my arrival, the room grew dark
as the crowd quickly migrated toward center stage and so started the prelude signaling the start
of the show. The audience cheered as each member stepped out one by one.
The night's lineup gave us an eclectic glimpse into the bands discography, which included
favorites like ‘Ghost’, and ‘10 Minutes Underwater', both from their most recent album School for
Thought released in 2021, and hits from their 2017 debut album Mis°An°Thrope, such as
‘Rope’, ‘Anti Everything’, ‘Hate Me’, and ‘FMFY’, which pays homage to where it all began for
the budding nu-metal quartet.

The highlight of the night was the much anticipated performance of the troupe's brand new
single ‘Until I Die’ featuring Chris Motionless, released just 3 weeks prior to the performance and
has quickly become a crowd favorite, and well on its way to 50,000 plays according to Spotify
just one month after its release.

The small talk between songs was kept to a minimum though the set felt more so as if we
were being treated to a VIP performance, the way the stage hovered a few feet above floor level
barricade free, and each member kept it personal by engaging with the audience through fist
bumps, eye contact, and smiles. As the final note of the set faded out, the crowd chanted,
demanding an encore which Joe regrettably announced was not part of the show this time,
though informed us of where to find him to meet and engage with everyone on a personal level
and as promised, the band delivered.

I watched as Joe headed straight for the merch table, which proudly displayed an array of
clothing and one of a kind hand drawn drum heads, where he interacted and spoke with those in
attendance. A few moments later the rest of the band appeared all smiles as they hung behind
for photos and happily signed merch while connecting with fans.

Towards the end of the night, I had the pleasure of running into Matt, where he recalled our
last encounter 7 years prior at Epicenter in Rockingham, NC, which just goes to show the
amount of attention the guys put into the people they meet along the way. You can tell by their
faces the fans mean everything to this band and they are so grateful for their support. To Joe,
Kyle, Alex, and Matt—well done all around, from the theatrics to the fan experience.
If you have a chance to catch Ded I would highly recommend it. The crew absolutely brought
the Arizona heat.