Written by: Justin Kerecz, Photographed by: Nicole Martini
I clocked out of work at 6 p.m. Thursday night. Slid into my ride with my fiancée behind the wheel. We are heading to see DAWES (with PHOSPHORESCENT) in KING OF PRUSSIA for one of RISING SUN PRESENTS’ “CONCERTS UNDER THE STARS” shows.
We have been seeing shows here for the past few years. Bands here perform in a gazebo as the crowd sits in a field. It has a delightful small-town festival feel. This year RISING SUN PRESENTS upped the ante with a full-blown stage. Now the festival vibe is in full effect.
PHOSPHORESCENT was playing when we got in. I never listened to them before but I was impressed. His voice had a bit of a FLORIDA man drawl, reminding me of TOM PETTY. The music had that heartland edge that’s a favorite of mine.
NICKI and I got some tacos from one of the food trucks. We grabbed some beer from the bar and found a bench in the back of the field and ate, taking in the view of families with their little kids running around the field.
PHOSPHORESCENT finished their set as we finished our food. We decided to make our way down to the VIP section, stopping at the bar before we found a spot to spread a blanket and get cozy.
DAWES started their set with “Someone Else’s Cafe” off of Misadventures of Doomscroller. An album that dips into jam band territory and it’s a perfect start to a hot summer night.
The song melts into “If I Wanted Someone” off of their classic album Nothing Is Wrong. Next was one of my favorites, “Mister Los Angeles” off their newest album Oh Brother (which was my gateway album into the band). “Mister Los Angeles” is witty social commentary on the people that live there. TAYLOR’s lyrics are clever, pointing out the absurd nature of L.A. residents, opening with the line:
“My trainer tells his clients he’s a shaman
We smoke some DMT before we bench”
Later, as the band tunes their instruments, TAYLOR points out a sign in the crowd that says “We have the GOOD LUCK WITH WHATEVER BAND.” TAYLOR gives the kid a shoutout and asks when their next gig is, announcing it to the crowd.
The music starts again with “None of My Business” off of Good Luck With Whatever. Was it a coincidence that TAYLOR mentioned the band and then they played this song? Maybe! It is a banger, so I would have been surprised if they didn’t play it.
We move from our “Front Row Seat” to “From a Window Seat” as twilight falls over the crowd and the stage lights brighten. Green and pink lights move like brush strokes across a sea of dancing silhouettes. GRIFFIN’s pulsing drums are the heart of the crowd as their knees wobble to the beat.
TAYLOR knows how to work a crowd as well as he writes songs. He treats this suburban backyard like GLASTONBURY as he gets the crowd to sing along with “Fire Away.” All this jamming has the band losing track of time, but these are vibes you don’t want to cut short. They’re doing their best to get in as many tunes as possible before curfew.
At the end of the night they play “When My Time Comes,” TAYLOR brings up the kid from the DAWES cover band to play guitar with them on stage. A dream come true for any fan, and the kid crushes it.
Closing out the evening is “All Your Favorite Bands.” The crowd goes wild. Everyone singing along is a powerful moment. I can only imagine the awe and amazement DAWES must be in every night seeing an ocean of people singing their song with them. The band stops playing as the crowd chants:
“And may all your favorite bands stay together.”
The end. No big ending finale moment. No encore fake-out. Only the crowd. Singing together with one voice.
What a selfless way to end the evening. DAWES has been through a lot this past year. Earlier this year, fires in L.A. destroyed the homes of TAYLOR and GRIFFIN, and yet they give so much back to the people who come to see them. They are a true class act, forever grateful and better than ever.
I am a recent convert to DAWES after being a snob and lumping them with the stomp-clap AMERICANA revival of the aughts. I did myself a disservice, but I’m glad to be on the DAWES train. TAYLOR’s lyrics provide great social commentary on the world we live in. Profound without being overwrought. People have told me his lyrics remind them of a contemporary WARREN ZEVON, and I’d have to agree to an extent.
If you’re a person that cries about music not being as good as it used to be, do yourself a favor and check out DAWES. You’ll find the heart of rock ’n’ roll is alive and well.
May All Your Favorite Bands Stay Together.
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To see other Concerts Under the Stars shows this summer, here is the schedule.
