Dino Skatepark
Written by: Cait Elizabeth - January 2020
Edited by: Travis Ryan
Introductions
Dino Skatepark’s band name is a clear reflection of the sense of adventure and fun they nurture within their music. Their latest EP Patchwork could be used as the score for a ska-punk themed action movie. Dance-inducing tempos and endlessly catchy lyrics meld with cinematic, scene-setting instrumental breaks. Just when you’ve got your feet under you again, they close out with an acoustic gem called “East Quogue” that contains the most stunning trumpet solo I’ve ever heard. Adventures. Trust me.
The six-piece lineup features Dylan Belpanno (vocals), Ryan Coreno (trumpet/vocals), Rodrigo Rodriguez (baritone sax), Conor Franzone (guitar), Kieran Franzone (bass/vocals), and Joe Quinn (drums). Founded in 2014, most of the band’s original members are Connetquot High School alum—though the band has seen a series of lineup changes over time.
A new song typically starts with lyrics and a melody from Dylan. Conor then builds off the starting point, but the entire band pitches in with writing. The group mentions Every Time I Die, Thank You Scientist, Streetlight Manifesto, Tiny Moving Parts, and Protest the Hero as major influences to their style. “Watching and listening to those artists give us the drive to perform with high energy and write songs that are musically and technically intricate and diverse.”
Tours & Shows
Dino Skatepark took their 2019 release Patchwork on the road this past August. Packing eight shows into nine days, they jumped off from LI to hit New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Ohio, and Upstate New York. An adventure for adventurers, the band recounts one of their bizarre road stories, this one taking place in Bowling Green, OH:
“After the show we were walking back to our friends house. As we walked up the driveway, we look up at the neighbor's house and we see a 6 foot easter bunny staring down at us "Donnie Darko" style from the window.”
The Dinos managed to escape Frank the (Easter) Rabbit unscathed and safely made their way back home.
Dino Skatepark has new material on the way and you can expect to catch some new songs later on in 2020!
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“Even if there’s four people watching, play like there’s 400. People will eventually notice and four will become 400.
If your passenger door won’t shut on your 12-Passenger Ford Transit, you have to line up the latch on the inside of the door and have the driver close from the outside while a passenger closes from the inside.”