Dawes on with Craig Ferguson

[Sweet Papa Crimbo]

i dunno how well the album holds up after a few months with it, but that's definitely one of the strongest songs they have, and that's a great performance.

 

I must say it is still in heavy rotation for this old man.

[drop dead ed]

They are a great band. I saw them play with Delta Spirit last year and if you like them too they have a joint band called MG&V

[cooperissup3r]

I must say it is still in heavy rotation for this old man.

 

yeah, i mean i listen to Western Skyline, When My Time Comes, and Love Is All I Am a lot. God Rest My Soul a bit too. the rest i haven't really listened to much since first hearing the album.

[sonicshoulder]

These guys love to play! Just played a free show in Cincinnat last night on Fountain Square and killed it. They did play two new songs and they sounded pretty good. These guys really believe in their music and I'm expecting a long and fruitful career.

[Scalzunfield]

Not really impressed at all with the album. That live performance is absolutely stunning, the album just doesn't seem to capture any of that though.

[Oil Can Boyd]

I saw them at the Newport Folk Festival last weekend and they were fantastic. Definitely the highlight of the day for me. They brought their dad (who used to sing for Tower of Power) up to sing with them during the encore, which was pretty cool.

[Federico]

I saw them a few weeks ago in Philadelphia and they definitely put more energy behind the songs live. Very exciting performances, much closer to what you saw on Ferguson. The album versions seem more like a template for what they can be live.

[sonicshoulder]

Not really impressed at all with the album. That live performance is absolutely stunning, the album just doesn't seem to capture any of that though.

Obviously I agree 100% on the live performance but I think the album is great. I'm not making a comparison but for some reason it reminds me of Deja Vu. I repeat not a comparison. The tempo and harmony I think are pretty amazing for a debut. I hate to mess with a good thing but does anybody else think they could possibly use a "Nels" type on lead to get their optimal sonic output?

[Oil Can Boyd]

Saw these guys last night and while it was good, it didn't blow me away. Maybe it was that it was the third time I've seen them this year. The stuff they do well was still really good. Great harmonies. I love watching (and listening to) Griffin Goldsmith play the drums. He's got a great style. But the new songs they played were not so great, including one real stinker ("Fire Away") that my friend said sounded like they were trying to be Bon Jovi. It was still fun but maybe I need to give myself a little break from them.

[MeDave]

funny - i was at the boston show (admittedly my first time seeing them) and was pretty blown away - not at every turn (and agreed on fire away) (though that other new song - burn easy(?) that they played before western syline was amazing).

 

a lot of the newer stuff sounds like jackson brown to me - not all a bad thing, just an observation.

[cryptique]

Seeing them tomorrow night for the first time, and very much looking forward to it.

 

I've made the same Jackson Browne comparison with some of the songs on North Hills. And no, that's not a bad thing.

[Moss]

Seeing them tomorrow night for the first time, and very much looking forward to it.

 

I've made the same Jackson Browne comparison with some of the songs on North Hills. And no, that's not a bad thing.

 

 

I am seeing them a week from today for the first time and really looking forward to it as well. I love that they are playing a really small club. Should be right up close. I would be interested in hearing your thoughts on the show afterwards.

[cryptique]

I should say that I'm assuming I'll see them tomorrow ... I'm pulling a double, going to the Posies/Brendan Benson show, then dashing over to the Dawes show. Shouldn't be a problem -- they're at opposite ends of the same complex (the Majestic and Magic Stick in Detroit), but I have to hope the timing works out right (I think Benson is headlining, so I may abandon his set after a few songs to go see Dawes).

[Oil Can Boyd]

I should say that I'm assuming I'll see them tomorrow ... I'm pulling a double, going to the Posies/Brendan Benson show, then dashing over to the Dawes show. Shouldn't be a problem -- they're at opposite ends of the same complex (the Majestic and Magic Stick in Detroit), but I have to hope the timing works out right (I think Benson is headlining, so I may abandon his set after a few songs to go see Dawes).

On Dawes' facebook page last night they wrote "ATTN DETROIT: The venue for tomorrow's show has been changed to the Majestic Cafe. See ya there!?"

[cryptique]

On Dawes' facebook page last night they wrote "ATTN DETROIT: The venue for tomorrow's show has been changed to the Majestic Cafe. See ya there!?"

Yeah, there's some confusion going on. The Posies now seem to think they're playing the Magic Stick, when all along they've been scheduled for the Majestic Theatre.

 

I just called the venue and the person who picked up the phone said that Dawes is indeed playing in the Café. I don't know how the hell they're going to make that work -- the place is tiny, with no obvious place for a stage (though I think I know where they'll put it). Could make for an awesome show, if it works out. I worry about sound bleeding down from the Magic Stick upstairs.

[cryptique]

Damn, those guys were amazing. There was some musical chairs at the venue -- the bill at the big theatre-size venue got moved to the nightclub-size venue, which bumped Dawes/Vetiver/Peter Wolf Crier to the Café (which now has a stage that I had not previously been aware of). The Café is pretty tiny (if you know Schuba's in Chicago, it's kind of like that, but a bit smaller, both in stage area and audience area).

 

I found an empty chair at a table about twenty feet out and off to the left. From my vantage point, the keyboardist was hidden behind the PA.

 

Great set -- much of North Hills, with some familiar arrangements and some noticeably different ones. A few new tunes, which sounded pretty good for the most part. Taylor was in fine voice and really putting his all into the songs. A guitarist from Vetiver helped them out on a couple of songs.

 

I was blown away. I had just come down from the Posies/Brendan Benson show and settled in for the last few songs of Vetiver's set, which were pretty good (I was not previously familiar) ... then Dawes took the stage, and ... wow.

 

I bought North Hills on vinyl, which comes with a copy of the CD (so I now have an extra), plus a live tour CD, which I have not yet had a chance to listen to.

[solace]

awesome! can't wait for tomorrow's show but i'm bummed ours isn't with Vetiver too.

 

bummer you didn't catch some of Peter Wolf Crier's set. i'm friends with them here, great guys and a pretty cool band to boot.

 

all of the new stuff i've heard Dawes play (4-5 songs now) have been fantastic, especially Fire Away and How Far We've Come (w/ Griffin on vocals).

[Moss]

Can't wait for the show on Monday, I may pick up that Dawes vinyl myself. Opening bands for this show are The Moondoggies and The Romany Rye. Can't say I have heard either of them, anyone know anything about them?

[Oil Can Boyd]

all of the new stuff i've heard Dawes play (4-5 songs now) have been fantastic, especially Fire Away and How Far We've Come (w/ Griffin on vocals).

I'm totally with you on How Far We've Come but we'll have to agree to disagree on Fire Away.

I do like Time Spent in Los Angeles, another new one.

[cryptique]

I didn't think "Fire Away" was too bad ... maybe not up to North Hills quality, but decent.

[Preferred B]

I just won tickets to see Dawes play Live from Studio M (at local radio station) tomorrow afternoon!

[cryptique]

Jealous...

 

I want to see them again already.

[solace]

I didn't think "Fire Away" was too bad ... maybe not up to North Hills quality, but decent.

 

i absolutely love it, especially when it goes into that instrumental breakdown... reminds me of some Built To Spill jams, or Crazy Horse even.

 

they played another new one i hadn't heard last night called 'A Little Bit of Everything' that is pretty sad starting out, but is a pretty sweet song by the end:

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pcaJsUNA_ww

 

 

the entire show was just amazing tho. they almost sold out First Ave (1700 capacity), which is 3x bigger than almost anywhere else they played this tour and their biggest headlining show yet they said. they also dedicated 'My Way Back Home' to my friend Meredith who moved to Barcelona today, that was pretty nice of them

[cryptique]

This is fantastic.

 

 

It's worth it to click over to YouTube and watch it larger and in 720p.

 

Also, the live tour CD (which I talked about here) is from this same concert. The full thing, in the same running order, is available in YouTube form here.

[sonicshoulder]

I just saw them again a couple weeks ago in Louisville and they were on it as always. I have a two hour drive to the Ville and went wed. night for Dawes and fri. for MMJ. Dawes have some serious energy and the bassist and keys player are super talented. Some "albums" don't have to be heard on vinyl but North Hills was made for it. I picked one up at the Cincinnati show and the guys were kind enough to sign it for me(nothin like a 30 year old man waiting in line for an autograph). Taylor is a true showmen. Romany Rye was great by the way, I'd call em Fleet Foxes meet Black Crowes but I may be being swayed by the beards.