Dining Dead, a Seattle-born music project, was formed after Emma Belmont and Sammy Skidmore, both Seattle natives, reconnected years after meeting at summer camp. Bonding over their shared love of guitar, The Shins (they would see the band together at Bumbershoot in 2008) and The Pixies, they were fast friends in 7th grade. Fast forward years later and the two began writing songs at Emma’s home, joined by future drummer Bogie Pieper. The project’s sound expanded from singer/songwriter to full-blown band with the addition of Shannon Barberry (bass), Bogie Pieper (drums), and Kennedy Webb (violin, synth, and backup vocals). Their unique style blends poetic lyrics, ethereal vocals, funky rhythms, narrative and melodic guitar solos, and an orchestral sensibility shaped by Kennedy’s classical violin training. With this lineup, Dining Dead breaks traditional song structure and incorporates swing and funk-influenced grooves with classical leaning composition and pop song feel.Dining Dead’s sound draws from Seattle’s music scene and the folk-country influences of Kennedy and Shannon’s Mississippi and Tennessee roots. The complex, syncopated rhythms brought forth by Bogie imbue Sammy’s songwriting (shaped by artists like Neko Case, Patti Smith, Kim Gordon, and Kate Bush) with more interest. These influences and elements converge to create a meaningfully diverse catalog of songs.