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Dustin Hays

@dstnhays

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Playing my 200th Wally's set next week..

Tried digging through old photos and videos and got overwhelmed trying to narrow down all the memories.

I started going to Wally's sometime in 2013, but only hit a few Jipsea Party shows. I definitely still prefer not being in public, but was rrreally good at it when I was younger… In 2015 when I graduated from only doing open mics, Ando got me on a few acoustic shows. As time went on, he kept throwing me on bills, and I was always down.

The Nightmares came about in 2017, and we quickly joined on any bill we could get on. Jumped in on drums for Children in Heat & guitar for The Crushers. Matt asked me to join Not All There in 2019, Nightmares got Keefer on drums and we played a few solid shows before covid hit and halted everything for a year or so.

After covid the Nightmares got Stephan on drums and we went right back to it.. I played my last sets with CIH & the Crushers in 2023… Nightmares went down to a 2-piece & I was able to fill in on bass for a Rich & Rare Rebels set in '24 (one of my all-time favorite shows). Kept truckin with NAT thru all that, ‘til I played my last set with those fellas last October.

No matter how bad I'm doing, my heart still relaxes a bit every time I walk into that building. I love getting to stand by the bathrooms and fall in love with drummers doing shit way out of my skill level.. Hiding upstairs before our set when there's too many people downstairs.. sneakin’ pictures of Ando smiling.. I love getting to see people adore my mom bein' in the crowd so often.. No matter what's going on or how many people are there, I know it'll be a good night.

I'm endlessly grateful to have been present for so much of what has happened at Wally's over the last 11 years. Love Ando for inviting a whiney songwriter into his world and never gettin’ tired of me shoutin’ into his mics. Still glad that I'm able to throw as much time as I can playing in bands and jumping on bills. So pumped to continue.

Anywayyyyyys…. Nightmares are playing Wally's July 24th. Moss Glow & the Van Dels are fillin’ out the bill. Come hang <3 by @dstnhays

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7 days ago

JUNE.26

Busy ass month - with a whole bunch of my favorite people.

Played drums in a handful o' new states. Got to see the Phoenix lights hill, and a whole mess of places mentioned in Pixies & FB tunes I never thought I'd get to pass thru. :)

I've wanted to head to Roswell since I was 6 - finally got to check that off the list. (1/20) <3 by @dstnhays

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25 days ago

*MAY* I use the restroom?

17 gigs. 1 record show. Nightmares in a whole bunch o' cities we've never been before. Lots of coffee. A little sleep. by @dstnhays

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2 months ago

Callin' it early.

April kicked ass. by @dstnhays

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3 months ago

Damn good month.

#raindropsonroses by @dstnhays

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4 months ago

Feb. 2026 by @dstnhays

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5 months ago

2.21.26

First big show o' the year <3

📸: @lightexposure by @dstnhays

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5 months ago

Janzz, babyy <3 by @dstnhays

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6 months ago

Bits I'm glad to have experienced.

2025 <3 by @dstnhays

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7 months ago

Not sure what just happened.

Busiest year of my life. In less than 12 months, almost everything changed.

Thankful that I'm buried in so many of my passions, and to be surrounded by so many beautiful people, who make it worth hangin' on. by @dstnhays

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8 months ago

10.25.25

41st gig o' the year. Locked in with the boys. Free from thought - for 60 minutes.

😘: @drewwhitmanphoto by @dstnhays

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9 months ago

10.17.25

Love this band, and these boys.

Honored to have spent the last six years playing drums with these fellas.

I've adored Not All There since the first time I heard "Lisa's Back" at a show in 2015 (I was late to the N.A.T. game... they've been a band since '98). In 2018 I interviewed the band, and wrote a '20 year retrospective' piece for The Comet.. had no idea I was gonna end up being a part of their story.

On the first Nightmares 7" we covered "Panic Attack".. had to pay tribute to the East Wenatchee upperclassmen. Replaced Tiff on drums in Children In Heat for a couple years, before I was offered to move in on drums for N.A.T.

Somehow, I managed to put my mark on a handful of tunes (once I figured out what I was doing) during my tenure in the band.. a few that might even show up in setlists for years to come.. alongside other bangers like "Stop Me If You've Heard This Before" and "Another Day" <3

The fourth drummer, but not the last. I got opportunity to interpret Joey's chaotic parts on the old stuff, honor Tiffany's hard work and clean playing, and attempt to survive Sean's drumming mastery. Tried my best with each practice, and each show, to be a better drummer, musician and bandmate. Still far off, but I'm gettin' there.

Loved spending so much time running thru songs and workin' out ideas on Thursday nights. I'll miss rushing through work just to bolt back to town to plow thru some uptempo punkerss with the boyzz. It brought me so much joy getting to sweat with this crew in front of the Snatchee banner whenever we could.

But - with time comes change.

I get to attend @notalltherewa shows again :)) It's been so long. I get to fan girl on Mad Matt to his face, rather than to his guitar strap & back pockets. Gonna join Chris & Ando yellin' "My Right!!" from the back of the room. And still gonna bother them to do a short vinyl run of Toilet Humor - 'til the day I die.

Thank you - so much @rix_lol for getting photos.

#lisawasthetopdogoncampus by @dstnhays

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9 months ago