Keanu Reeves’ Band Dogstar Played a Sold-Out Concert in Dallas

It’s not that rare to see a band fronted by a famous actor these days. That is not the case with Dogstar. The current frontman, Bret Domrose, is hardly the most recognizable member of the band. Neither is co-founder and drummer Robert Mailhouse.

The bassist, however, happens to be international movie icon Keanu Reeves. This band broke up in 2002 after a few studio releases and some fairly interesting tours. (They opened for David Bowie and played the Glastonbury Festival as well as touring the globe.) 

The pandemic’s quarantine nudged them into some casual jamming, turning into 8-hour rehearsals and the return of Dogstar. This tour is in support of their upcoming release Somewhere Between the Power Lines and the Palm Trees, which was created during that time.

But did the sold-out crowd come for the music or for Keanu? Upon speaking with many attendees, and judging by the fact that no one seemed to know any lyrics except the band’s singer, it was obvious that the majority of the crowd had never heard the band’s music, or even checked it out briefly before deciding to pay for tickets for a chance to be in the same room as Reeves.

The entire audience was that person who wears a band shirt but could not tell you one song by said band. Some paid for VIP packages (for $350) that allowed the true fans of the band an opportunity to hear two songs during soundcheck and get a group photo with the band. (No solo selfies with Keanu, though.) One fan described the sound as a blend of grunge and alt-rock, and said that whatever emotion you’re feeling, this music makes the perfect soundtrack. 

Whether the audience was there for the music or the icon, the band was there to rock. During the first few songs, the crowd had jitters, star-struck in the presence of greatness.

There were many faces frozen in amazement as the crowd got to see Keanu Reeves play the role of bassist in real life. And though the band has such a huge star, singer/guitarist Domrose had the only mic up front, delivering all the banter and the singing, and some showy guitar-playing.

Reeves did not address the crowd once, which was not that surprising. Although most fans did not get the memo, this was a Dogstar show, not a Keanu Reeves show. Reeves really takes this band and the bass seriously. The fact that he’s so comfortable playing a supporting role speaks to his reputation of having no ego. There were even points of the show where if you squinted a bit, it was just a band.

But was the band good? The answer is an unequivocal yes. The crowd might’ve had a Keanu-specific agenda, but everyone had a great time and that’s what a live show should be about.