Doug Dirt, bassist for the Puffball Dance Collective (as well as its founder), has a problem. He really likes playing dance music, but he also loves dancing—and he can’t do both at the same time.
“In my heart of hearts, I’m a dancer. My biggest conflict is I want to be performing, and I want to be doubling myself and be dancing with all my friends. I really wish I could do that,” Dirt says.
Dirt created the Puffball Dance Collective to give people great dance music. The band plays tunes by Allman Brothers, the Dead, and Steely Dan, as well as some originals. It also jams these tunes out and infuses the songs with as much groove as possible.
“I wanted to play great, fabulous dance music in a wide variety of music genres to get people some wonderful dancing time,” he says. “The purpose is to lift spirits and to get people to move.”
Before starting this band, Dirt already had plenty of bands going—he plays in the Banana Slug String Band and in Slugs N’ Roses. For this group, he assembled an ensemble of his favorite local players, guys he considers better musicians than he is. Currently the lineup includes David Cameron (guitar), Marc Sveen (guitar), Lachlann Kane (keys), and Covet Potter (drums).
As for the band name, that’s all Dirt. Anyone that knows him is aware of his puffball obsession. What they may not realize, though, is that it’s an homage to his daughter. The two made a necklace of puffballs with a peace sign on it together 12 years ago when she was 7. He’s been wearing it every day since.
“It’s on my passport, it’s on my driver’s license. It’s on many things. So the Puffball Dance Collective is in honor of the puffballs I wear, and all the band members are honorary puffball members,” Dirt says.
INFO: 7:30 p.m. Friday, Aug. 5. Don Quixote’s, 6275 Hwy. 9. $12/adv, $15/door. 335-2800.
