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Dhani Harrison and his band 'thenewno2' rock fans at Seattle's Bumbershoot

BY: SHELLEY GERMEAUX

SEPTEMBER 5, 2012

Dhani Harrison and his band “thenewno2” made two appearances in Seattle over Labor Day weekend. They performed at Seattle’s annual arts and music festival, Bumbershoot, on Sunday, then appeared Monday at Queen Anne’s Easy Street Records, where they did a short acoustic set and signed albums for fans. We spoke to two fans who attended these events and shared their comments and photos with us. Troy Gudmundson saw the show at Bumbershoot and Gillian Gaar went to the listening party.

Dhani, son of Beatle George Harrison, is promoting his new alternative rock album entitled “The Fear of Missing Out," a reference to today's society and the reliance on social networking.

Troy said, “When we first arrived, they handed out these masks. They reminded me of his dad’s album, ‘Brainwashed.’” (Dhani and thenewno2 designed that album cover. The masks symbolize the idea of anonymity that Harrison was looking for when coming up with a ‘faceless’ name for the band.)

“Their music is electronic, very contemporary and techno,” Troy said. (Gillian’s term: electronic/trip-hop). “And it’s really loud---I mean really loud--- thumpy bass and drum--- loud to the point where we had to have earplugs in.”

Troy recalled Dhani saying to the audience, “This is our fourth time playing in Seattle. Every time we play here, we hear crickets in the audience.” Troy explained that it’s probably because the style of music is such that if you’re not overly familiar with it, you’re not sure when a song actually has ended. “You don’t want to be the one clapping when you realize the song isn’t actually over. So you wait to see. And then sometimes it IS over,” he laughed.

“Dhani is definitely the front man,” Troy said. “He plays guitar and sings every number, and really jumps around a lot on stage. He’s very into his music, very ‘one’ with it. It’s fascinating. He also plays an electric ukulele---you know how much his dad loved ukes! So it’s really amazing, and intense.”

‘Thenewno2’ then appeared the next day at Queen Anne’s Easy Street Records, where about thirty people showed up for the 20-minute acoustic performance. Gillian Gaar (Seattle Pop Culture Examiner) attended that event and told us: “It was a short set. Someone passed out ‘newno2’ stickers beforehand. More acoustic than the new record, there were 2 acoustic guitars, and at one point 2 ukuleles! Dhani also played keyboards for one number. Seemed like most everyone stayed after for an autograph. I just happened to see on the marquee the band was playing so I didn't have any CDs, but got the band's autographs on the newno2 paper masks that had been passed out. Also told Dhani I reviewed the CD for American Songwriter. He was very friendly, all the band were, my Elvis t-shirt was complimented.”

In a WSJ Live interview, Dhani and fellow bandmember Paul Hicks (son of Hollies member Tony Hicks) talk about the meaning of the name of the new album, “Fear of Missing Out;” The band name, “Thenewno2” came from “domain names and hashtags,” Dhani said. Website URLs are words strung together. Dhani continued, “It will be easier for people to understand in the future.” They have been credited with the album design for George Harrison's Brainwashed, Concert for George, The Dark Horse Years Box Set, and the menu design for the Concert for Bangladesh DVD.

“Thenewno2” music differs greatly from the melodic and rhythmic, softer style of Dhani’s other band, “Fistful of Mercy,” which includes Ben Harper and Joseph Arthur. 

Dhani Harrison and the newno2 at Queen Anne's Easy Street Records Monday

Photo credit:  

Gillian Gaar