Rock band coming to concert series July 11
BY SASKATOON DAMM
REPORTER
“Be prepared to have a good time. Expect to be ready to dance,” said Lizzy Dallas, lead singer of 30 Minute Difference.
30 Minute Difference, a rock band from Chippewa Falls, will perform at the Tombstone Bandshell on Thursday, July 11 as part of the Kiwanis Summer Concert Series. The performance is sponsored by The Star News.
The band recently played at Summerfest in Milwaukee for the second year in a row. To make the Summerfest stage twice, 30 Minute Difference was selected as a top 10 high school garage band in the Rockonsin contest in both 2023 and 2024. The Rockonsin contest is open to bands comprised of Wisconsin students in 7th-i2th grade.
“We didn’t place in the top two, but we had a lot of fun.
It was really cool to not necessarily compete but see how other bands play. We really enjoyed it,” Dallas said of the Milwaukee performance.
30 Minute Difference was formed one year ago, when the four band members decided to make an audition tape for Rockonsin. “We formed as a group to get into the competition and then were like, this is fun, and we decided we wanted to keep going,” Dallas explained. Two sets of siblings make up the band: Lizzy Dallas sings, Caleb Dallas plays guitar, Jaydin Joles drums, and Jerney Joles plays bass.
For Lizzy Dallas, performing live is the highlight of being in a band. She loves “getting the audience involved,” adding, “the support is really fun.”
While audience engagement has been the most rewarding aspect of her experience in a band, firing up a crowd intimidated Dallas to start. With a year’s experience, Dallas and the band have become more comfortable on stage. “I typically talk to [the crowd], almost try to make it conversation. I’d definitely say that is something not in my strong suit. I feel like I’m a pretty reserved person. I keep to myself. But when it’s performing, you have to make people feel like they are involved in the show too,” Dallas stated.
True to garage band tradition, 30 Minute Difference plays for the love of music. Dallas summed up their motivation for playing, simply stating, “We have a lot of fun.”
Beyond music, the band enjoys having fun together as teenagers. ‘Last year, when we were in Milwaukee and we all stayed at the same hotel, Jerney thought it was funny to knock on our door, and we ended up knocking on their door, just saying, “housekeeping,” and running away. The first time it really got us. Now we just kind of do that. We did that again this year,’ Dallas recalled.
Fueled by a common passion for rock, the band seeks to make their lively spirit infectious to everyone who watches them play. Dallas views music as a special force in promoting a sense of togetherness. “You’ll see [connection] at the high school sport level, but I feel like people connect with music a lot differently. I feel like music is easier to connect with. For me, I just love getting the audience and community members involved.” She added, “It’s like a gathering, almost.'
As far as their song lineup, 30 Minute Difference plays “A lot of bands from the 80s and 90s. “That’s our core.
That’s who inspires us.” On the Summerfest stage, the band stayed true to their roots. We started our set with “All the Small Things” by Blink-182. Then we did “I Hate Myself for Loving You,” “Summer of 69,” “Zombie,” and “Crazy Train.’” Looking to the future, the band anticipates making original music. “We are hoping to eventually start adding some originals because we all agree that that would be good for us, and we’d have more fun performing some of our own music,” Dallas said.
Check out 30 Minute Difference on Facebook @30 Minute Difference and on Instagram @30minutedifference for a further preview of their music.
Band members Jerney Joles (right to left), Lizzy Dallas, Caleb Dallas, and Jaydin Joles of the band 30 Minute Difference played onstage at Summerfest after being selected as a top 10 high school garage band in Wisconsin.
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