Playing a sold-out show at the 9:30 Club could terrify a young band. But last night, Dawes proved that it’s got an old enough soul to capably handle the task.

Dawes may not be the most animated live act, but it’s got a catalog full of hooky songs and solos from lead singer/guitarist Taylor Goldsmith. I first learned about Dawes in a 2009 interview I did with Delta Spirit frontman Matthew Vasquez, right before Delta Spirit took the band on the road as their opener. Vasquez’s comments on the band still sum it up quite nicely.

They sound just like The Band if a young Billy Joel that you could really believe in sang. And the drummer is this 18 year-old guy who plays like Levon Helm. The piano player learned bass from Rick Danko, but he plays piano, and he’s insane. He plays at this speakeasy in LA… they’re just these crazy guys. The singer and drummer are brothers, and their dad is the only white singer in Tower of Power, so it’s in the family.

See photos from the show in the gallery.