Dogstar Is All In Now

Three-piece all-star band Dogstar stopped by Boston's House of Blues for a killer set on August 16th. Known for their alternative rock and grunge sound, the band let their music do the talking on the All In Now Tour. The lights finally dimmed, and fans released thunderous cheers. The trio, comprised of Bret Domrose (vocals, guitar), Keanu Reeves (bass), and Rob Mailhouse (drums), sauntered on stage and dove into their eclectic discography.

They opened with the dynamic track "Siren," which acted much like its namesake, lulling the audience into a trance. Domrose delivered his signature raw vocals, with a resonant, soulful quality that added palpable grit to their sound. Toward the middle of the night, the group covered "Can Hardly Wait" by The Replacements, which fit their sound well. Mailhouse propelled the song forward with sharp percussion, a driving force that infused the venue with energy. Reeves' impeccable bass-playing skills added a groove and swagger to the night that many are familiar with from his roles in some of culture's biggest films like The Matrix and John Wick.

Fans clearly embraced the new record, All In Now, as they were thrilled that the band decided to play it in full. The twist was that the trio scrambled the album's tracklist, sprinkling songs throughout the setlist to give the project a fresh lens. In doing so, the songs took on new life onstage, underscoring the added rush of live music. For example, they placed the album's final track, "Wing," toward the beginning of the night. Though a melancholic track reflecting on a relationship past, the swooping melody opened upward and lifted the entire room with it. The trio finished their set with their most popular track, "Punch the Sky," before returning for an explosive three-song encore, holding steady through the final song, "Breach." Make sure to catch Dogstar live before the All In Now Tour ends in October. Buy tickets here.