Dick Dale at The Wormhole – photos + videos

I’ve bragged to a lot of people about seeing Dick Dale at The Wormhole back in April, and only a handful have actually known who he is, so if you don’t recognize the name, you are not alone. For context: if you’ve ever seen the end of Pulp Fiction, when Vince and Jules are walking out of the restaurant and there’s a guitar riff playing – that’s “Miserlou” by Dick Dale.

I first learned about Dick Dale in a class at UGA, and was in awe hearing about his experiences in the music world (Leo Fender designing a guitar and challenging him to destroy it), his unique technique (lefty playing guitar upside down), and who he had influenced as a musician (The Ventures, The Beach Boys, Jimi Hendrix, and Sonic Youth among countless others). Seriously, read up a little on him if you have a minute.

Known as the father of surf rock, Dick Dale began playing in the late 1950s and, at 78 years old, is still going strong today. I had no idea what to expect from this concert and, honestly, prepared to be the youngest person there. I figured, no matter what, this was something that I didn’t want to miss. As Dale walked onto the stage, accompanied by security, I got the impression that this show might not have too much gusto. I’ve never been happier to be wrong. Dick Dale puts on a show like you would expect from any classic rock icon – loud and a little bit showy, but in the best way possible. A couple more photos (I didn’t have my best camera with me, btw) and another video after the jump.

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Dick Dale – “Miserlou”

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Dick Dale – “House of the Rising Sun”