If you traveled past the Paradise Rockclub in Boston on December 12, your curiosity may have piqued by the illuminated sold-out marquee and the line that wrapped around the block. If you were lucky enough to make it inside, you may have been even more intrigued to see award-winning actor Keanu Reeves plucking away at the bass.
Dogstar is the latest project from Reeves and his longtime friends, guitarist/vocalist Bret Domrose and drummer Robert Mailhouse. Originally born in 1991, the Southern California garage band has been revived with their album Somewhere Between the Power Lines and Palm Trees, a collection of songs that fully encompass who they are as artists today.
This summer and fall, the trio embarked on a 35+ city tour supporting the LP they proudly released via their own label, Dillon Street Records (distributed through ADA). Before wrapping up the tour on December 21 in Nashville, Dogstar brought their quintessential Southern California storytelling to Boston.
According to Boomsbeat, when Dogstar began touring back in the 90s, they gave Weezer their first gig as an opening act. Two decades later, the band offered Archer Oh that same opportunity. Dogstar introduced their audience to the fellow California band’s surf indie sound heard in songs like their number one streamed track “Easy Eyes.”
The West Coast vibes continued as Dogstar took to the stage, much to the delight of giddy, millennial concertgoers.
Against a theatrical red curtain and under moody lighting, the rockers proved themselves as multi-hypehnates. While playing a selection of their “new and old stuff,” Domrose shredded the guitar and Mailhouse banged on the drums while also playing the harmonica.
It’s a rarity to get to interact with artists of this caliber, it’s even more remarable to see them perform at an intimate 1000 person capacity venue. Although, focused primarily on showcasing the music at first, the band was quickly put at ease by the captivated crowd as they cheered and called out Keanu references. By the end of the show Domrose was returning the favor with jokes, while Reeves was flashing an occasional peace sign.
Although a majority of the audience came for Reeves, including a fan wearing an almost screen-perfect The Matrix Neo costume, everyone stayed for the music.
For more information on Dogstar, please visit www.Dogstarofficial.com.
Amelia Cordischi, Founder and Editor-in-Chief of Juice Box Press, is an accomplished digital marketing professional with over a decade of experience in media and communications. Her work has been featured in notable publications, including The Boston Globe. A communications graduate of Simmons University in Boston, Amelia served as manager of Simmons College Radio (“The Shark”), where she also launched and co-hosted her radio show, The Find.
In addition to her editorial work, Amelia is an established freelance photographer, with bylines in Blended Magazine and CelebMix, capturing artists and cultural moments across the music and media landscape. Her career began at WCVB-TV’s Chronicle, the ABC affiliate in Boston, where she gained firsthand experience in broadcast journalism and storytelling.
When she’s not taking photos from the photo pit, interviewing emerging artists, or crafting the next Juice Box Press feature, Amelia can be found thrifting and exploring the world of sustainable fashion.