Dodging performs at Lawrence’s Jazzhaus
Freshman Tre Byers’ guitar next to the night’s set list. Byers and his band Dodging played a 30 minute set at a house show in Lawrence on Feb. 3.
In the dimly lit Jazzhaus on Lawrence’s Massachusetts Street, Dodging took to the stage on March 23. This was Dodging’s second show at the Jazzhaus, and their set was followed by local Lawrence cover band Shrimply Pibbles. Lead singer and guitarist Tre Byers led the band in their typical set, with the last song featuring bass player Atticus VonHolten on lead vocals.
When I arrived at the show, about 15 minutes before the band took the stage, the venue was crowded, which I didn’t anticipate.
In my last show review of Dodging, I attended a house show and was surrounded by high school and college students way cooler than me. This group was much more diverse. Some were even legitimate adults who I assumed to be regulars.
However, about two minutes before the show started, the younger crowd began to roll in, mostly friends of the band members. Sure enough, I recognized many of the people from the last show, still looking cooler than me, and I think I might have spotted the beret guy. You can tell by the enthusiasm and number of people that showed up that the friends of the band members are big fans and are always there to show support.
The band kicked off the show with “Mountains,” an original unreleased song. It’s short with an ethereal feel, a great way to start a set. For the rest of their stage time, they played their typical selections featuring “Milquetoast,” “Summer Vacation” and my personal favorite, “Entertain You.” VonHolten sang lead vocals on another unreleased song, “Neon” to finish off the set.
While the music was great, the crowd was not getting into it like they had at the house show. I wanted to get out of my seat and dance, but I did not want to be the first person to do it. Byers commented on the lack of crowd enthusiasm, stating that he enjoys the house show setting more.
“Energy was way down, nobody was really vibing,” Byers said.
The band is planning on playing more house shows in the coming months and into the summer. If you are a Baker student looking for something a little different to do with your weekend, follow Dodging on Instagram @dodginging for updates.
Lily Stephens is a senior public relations major. She has a passion for reporting and creating. Currently she is the Video Producer for the Baker Orange...
