Dawes Make New Fans, Debut New Tune at Outside Lands

It's no coincidence that Laurel Canyon roots rockers Dawes have been exploding in popularity this summer. The hard-working unit hit the festival circuit for their first time this season -- following their tour with Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros -- and, at each stop, they've earned new diehards. During their matinee set at Outside Lands in San Francisco on Saturday, the band was able to motivate a respectable-sized audience to gather in the early afternoon -- and sing along to nearly every tune, including the new ones.

"At Bonnaroo, we were on the smallest stage possible," frontman Taylor Goldsmith told Spinner backstage, after the set. "And then as it went on, through Newport Folk Festival, Lollapalooza and then here, our audience has gotten bigger and bigger. So it's been really exciting for us."

Of course, it helps that the Goldsmith and his bandmates pick up their instruments as often as possible. On Thursday night, before Outside Lands opened their gates, Dawes performed a special pre-party at the California Academy of Sciences, located next to the festival grounds in Golden Gate Park. And then on Sunday, during what was supposed to be a rare day off for the band, they played a special, unannounced, afternoon acoustic show in a vendor tent. The 45-minute set was a true treat, featuring Goldsmith on an acoustic guitar with his bandmates providing harmonies on sudden-favorites such as 'That Western Skyline' and 'Love Is All I Am.'

Taking place in the Chase Freedom Lounge -- an onsite oasis for customers of Chase Bank -- Dawes gave the quieted, seated audience a true treat in the form of a song debut: 'Coming Back to a Man.' As with all the new tunes that they've been rolling out this summer, the track bodes well for the band's follow-up to 'North Hills.'

Goldsmith tells Spinner that they're actually about to start recording, following a much-deserved two-week break. Rest up, boys -- but, please, hurry back.