Dummy’s recent concert at Songbyrd Music House in DC felt like more than a live show — it was a statement. The band delivered a tightly wound performance blending shimmering guitars, motorik rhythms, and ambient textures that burrowed under the skin.
Nalinee Darmong was there to photograph the show!
ChatGPT produced this overview to accompany original photographs for this Snapshots photo essay.
Dummy toyed with space and momentum, letting songs drift in subtle changes before snapping into taut, enveloping crescendos. Every shift — whether in dynamics, feedback, or synth layering — was deliberate. Vocals — often hushed — hovered just above the mix, adding texture rather than dominating, letting the instrumental tension carry much of the emotional weight.
Mid-set on Sept. 14, Dummy leaned into more percussive terrain: Drums pushed harder, bass lines pulsed with urgency, synths and feedback crackled in greater contrast. In the final stretch, they deconstructed the intensity, peeling back layers until what remained was a steady, resonant pulse — an ending more of fade-out than full stop, satisfying yet haunting in its restraint.
Watch the official music video for “Dip in the Lake” by Dummy on YouTube:
Speaking of satisfying: Dummy recently released Free Energy (September 2024, via Trouble in Mind), their second full-length album. The album leans further into movement, dance, and psychedelic textures, foregrounding Emma Maatman’s vocals more confidently, incorporating field recordings made on tour, and experimenting with instrumental and sample-led composition. On top of that, Dummy has also put out Bubbelibrium DLC, a full reimagining of Free Energy tracks via remixes by peers and collaborators, released in June 2025.
At Songbyrd, the set seemed to live in that “Free Energy” space — energetic, exploratory, willing to unsettle, but also lush and grounded. The show both celebrated where the band has gotten, and made you excited to see where they go next.
Instant Success and Flowers for the Dead opened the show. Scroll down for photos of the opening bands!
But first, here are photos of Dummy performing live at Songbyrd Music House on Sept. 14, 2025. All pictures copyright and courtesy of Nalinee Darmrong.
Here are some photos of Flowers for the Dead by Nalinee.
Here are some photos of Instant Success by Nalinee!
