The spotlight on Dawes has always focused primarily on the Goldsmith brothers, Taylor and Griffin. Now, after numerous lineup changes and departures, it’s all about the bros.
That’s not to say their touring band isn’t up to snuff. But the title of Dawes’ latest album, Oh Brother, is more than an expression of exasperation following the resignation of two key band members in 2023. It’s a clarion call, a declaration of independence. Friday night’s performance at San Francisco’s Fillmore Auditorium wasn’t a pity party – it was a victory lap.
Dawes has influential roots in the Los Angeles musical legacy that stretches from Laurel Canyon to Sunset Boulevard. A heavy dose of Jackson Browne; a whiff of Neil Young; the fun, sunny lyricism of Sheryl Crow; the emotional honesty of John Doe. For bonus points, Taylor Goldsmith name-checks Joni Mitchell on “House Parties,” one of the tracks from Oh Brother. (He also disses Kanye shortly thereafter.)
Taylor Goldsmith’s songcraft appeals most of all to people who like listening to the words. His songs are ironic, often built around memorable turns of phrase that lie comfortably midway between pithy and genius. The cleverness of his wordsmithing might inspire other lyricists to say, “Gee whiz, why didn’t I think of that one?”
May all your favorite bands stay together.
Indeed!
You can stare into the abyss, and it’s staring right back.
Ain’t that the truth?!
The music is consistently FM-radio-ready mellow-ish rock. Dawes is not as deep and emo as Elliott Smith nor as trite and sappy as (fill in the name of whatever pop star you loathe the most here). They’re everybody’s favorite band – except for the billions of people who have never heard of them.
The first time I saw Dawes was at a music festival in 2011. There were maybe 150 people in a hot tent (most people at the fest were off watching other acts on other stages). But it seemed like everybody there knew all the words to the anthemic “When My Time Comes“ from their debut 2009 album.
At this week’s show, a couple from New Hampshire was front and center. It was their first visit to the fabled Fillmore, but not their first Dawes rodeo. Ann has seen them 97 times, Justin 96. (Justin blamed his laggard attendance on being a good dad, allowing Ann to see one show he had to miss.) A piker next to them said she was still under 30 shows, but she had aspirations to improve her count.
There is a non-zero probability that a not-insignificant minority of Dawes’ fanbase discovered them in the wake of appearances by each of the brothers Goldsmith in Phil & Friends lineups. Perhaps others were attracted by the tangential Allman Brothers connection; Dickey Betts' son Duane shared lead guitar duties in Dawes with Taylor Goldsmith for a few years before exiting and then forming the Allman Betts Band with other scions of the Allmans.
The Fillmore show was billed as “An Evening with Dawes.” The diehards know this means two sets and no opener. Taylor confirmed after taking the stage: “As much as we like bringing out an opening band, it’s really nice having you all to ourselves.”
On this tour, the brothers Goldsmith are accompanied by Trevor Menear on rhythm and lead guitar (a member of the touring ensemble since 2016), Ian Bush on percussion, Z Lynch on bass, and Wil Blades on keys. The Fillmore show was only the second appearance by Blades, whose résumé also includes stints with John Lee Hooker, John Scofield, Karl Denson, and The Headhunters.
The first set kicked off with “Mister Los Angeles,” the punchy opening track from the new album. As the night progressed, several other new songs were tossed in the mix – six of the nine cuts from Oh Brother all told. Of those, “House Parties” and “King of the Never-Wills,” also included in the first set, respectively showcased the fun, catchy rock and roll side and the pensive, introspective flank of Taylor Goldsmith’s writing.
Throughout the night, Taylor and Menear traded guitar leads. Blades, still new to the playlist, laid low for most of the night, still finding his way and adding texture. Above it all, the harmony of the Goldsmiths defined the band’s signature sound. Interestingly, it’s often Taylor who takes the high notes with a falsetto when his brother chimes in from behind the drums. Like so many sibling vocal partnerships, the timbre and tone of their voices mesh perfectly.
The first set closed with “When My Time Comes.” As the song came to an end, Taylor turned his mic stand to face the audience, who ardently took over to sing the refrain.
Taylor started the second set by playing two songs solo on acoustic guitar. The second of these two, “St. Augustine at Night,” is perhaps his most poignant, passionate song. Like Bruce Springsteen’s “The River,” “St. Augustine” is a powerful narrative of disillusionment and loss:
The Lord must really love us common folk
'Cause he made so goddamn much
Now, if he'd just point the way to go
If he could just start speaking up
There may have been some tears in the crowd.
Later in the set, the band showed off their instrumental skills with a jam in “Front Row Seat” that was downright Allman Brothers-ish, including harmonized guitar riffs, and another jam in “Fire Away” that hinted at The Grateful Dead’s jazziest, most frenetic material like “Slipknot” and “Supplication.”
Taylor sat next to Blades to play keys on “A Little Bit of Everything,” slowing down the tempo for one more emotional moment before bringing the set to a close with the epic “Someone Else's Café / Doomscroller Tries to Relax” and “All Your Favorite Bands.” As with the first set, Dawes let the audience sing the final chorus while the band members stood at attention. The mutual respect between musicians and audience was palpable.
A two-song encore included a massive Blades organ solo on “Feed the Fire.” Before sending the audience home, Taylor waxed poetic and pensive on the sad, ironic “Hilarity Ensues”:
There's a bit lost in translation, always something misconstrued.
That’s not the case with Dawes. Nothing gets lost in translation, and the message is clear. They might be down to just two permanent members, but Dawes is still Dawes. May all our favorite bands stay together.
Setlist
Set 1:
Mister Los Angeles
Coming Back to a Man
Roll With the Punches
Crack the Case
House Parties
Somewhere Along the Way
King of the Never‐Wills
Still Feel Like a Kid
Comes in Waves
When My Time Comes
Set 2:
Something in Common (Taylor Goldsmith solo acoustic)
St. Augustine at Night (Taylor Goldsmith solo acoustic)
Enough Already
Front Row Seat
Fire Away
From a Window Seat
A Little Bit of Everything
Someone Else's Café / Doomscroller Tries to Relax
All Your Favorite Bands
Encore:
Feed the Fire
Hilarity Ensues
