Minneapolis, all hail the conquering hero, Dawes! After visiting the Twin Cities only twice previously, the California quartet really, really sold out—as in, I was uncomfortably pressed against strangers’ pelvises for most of the night—its double headlining slot with Blitzen Trapper on Friday night. It was a homecoming, of sorts, especially when lead vocalist Taylor Goldsmith turned the microphone toward the audience during the rousing anthem “When My Time Comes”. And then, as if things couldn’t get any better for the sea of beaming, flannel-clad Midwesterners (myself included), Dawes announced an additional show to their sold-out New Year’s Eve show in Minneapolis, “because we just can’t get enough of you,” said lead vocalist Taylor Goldsmith.

Fellow Los Angelenos Belle Brigade opened the night with sweetly synchronous folk-rock. Brother-sister duo Ethan and Barbara Gruska sound so much alike, in fact, that when I closed my eyes I couldn’t tell their voices apart. Simply arranged around two acoustic and two electric guitars, a bass, and drums, songs like “Where Not to Look for Freedom” and “Losers” echo country-standard hymns by familial groups like The Carter Family and The Everly Brothers. As the only female onstage for the entire night, Barbara definitely wore the pants in The Belle Brigade, dominating song transitions and killing it on guitar, vocals, and drums.

Follower Blitzen Trapper may not have gotten the encore slot, but they made the most of the time allotted to them. Starting with “Sleepytime in the Western World” off Furr, they played a good mix of songs across their discography. While “Furr” got the most enthusiastic response of their set list, newer material off American Goldwing like “Might Find It Cheap”, “Love the Way You Walk Away”, and the title track sounded most raw. And despite Destroyer of the Void’s less-than-stellar reception, its psychedelia came across thunderous and fresh live. Lead vocalist Eric Earley kept stage banter to a minimum, making only the requisite Prince reference before saving his breath for the welcome, ever-present harmonica interludes.

The audience enthusiastically received Blitzen Trapper, but Dawes was the band everyone was waiting for. This show was definitely the most incendiary of all their performances I’ve seen, with the kick drum so loud and clear that certain songs, like “The Way You Laugh” and “Coming Back to a Man”, were almost unrecognizable at first. And that breakdown on “Peace in the Valley”? It might be a slow burn on North Hills, but live it was breathtakingly fierce. Dawes only departed from material off North Hills and Nothing Is Wrong for a dynamic rendition of Paul Simon’s “Kodachrome”, sung by drummer and Taylor’s brother Griffin Goldsmith. The two brothers encored with a stirring a capella rendition of “Take Me Out of the City” before finishing with “Fire Away”. Even though it was almost one in the morning, the band wasn’t through yet: Goldsmith announced an after party at the adjacent 7^th Street Entry with fellow Middle Brother member and country singer Jonny Corndawg. This reporter decided to call it a night, but I have no doubt the party continued for at least the length of a Goldsmith guitar solo.

Dawes Setlist:
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
So Well
Peace in the Valley
Kodachrome
My Way Back Home
A Little Bit of Everything
When My Time Comes
Million Dollar Bill
Time Spent in Los Angeles
Encore
Take Me Out of the City
My Girl to Me
Fire Away