Not only was last night's First Avenue show an excellent two-fer with Blitzen Trapper, but it also capped off a double dose of Dawes for a core crew of lucky fans Friday. The band also stopped by the Current 89.3's UBS Forum in the afternoon, playing a good chunk of the new record, "Nothing Is Wrong." It was quite a different setting than the First Ave gig: a seated, cushy room with studio-level acoustics vs. the packed club.
The afternoon set was also quite a different performance on the band's part, as it played quieter, softer and more soulful (but not "unplugged") versions of the songs, compared to more rollicking, impactful spins on them later that night. This allowed the quartet to air some of the subtle and elegant touches in "Little Bit of Everything," "If I Wanted Someone" and especially the Middle Brother song, "Million Dollar Bill." Host Bill DeVille had a good chat with them, too, asking about their stints with Jackson Browne and Robbie Robertson. The Band leader, it turned out, became a Dawes fan by watching live YouTube clips. What a sign of the times.
Listen in to hear the Current's taping Wednesday at 9 p.m. Click here to read the review of last night's concert.
Really, it wound up being a three-gig day for Dawes, since the fellas also bounced over to the Entry after their set to perform with Johnny Corndawg. No wonder they decided to spread out their New Year's gig at the Varsity into a two-night affair. Here's the full set list from First Ave:
The Way You Laugh / If I Wanted Someone / When You Call My Name / That Western Skyline / Coming Back to a Man / How Far We've Come (drummer Griffin Goldsmith on lead vocals) / So Well / Peace in the Valley / Kodachrome (Paul Simon cover, with Johnny Corndawg guest vocals) / My Way Back Home (start two songs with Ethan Gruska of Belle Brigade on guitar) / Little Bit of Everything / Million Dollar Bill (Middle Brother song) / Time Spent in Los Angeles ENCORE: Take Me Out of the City (Taylor and Griffin Goldsmith alone) / My Girl to Me / Fire Away
