Watch: Shinedown surprise Dinosaur Pile-Up with 'insanely generous gift'

An amazing gesture

Dinosaur Pile-Up
Author: Scott ColothanPublished 23rd Jul 2019
Last updated 23rd Jul 2019

Categorical proof that they’re four of the nicest guys in rock music, Shinedown surprised support act Dinosaur Pile-Up with an ‘insanely generous gift’ live on stage in Phoenix, Arizona on Saturday night (20th July).

Leeds alt-rockers Dinosaur Pile-Up have been supporting Shinedown on their extensive North American tour for over a month now and - in their own words - they’ve been flanked by a “tiny battered backdrop” for more than 300 shows that’s “so torn up we couldn’t even hang it up anymore.”

Introducing themselves on stage at the 5,000-capacity Comerica Theatre on Saturday, Dinosaur Pile-Up unveiled their small banner to the audience, saying “we can’t afford a big banner – so there’s our banner.”

To their surprise, moments later a curtain dropped to reveal a gargantuan banner that spanned the entire vast stage.

Sharing footage of the moment on Instagram, Dinosaur Pile-Up said the new backdrop was “paid for, delivered and set up on stage - all without our knowledge – by Shinedown, as a gift.”

Shinedown

They wrote: “You should know; backdrops are EXTREMELY expensive and there is no way we could have afforded a new one, especially of this size, for the foreseeable future. We’d therefore decided that we’d just keep rocking our little beat up one until it literally fell apart.”

Dinosaur Pile-Up added: “What you can’t see in this video, is us being taught what it is to be a truly great band, and that being a truly great band begins with music and genre, but in the end surpasses them both and comes to rest in your actions as people.

“When we went to find Brent (Smith), Barry (Kerch), Eric (Bass) and Zach (Myers) after the show to thank them for their insanely generous gift, they said they didn’t want our thanks, and that they just wanted us to have success of our own, and that when we did get that success - we would pay it forward and help someone else out that needed it, as they’d helped us out, and as they’d experienced in their own journey to where they are now.”

The trio continued: “In all of our 12 years of touring in DPU, we have never experienced generosity from a headlining band like this. That is what you can’t see in this video. Something far more valuable than just an insanely generous gift. A shining example of what it is to be truly great.

“So, to Brent, Barry, Eric, Zach and their amazing crew; from the bottom of our hearts, thank you. For truly leading by example, and for helping us out. We promise to pay it forward."

Watch the moment the curtain was dropped here:

Dinosaur Pile-Up play five UK shows this coming December – head to Kerrang! Radio Tickets to buy tickets.

They play the following dates:

DECEMBER 2019

Bristol Exchange – 6th

Birmingham Institute – 8th

Glasgow Garage (Attic Bar) – 9th

Manchester Academy 3 – 10th

London Scala – 11th

Watch the brilliant video for their Kerrang! Radio playlisted banger 'Back Foot', below.