The Sacramento post-hardcore band Dance Gavin Dance has specialized in aggressive, emotionally charged anthems shaped by a revolving roster that has consistently revolved around founding pillars Will Swan on lead guitar and vocals together with drummer Matt Mingus. On Rise Records since their first release in 2006, the group gradually ascended the charts before achieving broader mainstream traction during the mid-2010s. A decade after forming, Mothership reached number 13 on the Billboard 200 in 2016, while its 2018 successor Artificial Selection followed closely at number 15. Entering a new era, the band issued Afterburner in 2020 and, amid further personnel shifts, delivered Jackpot Juicer in 2022.
The ensemble came together in 2005 with an original lineup that included vocalists Jonny Craig and Jonathan Mess, guitarists Will Swan and Sean O'Sullivan, bassist Eric Lodge, and drummer Matt Mingus. After issuing the self-released EP Whatever I Say Is Royal Ocean, Dance Gavin Dance secured a deal with Rise Records in 2006, prompting the label to remaster and reissue the recording. Their debut full-length Downtown Battle Mountain appeared the following year under the guidance of producer Kris Crummett, who would collaborate repeatedly with the group thereafter. Prior to the 2008 self-titled sophomore album, Craig departed and Kurt Travis briefly assumed vocal duties; Mess and Lodge also exited, prompting Swan to handle screaming vocals while Jason Ellis joined on bass. Happiness surfaced in 2009. Further adjustments occurred in 2010 when Mess and Lodge rejoined alongside guitarist Josh Benton, and Jonny Craig returned momentarily to replace Travis once more. This configuration produced the sequel Downtown Battle Mountain II before Craig left again in 2012. Tilian Pearson, formerly of Tides of Man, arrived in 2013 to front the fifth album Acceptance Speech, by which time Tim Feerick had established himself as the permanent bassist.
Throughout these repeated transitions, Dance Gavin Dance continued their upward trajectory on the Billboard charts, culminating in Instant Gratification reaching number 32 in 2015 and paving the way for a tenth-anniversary tour later that year. Tree City Sessions, the second live album, arrived in 2016 and revisited material from the first six records while restoring Josh Benton for guitar and production roles. Months afterward, the seventh LP Mothership debuted at number 13 on the Billboard 200. With a stabilized roster, the band tracked its eighth album Artificial Selection in 2018, which spotlighted the singles “Son of a Robot” and “Care” plus guest appearances by Andrew Wells on “Evaporate” and former vocalist Kurt Travis on “Shelf Life.” They also issued a remastered instrumental edition of the 2013 album under the title Acceptance Speech 2.0. Additional original material soon followed on the tenth studio album Afterburner, which welcomed returning contributors Wells, Strawberry Girls’ Zachary Garren, and Veil of Maya’s Marc Okubo. A second live collection, Tree City Sessions 2, appeared as well. Andrew Wells, who had previously contributed as a guest and touring musician, became an official member in 2021. In the turbulent first half of 2022, the group faced the exit of its vocalist and the sudden passing of bassist Tim Feerick, both of whom featured on the July release Jackpot Juicer.
