- Dogstar w/The Backfires
- 08/29/2026 - The Sylvee - Madison, Wisconsin
- ©Justin Nuoffer
On a very busy Saturday in the capital city of Madison, Wisconsin, the rain came in and out throughout the day and didn’t deter folks from hitting the streets. The state capital shone through the gloom, and the square below bustled with life. Down East Washington Blvd, the businesses and restaurants were full as well. Taking in those last warm moments of summer always keeps one motivated to be out on the town.
In front of The Sylvee, a line stretched from the glass doors down past The Vintage and around the corner. Fans came out early in hopes of getting a prime spot for Dogstar, the Los Angeles, California rock band.
The Sylvee is a crown jewel in the Midwest. A modern facility with space and plenty of viewing angles. Walking through the doors, you are greeted with a quick security check and ticket scan. Off to the right is a cutout with all of the tour merchandise displayed on a chain-link fence. To the left is the soundboard, and behind that is a massive bar running the entire length of the back wall. Past that are the stairs up to the second level that wraps around the main floor and the suites if you decide to spend some money for a more comfortable experience.
As the lone opener for the evening, The Backfires are a band comprised of performers from both sides of the Atlantic Ocean. Frontman Alex Gomez took to the microphone, standing center stage, and started into “Stardust,” followed by “Super 8.” The rock band captivated early and gave off hints of The Strokes, Oasis, and the Arctic Monkeys.
To the left of Gomez is guitarist Harry Ruprecht. He has a flair to him. He moves around the entire side of the stage while playing, often engaging in a back-and-forth with drummer Max Wanduragala, who is set up behind everyone. Across the stage, bassist Matt Walter plucks his strings with a calm and soft demeanor. His vocals are a smooth layering on top of Gomez’s.
Check out The Backfires concert photo gallery below:
With a thirty-five-minute set time, The Backfires used it to perform tracks off of their most recent release, Stardust, but the one outlier was “Replace It All” off of This Is Not an Exit. There was an honest enjoyment of the music from the Madison crowd. People bopped their heads and even danced as they performed tracks like “Grow,” “Heavens Sold Out,” and “I Want You.” For a relatively unknown band to walk in and impress like they did was fun. Their music was something you could see leading them to bigger stages in the future. Maybe even headlining again here in the Dairy State.
Under dark blue lights, the Los Angeles, California, band Dogstar took to the stage. Starting with a flurry of nonstop alternative rock songs reminiscent of the genre’s greatness during the ’90s, they hit with “Siren,” “Runaway,” “This Sphere,” and “Joy.” The strength of the band’s writing became evident quickly. The crowd eagerly began jamming out. The entire main level of The Sylvee swelled, and sightlines quickly became crowded.
Frontman and guitarist Bret Domrose was on point. His vocals were strong and paired well with drummer Robert Mailhouse‘s, and the blending and layering worked well together. The band itself formed out of a chance meeting between bassist Keanu Reeves and Mailhouse. A simple hockey hat started a conversation that led to jamming together and eventually songwriting. Domrose was added four years later after they played out for a while with Gregg Miller on vocals. Once Miller left, Domrose took over and continued on as a three-piece.
Touring around the country for years, the band went on hiatus around 2002. As COVID took over the country and lockdowns forced everyone in Dogstar to start playing together, it eventually led to new songs that became Somewhere Between the Power Lines and Palm Trees, a title Domrose would mention during the evening performance as simply being the location of the studio they recorded the album in. The re-emergence had the feeling of the beginning of the band, and since the COVID pandemic ended, the band has trekked across the country multiple times, playing venues and festivals all over. That rejuvenation has allowed them to write and release two albums since, with All In Now having been released merely months ago.
Domrose mentioned that the title All In Now is a statement of where the band is at right now. How the tours and shows keep stacking up and how there is no reason to slow down now. That reasoning drove the evening, and they didn’t slow down. Pushing through “Wing,” “How The Story Ends,” and “Everything Turns Around,” a very fitting cover of The Replacements’ “Can’t Hardly Wait” gave The Sylvee a reason to settle in a little bit more with the comfort of a song that has lasted decades and become a familiar note to many who enjoy the alternative rock genre.
We all know who Keanu Reeves is. It is almost impossible not to have seen a movie he has been in. Multiple blockbusters and cult classics are among his acting credits. All of that didn’t matter. Sure, some fans came out to catch a glimpse or were wearing shirts from their favorite movie of his, but this was about his component in the band. He set up on the right side with his cabs tucked along the back of the stage. His playing is a strong rhythmic guideline for the band’s music. His tall, slender frame rocked back and forth as he performed. His energy built as the night went on.
A classic gritty club feeling was being cultivated by Dogstar. Hard to imagine in the spacious venue, but that spirit of rock music radiated from the stage. The back half of the set leading up to the encore break was almost exclusively those aforementioned tracks from All In Now, leading with “Math,” “The Whisper,” and “Shards of Pain.” It is important to note how clean their sound was. You could hear every little detail in their playing and the imperfections of the human voice. It was like you were watching with headphones on, and it was incredible.
Dogstar continued their march through the new album with “Exalted” and “What Is” until they came to one of the staples of their live show, “Marmalade.” A song that has always carried over from tour to tour had the Madison faithful singing and swaying along. Then came the current radio single “All In Now,” which brought them back to a heavier sound that perfectly encapsulated the alternative vibe.
Check out the Dogstar concert photo gallery below:
Dogstar had a setlist that covered all of All In Now. Every track was performed. Fans came out in droves, and they knew the material. The songs hit home as they headbanged along. Madison came ready and left fulfilled. As the merchandise lines grew and people finished their drinks, the exits opened and let the crowd out into the streets and the night. The marquee above the doors shone brightly, and the Dogstar script illuminated on it was the last moment of the evening. It felt good. It felt nostalgic. It felt right.
Catch Dogstar on the Road…
