dinosaurs eat everybody

for all your Dave Schwantes related needs

I have been in and out of bands since the 5th grade. Some of those bands/musical projects and have been more serious or longer lived than others, but I will attempt to catalog a good portion of my musical history here.

Grave Danger

(2017 - present)
  • Dave Schwantes - guitars, bass, keys, tenor sax, bari sax
  • Dane Erbach - drums
  • Chris Marcanti - vocals (2019 - present)
  • Margaret Miller - trombone
  • Andy Miller - trumpet
  • Emily Erbach - synth
  • Alan Erbach - vocals (2018)
Grave Danger started as a joke between me and Dane; We should start a ska got band! A skath band! I started writing a song and it was so much fun we made it a real thing.

Releases
Let 'er RIP (2018)
Tomb It May Concern (2019)
Specter Inspector (single) (2021)
Wake the Dead (single) (2022)
And Or Not
(2023 - present)
  • Dave Schwantes - vocals, bass, drums, keys
This is my weird noisy, bass driven solo project (which is for some reason different than "Solo Stuff"). I sing and play al the instruments and it's very inspired by Death From Above 1979. I wrote a bit more about it in this post.

Releases
The Infernal Machine (2023)
Solo Stuff
  • me - guitar, bass, keys, vocals, whatever
Sometimes I do some recording and or songwriting on my own, particularly since I've moved to California, leaving my bands and longtime musical collaborators back in Chicago.
Packets and Waves
(2010 - present)
  • Eileen Hays - vocals, bass
  • Dave Schwantes - guitar, bass, keys, backing vocals
Eileen and I have recorded a few covers and one original song together under as Packets and Waves.
The Wonks
(2012 - 2013)
  • Eileen Hays - vocals, bass
  • Dave Schwantes - guitar, vocals
  • Linda Alves - guitar, vocals
  • Zach Goldman - drums
This was a 90's cover band I started with some of Eileen's grad school friends. We played a few gigs but sort of dissolved after Zach moved to Sacramento.
The American Autumn

(2008 - 2012?)
  • Chris Marcanti - vocals, guitar
  • Josh Marcanti - vocals, bass (2008 - 2010), guitar (2010 - present)
  • Sam Nallen - bass ( 2010 - present)
  • Brandon Winger - drums (2010 - present)
  • Dave Schwantes - guitar, piano, backing vocals (2008 - 2011)
  • Dane Erbach - drums (2008 - 2010)
We started this band with the idea of making fun, catchy music. Though it's been through a few lineup changes, The American Autumn is still going strong (even without me).

Releases
self titled demo (2009)
Do You Like Me? Yes/No/Maybe (2010)
Davenport
(???)
  • Matt Mills - vocals, guitar
  • Dave Schwantes - guitar
  • Chris Marcanti - bass, backing vocals
  • Bryan Dunk - drums
We always described Davenport as "aggressive indie". A lot of the song writing was a weird mix of classic rock, folk, and progressive modern punk. Sometimes it was weird and sometimes it was really cool.

Releases
Ten Paces and Turn (2005)
The Seedy Laflure Sessions (2007)
Miss April
(2003 - 2004)
  • Dan Maquis - vocals, guitar
  • Matt Mills - guitar
  • Dave Schwantes - bass
  • Bryan Dunk - drums
Formed when were all in college, Miss April didn't last very long but laid the groundwork for future bands like Davenport and The American Autumn.

Releases
demo (2004)
Captain Supreme
(???)
  • Amy - vocals
  • Ben - bass
  • Joe - guitar ()
  • Dave Schwantes - alto sax, keys (), guitar ()
  • Chris Grosse - tenor sax
  • Luke - trumpet ()
  • Dane Erbach - drums
  • Alan Erbach - trumpet ()
  • Kyla - trumpet ()
Captain Supreme was a really fun ska band.

Releases
Rockasaurus Demo
Cheese Side Down Demo
Blamp (2003)
Hello Bert
(1999 - 2001)
  • Dave Schwantes - guitar, bass, vocals
  • Kyle Loeffel - guitar, bass, vocals
  • Bryan Dunk - drums
My ska/punk band from high school. This was the first "real" band I was ever in.

Releases
Pantsless Antics (2000)