MUSIC PREVIEW: Dawes awes with new music
Friday Night finds Los Angeles indie-folk-rock project Dawes headlining the Starlite Room. The band was formed out of the ashes of the band called Simon Dawes after the departure of half of the songwriting team (Blake Mills), leaving frontman-guitarist Taylor Goldsmith to pen most of the band’s material.
While Simon Dawes had a distinct post-punk flavour to their sound, the new evolution has diverged violently from the previous post-punk path, with more of an upbeat, indie-folk feel.
Goldsmith’s brother Griffin plays the drums in Dawes, while Wylie Gelber is on the bass. All three are original members of the group, and the only change they’ve made since the original lineup is to add keyboardist Tay Strathairn in 2010.
The quartet released their first album in 2009, and it was really the following year where they started gaining notoriety, especially on the festival circuit, and a co-headlining tour with fellow folk-rock icons, Blitzen Trapper. Their most recent album, from early in June, All Your Favorite Bands, has received almost exclusively rave reviews across the board. Expect them to lean heavily on the new material.
Sam Outlaw opens the show, doors at 8pm, $25, BUY.
Thursday 9
Fast Romantics – This indie-pop act got their start in Calgary back in 2008, and have two full-lengths to their credit, including the newest, 2013’s Afterlife Blues. The band’s last two releases have been produced by Howard Redekopp, who has worked with Tegan and Sara, the New Pornographers and Mother Mother. The Fast Romantics’ newest single, Julia, was just released in May, so more new music could well be in the offing. With Unwed Mothers and Mike Nash, Mercury Room, 7 pm, $12, BUY
Jom Comyn – This local favourite – real name Jim Cuming – has a new EP Black Pits to follow-up to his sensational full-length, In the Dark On 99 (All the Time, All the Time). Mauno, a project by Halifax’s Nick Everett, opens this show at Wunderbar (Everett recently wrote about this project on his blog). Show at 9 pm, $10.
Saturday 11
Honeymoon Suite – Thirty years from now, what bands from today’s modern scenes will morph into these classic rock bands that continue to tour over and over again through the casino circuit? Could you imagine Arcade Fire, or even Nickelback? Something to think about. On this night, it’s the classic Niagara Falls band (hence the band name) best known for the 1984 hit, New Girl Now. Century Casino, 8 pm, $48.45. BUY
Bend Sinister – Frequent travelers across the prairie provinces, this high-energy Vancouver indie rock quartet’s live show is raucous, chaotic, and loud. They always put on a great, great show. With Nulls, High Kicks, and Mobina Galore. Starlite Room, 8 pm, $12. BUY
Moas – This Saskatoon act is a blender full of harsh, energetic influences, with elements of psych, shoegaze, and garage rock. Expect crazy guitars through some wild effects pedals. Kevin Maimann and the Pretty Things, Susan, and Strange Fires open. Wunderbar, 8 pm, $8. BUY
