Starting life in 2009, Dawes were formed out of the remnants of the band, Simon Dawes, after main songwriter Blake Mills left the group. The remaining members continued, shortening their name to Dawes. Featuring brothers Taylor Goldsmith (lead vocals/guitar) and Griffin Goldsmith (drums), Tay Strathairn (guitar) and Wylie Gelber (bass), the band recorded their debut album, “North Hills,” with producer Jonathan Wilson. The album received positive critical acclaim, praised for its roots-rock and classic sound. They recorded the album using analog tape, helping to give a vintage authenticity to the record, which also featured contributions from Wilco multi-instrumentalist Pat Sansone.
Their second record was released in 2011, titled “Nothing Is Wrong,” which broke into the mainstream charts, peaking at number 23 on the Billboard album chart. Following the release, the band toured alongside Blitzen Trapper on a large-scale US tour. Dawes also performed at the Occupy Wall Street event in Liberty Park, New York, US, helping to support the cause through a set in collaboration with Jackson Browne.
Their third release, “Stories Don’t End,” appeared in April 2013, preceded by the two singles, “From a Window Seat” and “Just Beneath the Surface.” The album again was positively received and faired well in the Billboard charts, reaching number 36, as well as number five in the US Folk Albums chart. Their third album signalled a change in their sound after moving to producer Jacquire King, releasing the album on Red General Catalog rather than ATO Records, which was the home for Dawes’ first two albums.
I went to my first Dawes show at 9:30 Club out of a passing familiarity with the band. Since then, I have grown to love Dawes, and their live shows in particular.
They are a very technically proficient and professional band, which is always a pleasure to watch. Beyond that, they have great charisma on stage fuelled by several anthem-like highlights and an energetic fan base.
I have since seen them two more times. The best appearance was easily at Islington Assembly Hall. A local power outage plunged the venue into darkness, halting their normally electric set. When it was clear the power wasn't returning anytime soon, they sat on the stage and played an acoustic set until the power was restored. I wish they would feature an acoustic component at more of their shows, as it was truly memorable and fits their music quite well.
They tend to play small to medium venues, unless they are opening for bigger bands like Mumford and Sons. Highly worth the visit, especially if you can see them in a smaller setting, though, they certainly held their own opening for Mumford!
ariel-perkins
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