By day, Dusty Boyle and Brandon Olivo are dedicated employees at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, helping to advance the Lab’s mission in roles that require precision and teamwork. By night, they trade lab coats for musical instruments as members of Crawdad Republic, a Livermore-based band known for its genre-blending sound and community spirit.

Boyle, a supervisor for the Laser System Engineering and Operations Engineering group, also serves as deputy manager for diagnostic operations in the National Ignition Facility target-diagnostics team. He joined the Lab in 2006 as a contractor and became a full-time employee in 2014.

Olivo, the lead for the Lab’s explosives Inventory, Storage and Disposition team within Strategic Deterrence, has worked at the Lab on and off since 2001, starting in administrative support while a high-schooler and taking his current role in 2020.

Both Boyle and Olivo trace their passion for music to childhood, experimenting with instruments in elementary school and learning from family. 

“My dad played guitar a little bit, and I remember listening to him as a kid,” Olivo said. “After that I was largely self-taught, but eventually became friends with Jon Williams, now the lead singer of Crawdad Republic. We started playing in bands all through middle school and haven’t stopped.”

Boyle’s musical journey began similarly, picking up his father’s bass after a friend found a guitar in a neighbor’s trash. “I didn’t put it down basically ever since,” he said.

Crawdad Republic’s roots run deep in Livermore. Boyle and Olivo reconnected after college, joining forces with Williams and other local musicians. The band evolved from playing covers at local venues to writing original songs and developing a distinct sound. 

“We’re not a true bluegrass band,” Olivo said. “Our songs are a lot more poppy, but we dip into a lot of different genres — newgrass, Americana, indie folk, even some rock and funk influences.”

Boyle and Olivo both learned new instruments specifically for the band — Olivo picked up the banjo, while Boyle switched to upright bass. The band’s name and signature flag, featuring a crawdad in place of the California bear, started as a lighthearted idea that stuck.

“We created the flag, which is basically the California Republic flag, but with a crawdad on it,” said Boyle. “We had that flag made before we really did anything as a band. So we bought the flag and we’re like, I guess we should finish writing all the rest of the songs for this first album.”

Balancing busy Lab careers, family life and music takes careful coordination. The band has even played at the finish line of the Livermore Half Marathon, with half the members running the race before jumping onstage.

“We all work around each other,” Boyle said. “Practices are at night after work and after the kids are asleep. Most of our gigs are family-friendly so everyone can come and watch.” 

Crawdad Republic’s performances have ranged from intimate shows at the Bankhead Theater to adventurous gigs in Alaska, where the band played on a remote fjord accessible only by boat. They’ve also performed at Lab events, including the Lab’s 70th anniversary employee appreciation event and the Lab’s Got Talent competition hosted by the Livermore Laboratory Employee Services Association.

Support from coworkers and the Lab community has been strong.

"Just get out there ... meet people, listen to music, get in the mix."

“Everyone’s always asking what shows I have coming up,” Olivo said. “They even come to shows. It’s a lot of fun to share that with them.”

Boyle and Olivo encourage fellow employees to pursue creative passions. “Just get out there and do it,” Boyle said. “Meet people, listen to music, get in the mix. That goes a long way.” Olivo added, “It’s challenging at first to learn anything new, but it’s rewarding because if you stick with it, you will get better.”

For Boyle and Olivo, music is more than a hobby — music connects them with the community, their families and each other. 

“We get to meet people who are making the community better, and we’re doing that in our own way by playing music,” Boyle said.

Crawdad Republic continues to write and record new music, with hopes to release a fourth album and play more festivals in the future. Upcoming shows and more information can be found on the band’s website and social media. Visit www.crawdadrepublic.com to learn more about their band. 

As their story shows, the harmony they create on stage is matched by the collaboration and dedication they bring to their work at the Lab.