Spotlight: A Day In The Life with Return To Dust
PERFORMING AT AMERICA’S LARGEST ROCK FESTIVAL is a dream of any artist hoping to make it big, and in just over a week from the release of their debut record, Return To Dust did just that. The Los Angeles four-piece took to the Inferno stage at Welcome To Rockville in Daytona Beach for an electric set to kick off the day, simultaneously marking the first festival appearance of their career.
Frontman, Matty Bielawski is ecstatic racing down the stairs after their set, “I think that was the biggest stage we’ve ever played on.” Almost unbelievably, the performance also marked drummer London Hudson’s second show since joining the band’s lineup. The chemistry among the group is undeniable, blending seamlessly to bring a fresh, grunge revival to the already thriving rock scene.
With a near opening time slot on the final day of the festival, Return To Dust lured in a massive crowd of fans new and old. To an outsider, it would appear the group has been effortlessly amassing audiences of thousands for years.
Joining the band through their first festival experience, it is evident they hold their friends and family close. Family members gathered on the side of the stage, cheering the boys on through the come down of the rockstar high. Endless smiles and loving embraces were shared among the group in a heartwarming moment after the impressive performance. Fans gathered by the fence eager to catch sight of the band. When they took notice, there was no hesitation to head out and greet the crowd, snapping selfies and chatting with fans in the most genuine, intimate interactions.
As the crowd dispersed to catch other performances across the festival, the band hopped in a van to the artist lounge, still gleaming in the energy from the show. As we drove around the iconic NASCAR speedway, there was a quick debate over the true meaning of “Daytona 500” (which surprisingly only consists of 200 laps around the track). The day would proceed with numerous meetings and interviews backstage, but the true glory came from the luxuries of the lounge’s free coffee bar.
The band are true coffee connoisseurs - at least half of them. Matty Bielawski and Graham Stanush recently quit their day jobs brewing coffees at The Syndicate, but their love for their roots holds strong.
In case you were curious, their go to coffee orders are simplistic yet classic choices. Bielawski favors a honey latte while Stanush prefers anything chocolate or horchata. Hudson will always take a vanilla latte with almond milk. As for guitarist, Sebastian Gonzalez, he’d prefer a sprite, and in case their beloved producer and unofficial 5th member, Jim Kaufman is around, he always takes his coffee black.
In between back to back interviews and poster signings for some lucky VIP ticket holders, the band took to chatting about the importance of spotlighting the truth in the media while we shot portraits on the roof of the garage. This idea spans further into their music. The authenticity they show, specifically lyrically, is a key draw to their work. If there is one thing that sets Return To Dust from others, it is their urge to stay true to themselves in their music.
As the sun set over the speedway, eager anticipation rose as the set of their top artist to see approached - Slipknot. The night was brought to a bittersweet close as they danced in the crowd to Evanescence with their girlfriends and raced across the grounds to catch Slipknot soon after. Before they took off to the mosh pits, we shared our goodbyes after an exhausting, yet incredibly rewarding day.
This is far from the end you’ll hear of Return To Dust though - the band is set to hit the road on their first tour across the US in support of Sevendust this fall. With a stellar music video to their single “Face Down” accompanying the announcement, it is clear this is only the beginning of what is to come.
