Hannah Crooks
Originally spelled “Dive,” the rock band DIIV’s name is a tribute to
the Nirvana song of the same title and came from the acknowledgement
of the oceanic sound of the band’s first album, Oshin, and that all
of the band members’ astrological signs are water signs.
In an interview with Billboard in 2015, lead singer Zachary Cole
Smith reminisced on the genesis:
“Before the band started, a lot of the songs had this kind of ocean,
water vibe, so super early on, I just called the project Dive, before
I knew it was going to go out in the world or anything. Once we left
the little Brooklyn circle, we realized there were like five bands
called Dive in various countries … So it became DIIV.”
Kick-starting its newly announced tour, DIIV will perform at the
Englert, 221 E. Washington St., on Friday.
Smith felt more freedom with *Oshin* and its development and style
because it was the first work DIIV released to the public. The band’s
second album, Is the Is Are, which was released in 2016 after a
four-year wait, was a much more personal album. It covered many of the
struggles Smith has dealt with in his life, including drug addiction.
“You have your whole life to write your first record, and it kind of
flows at a natural pace, but then there’s a second album, and there
are eyes on you and attention on the process,” Smith said in the same
Billboard interview. “There’s no way to explain it. It’s like the
equivalent of having your Google search history just broadcast to the
whole world.”
On Feb. 3, Smith announced on Instagram that, after a long history of
drug addiction and an arrest for possession of heroin and Ecstasy in
2013, he would check into long-term rehab.
“So I guess now is the time for me to stop kidding myself and
everybody else. Checking in now for a long-haul inpatient treatment,”
Smith said. “See you all on the other side.”
Smith has kept fans updated on his progress, posting photos on
Instagram with captions telling how many days he has been sober. His
most recent post on March 29 also revealed the lineup for DIIV’s new
tour.
“YES … the DIIV is playing some shows. See below for the logistical
information you seek. Same clothes, new outlook on life. #soberville
#day33,” Smith said on Instagram.
DIIV’s second album was not simply a therapeutic way to deal with
life’s struggles. Smith hopes that through “Is the Is Are,” his story
can be a warning to others who are dealing with similar issues or who
may be exposed to the environments he was exposed to.
“When I see kids with no experience with anything talking about
‘Dopamine’ as a heroin record, I want it to be a cautionary tale,” he
said in an interview with Pitchfork. “Look at the words. Look at
what happened to me.”
When: 9:15 p.m. Friday
Where: Englert, 221 E. Washington
Cost: $20 in advance/$22 day of show