Well-regarded sound engineer David Bye passed away unexpectedly on Sunday night, July 23, “due to heart and breathing complications,” according to Chris “Rex” Serrecchia, general manager of the Brick House, where Bye had worked as the house engineer since the venue opened in September 2004.

“Without Dave, the Brick House would not have the reputation that it has today for great sound, and he will be missed tremendously,” Serrecchia says, summing up the sentiments of many local musicians who immediately began paying tribute to Bye via e-mail. They praised his genuine friendliness and his love of live music.

“He always had a good attitude and never sweated the small stuff, he always went with the flow and was very respectful,” wrote keyboardist Mike “Sparky” Phillips, noting Bye’s “drive to make even the most amateur of bands sound like a million bucks.”
To honor his talents and passion for music, The Brick House is inviting local musicians to perform at a benefit show Saturday, July 29, from 3 to 9 p.m.

The band Big John and the Twins will host the jam session and Window Pain will close the event. “It will be open if someone wants to come in, play a little, do whatever,” Serrecchia says. A $10 cover charge will help Bye’s family with funeral costs, and the club will contribute the revenue from its draft beer sales that day.

Dover-raised Bye was one of the area’s longest running sound technicians, getting his start in the mid- 1970s working for Ear Craft in Dover. For most of his career, he worked as a sound contractor in various capacities, doing very few house gigs. Working at The Brick House was his way of cutting back on the workload, he told The Wire in a recent interview.

“I’m basically retired/disabled now,” he noted. “I just physically can’t do it (road gigs) anymore, which is frustrating. House gigs at The Brick House entail a good deal less stress on the body.” Tasks like loading in and out equipment were no longer part of his nightly itinerary, but the work was as enjoyable as ever. “Sound comes natural to (me),” he said, noting that he still had good hearing after 30-some years in the business.

Serrecchia says Zack Taylor, who has trained with Bye for over a year, is expected to take over his responsibilities at the club.