Dumplings is made up of Jon Dowling on guitar and vocals, Pam Hanlin on bass and vocals and Jason Dowling on drums and vocals. The trio have been making quirky garage rock for three years. Dumplings EP, Get Well released digitally and on cassette in 2013 was a dedication to Pam’s cat Vincent, who was ill at the time. You can catch Dumplings Tuesday, February 10th at Howlers with Baltimore band Et Al and The Cunks, or Sonny’s Tavern February 27.
Jon Dowling and Pam Hanlin at
HughShows Live @ Eide’s
Dumplings at Mr. Roboto Project
Sound Scene Express: When did you form your band? What inspired you to make music
together?
Dumplings: Dumplings formed in January 2012. Jon had a hankerin’ to make new music, so he called up his brother Jay and their mutual friend Pam to write a new page in Pittsburgh music history. Forever.
SSE: How long have you all known each other? How did you meet?
Dumplings: Jon and Jay have known each other since birth; literally. They have both known Pam since 2010. They met her during a chance encounter in their living room.
SSE: Who writes your song lyrics? What is your inspiration?
Dumplings: We all write em, and our inspiration is all around us: things we think are funny, things we think are sad, and things we think are sad but funny or funny but sad.
SSE: What are your day jobs, if any?
Dumplings: Jon makes the famous Burnt Almond Tortes at Prantl’s Bakery, Pam helps shape the minds of our city’s at-risk youth, and Jay runs sound for various local venues and
calls strangers to offer them money.
SSE: What’s the origin of the name Dumplings?
Dumplings: There was a German professor at the Art Institute that would mistake Jay and Jon’s last name as “Dumpling”. She called them “Dumpling Dahhhlings” which could also be a
pretty good band name in retrospect.
SSE: What genre of music do you consider your work to be? Who are your major influences?
Dumplings: Don’t really know what genre we are. Our influences are Elton John, Talking Heads, The Pixies, Suicide, and a whole bunch of other stuff.
SSE: What band would you love to open a show for?
Dumplings: Billy Joel
SSE: Where have you performed? What are your favorite venues?
Dumplings: We play a lot in the East End. Howlers and BBT are pretty great.
SSE: Do you perform outside of Pittsburgh?
Dumplings: We’re plotting and planning.
SSE: What are your rehearsals generally like? Do you have a set time each week, in which you practice or are rehearsals more spontaneous
Dumplings: We practice whenever we can, or when our neighbors probably won’t mind.
SSE: What do you think of the Pittsburgh Music Scene?
Dumplings: LOVE IT.
SSE: Dumplings has a show February 10th at Howlers, with Et Al and The Cunks.
Have you played with either band? If so what should we expect?
Dumplings: We haven’t played with either band, but from what we know it’s going to be a banger. Et Al is fun and real energetic!
SSE: How can fans-to-be gain access to your music? Do you have a website with sample songs or a demo CD?
Dumplings: We have a tape for sale, as well as free music at dumplings.bandcamp.com. There’s also some youtube videos up, including a video for our song “Wash Clothes”.
SSE: Is there anything else you wold like to add?
Dumplings: 2015 is gonna be a big year, so stay tuned!
