Deep Sea Diver Delivers A Deep Dive Into Greatness
Deep Sea Diver’s show at Off Broadway last night will go down in history as one of the most entertaining and memorable alternative music shows of 2025. If you were there, you already know how excellent Jessica Dobson and her band were. If you weren’t there, kick yourself.
After a mesmerizing and stellar performance from hand-picked openers, Byland, a Seattle-based, guitar-based duo of guitarist, keyboardist, and vocalist Alie Renee, and partner and guitarist Jacob John, engaged in creating musical soundscapes and deeply personal storytelling, the crowd started to draw closer. Their seven-song set opened with “Jubilee,” the number “Lean In” from their album Heavy For A While, and included a somber and delicate cover of Nirvana’s “Lithium” on piano.
Alie took time to interact with the audience and explain her inspiration for her songs, her less-than-orthodox upbringing in Albuquerque, New Mexico, as the child of parents who were cult members. She told the audience, “The last time we were in St. Louis, we had to use MapQuest,” she laughed. Before another song, she told a story about a meaningful event in her life. “We taught at this school, and one day, a little girl came to me and gave me a toy, and she had named it Gerald. My dad died when I was just 20, and his name was Gerald.” She also thanked Deep Sea Diver for choosing them for support and thanked the crowd for listening.
Then, it was time for the main event. The venue was packed, and the crowd moved closer to glimpse the frontwoman, guitarist, vocalist, and head diver, Jessica Dobson. Dobson, is already known as a great guitarist and touring musician with her gracing states worldwide as a touring musician with Portland’s the Shins, as well as Silverlake’s Beck. She also counts other major musicians as fans, including Pearl Jam’s Eddie Vedder.
I can safely state that Jessica Dobson is an absolute star at the same level as greats like Chrissie Hynde, PJ Harvey, or even Debbie Harry. She prowls the stage, tears off great guitar solos, and handles vocal duties and keyboards like a champ. We were in the room with a “star” and getting dusted by greatness.
She was dressed in a white satin shirt with red arm fringe, a bolo tie, a jean skirt, black tights, and black boots, the chic and the picture of indie cool and sexiness. Visually, she’s not only beautiful, but she has great moves, and she can play guitar and any shredder. She commanded the audience’s attention as she moved about on stage, struck classic guitar lead poses, jumped up on a lit riser, and moved from keys to guitar, and back again. Her band was equally impressive and helped Dobson recreate the studio intricacies of her latest Billboard Heart. She took tracks from Impossible Weight, Secrets, and History Speaks to new levels of live goodness, complete with percussion breaks, cowbell, and washing synths.
The band exploded on stage with the opening notes of the “Billboard Heart,” the title track from the new SubPop LP of the same name. In all, I counted 16 tracks total, and their blistering, fun-filled, and thrilling performance even included a banger of a drum solo, “You Go Running” from husband and drummer, Peter Mansen, and a cowbell from down in the crowd from keyboardist, percussionist, Elliot Jackson. She was joined for her fifth number, “Let Me Go,” by Byland’s Alie Renee. Dobson moved from guitar to her Prophet 5 synthesizer and keys for “Be Sweet.”
The audience roared its approval, and several members yelled, “We love you!” At another moment, Dobson paused and asked the crowd, “Does anyone have a question?” One rowdy, adoring fan yelled, “I love the fringe (her shirt had red fringe hanging from the sleeves)!” She responded, “I made it myself. Thank you for liking it.”
She encouraged the audience to take some of their music home and even mentioned that her new stomp box (Deep Sea Diver Fuzz-Echo from Benson) was available at the merch table. Speaking of pedals, it was fun to watch Dobson tap her extensive array of effects, tear into her fretboard, and rip some darn good solos.
During the solo on “Eyes Are Red (Don’t Be Afraid), she jumped up on top of a lit box and platform with artwork taken from the cover of Billboard Heart, and pointed her Fender Jazzmaster right into the audience. It was up-close-and-personal, and a real, authentic rock show from one of alternative music’s best.
Finally, it was time for the evening of massive entertainment to draw to a close, and they finished their night’s spectacular show with the closer, “Happiness Is Not A Given.” She also stated that it was for the night’s show. The audience hoped for an encore, but our greedy wish was not granted, which was understandable for most folks. When you witness a great show, you have to be thankful. As the audience poured out into the damp, rainy night, many commented that this show was among the best they’ve ever attended.
The anticipation for the next Deep Sea Diver show in St. Louis was palpable. The audience, still buzzing from the night’s performance, couldn’t wait for the next opportunity to experience their music live. The prospect of another unforgettable show left everyone excited and eager for the future.
