The Dirty Nil Hit Their Stride with 'Higher Power'

Published Mar 01, 2016

Ontario rock'n'roll darlings the Dirty Nil say the response to their debut full-length Higher Power , released last week on Dine Alone , has "smashed any doubt" the members had about the trajectory of their band."Everything that I've seen has been overwhelmingly positive," guitarist and lead singer Luke Bentham tells Exclaim! "I personally had modest expectations about what this would do for us, and they've already been broken, so everything from here on out is gravy. The outpouring of positive feedback has been pretty overwhelming and moving, because we put a lot of work into it and toured our assess off this past year, and we're doing it again for the foreseeable future."Higher Power marks a major milestone for the three-piece from the suburbs of Hamilton, ON. In the last few years, the band have released a handful of EPs and singles — including a 7-inch backed by Fat Wreck Chords in 2014 — amid relentless touring throughout North America and Europe, before signing with Dine Alone Records last year.The band sat down with Exclaim! after a two-night stand of sold-out headlining shows at the Hamilton club This Ain't Hollywood and just before what would be another sell-out gig at the historic Horseshoe Tavern in Toronto."These last few days have just smashed any doubt that I think any of us had," said Bentham. "We're all very, very happy right now."Produced by Adam Bentley and Greys frontman Shehzaad Jiwani, and mixed by John Goodmanson (Sleater-Kinney, Death Cab for Cutie, Bikini Kill), the 11-track Higher Power exhibits the band's trademark overdriven, punk-infused and ultra-catchy rock'n'roll.The Dirty Nil will be on tour for at least the next six weeks, including a two-week stint supporting Philadelphia-based band Restorations , and the trio plan to spend the rest of the year "ping-ponging" between North America and Europe to promote the new record."Pretty much just touring until we die, that's the next plan," Bentham says.See below for upcoming tour dates and sample "No Weaknesses" fromTour dates:03/04 London, ON - Rum Runners03/05 St. Catharines, ON - Detour Music Hall03/11 Lakewood, OH - Mahall's *03/12 Dekalb, IL - The House Cafe *03/13 Lawrence, KS - Jackpot Music Hall *03/16 Austin, TX - SXSW 201603/18 Dallas, TX - Spillover 201603/19 Dallas, TX - Spillover 201603/21 Atlanta, GA - Masquerade *03/22 Charlotte, NC - The Milestone Club *03/23 Richmond, VA - Strange Matter *03/25 Brooklyn, NY - Rough Trade NYC ^03/26 Long Branch, NJ - Brighton Bar ^03/27 Harrisburg, PA - The Millworks ^03/29 Toronto, ON - Horseshoe Tavern^03/30 Detroit, MI - Majestic Café ^03/31 Grand Rapids, MI - The Intersection ^04/01 Chicago, IL - Cobra Lounge ^04/02 Milwaukee, WI - Club Garibaldi ^04/03 Minneapolis, MN - 7th Street Entry ^04/05 Columbus, OH - Double Happiness ^04/06 Pittsburgh, PA - Club Café ^04/07 Washington, DC - DC9 Nightclub ^04/08 Philadelphia, PA - Johnny Brenda's ^04/09 Allston, MA - Great Scott ^* with Greys^ with Restorations