Dawes’ Taylor Goldsmith & Hiss Golden Messenger’s MC Taylor Host Acoustic Songwriters’ Circle At The Egg

Fans of Dawes and Hiss Golden Messenger alike enjoyed a unique and intimate evening of songs and stories at The Egg, Albany’s impossible-to-miss performing arts center, where the bands’ respective frontmen, Taylor Goldsmith and MC Taylor, delivered a captivating performance in an acoustic duo on March 11.

The musicians first toured together in 2015 on the heels of Dawes’ fourth LP, All Your Favorite Bands, and their longtime relationship made for a warm, friendly vibe that matched that of the crowd.

As the Taylors took the stage, the atmosphere shifted to one of quiet reverence. The pair opened with a Hiss original, “Gulfport You’ve Been on My Mind,” from 2017’s Hallelujah Anyhow. Goldsmith is a versatile guitarist and channeled former collaborator David Rawlings as he provided flourishes and lead work in support of the Hiss Golden Messenger tune.

Next, they performed a Goldsmith original, “Million Dollar Bill,” first released with Middle Brother and later Dawes, with Taylor providing an original take on the song’s stand out vocal harmonies in an early highlight of the easy camaraderie between the performers. The pair continued alternating songs, including HGM’s “Painting Houses,” co-written by Gregory Alan Isakov, and Dawes’ “Quitter,” co-written by Goldsmith’s former bandmate and longtime collaborator, Blake Mills.

The duo then transitioned into short individual sets. MC Taylor presented a mix of familiar tunes and new material, hinting at an upcoming Hiss Golden Messenger record. He the audience in thoughtful banter before playing “Jenny Of The Roses,” and had the audience singing along to “Highland Grace,” his rhythmic strumming creating a hypnotic backdrop for his introspective lyrics.

As a guitarist, singer, and songwriter, Goldsmith is the epitome of the modern troubadour, and the room sat silently in awe as he played a handful of originals, including a poignant new song as an imagined conversation with his future teenage son. (The oldest of his three children is a preschooler.)

The pair regrouped for a few more songs, including Goldsmith’s anthemic “All Your Favorite Bands,” a co-write with opener Jonny Fritz, and closed the night with a mellow rendition of Neil Young‘s “Rockin’ In The Free World,” trading verses in a subversive moment of expression that seemed cathartic.

The differences in the artists’ styles was a feature of the evening: MC Taylor’s rhythmic strumming and heartfelt delivery complemented Goldsmith’s intricate fingerpicking and soaring vocals, and the intimate setting allowed fans to connect with the artists and the music on a more personal level.

Both artists definitely gained new fans that night – as did Fritz, undoubtedly – and as their short tour draws to a close, this performance was a fitting celebration of the power of songwriting and the connection among artists and their audience. With warm acoustics and attentive crowd, the Egg proved to be the perfect venue for this rare acoustic gathering of musical talents.

Jonny Fritz (f.k.a. Jonny Corndawg), a longtime friend of the headliners, opened the show with a set of his signature quirky tunes and endearingly rambling banter, drawing from his entire catalog, including Dad Country, the 2013 LP that he co-produced with Goldsmith. The pair go back at least as far as 2011, when Fritz toured with Dawes, Deer Tick, Delta Spirit, and their collective side project Middle Brother.

Sporting sparkly gold cowboy boots that would have made Glen Campbell proud, Fritz charmed the audience with his offbeat humor and heartfelt songs, including a new one about how he moved to Los Angeles after Nashville became “too L.A.” for him. The crowd responded warmly, even celebrating his birthday with an impromptu singalong and birthday cake from an attendee.

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