The quietest moments sometimes speak the loudest.
Thalia Hall. Chicago. March.
It’s 8:55 pm. A time when the walls of this 1892 public hall turned concert venue are typically absorbing a cacophony of sounds from a boisterous crowd while its hardwood floors are trampled under foot by hundreds of feet shuffling eagerly towards the stage.
On this night, however, the sounds are more reserved; the excitement palpable but the conversations muted. The floor still carries the load of a full crowd, but the feet are now cozily nestled under chairs neatly arranged for the evening.
Turning towards the elevated stage, six lights brightly illuminate a few empty stools, a pair of acoustic guitars and two lonely microphones standing at attention. No drums. No keyboards. No amps. No one is going electric here.
Eventually, two singer-songwriters emerge from the shadows, stage left. Taylor Goldsmith (Dawes) and MC Taylor (Hiss Golden Messenger). It is the first night of their short seven-city tour, cleverly titled the MC Taylor Goldsmith tour.
Each night, armed only with their voices and acoustic guitars, the two Taylors will swap lead vocal duties as they alternate between each other’s songs. In Chicago, the pair kicked off the evening with “Gulfport You’ve Been on My Mind” (Hiss Golden Messenger) followed by “Million Dollar Bill” (Dawes). After alternating four more songs – “My Wing,” “Quitter,” “Painting Houses,” and “House Parties” – Goldsmith relinquished the stage for MC Taylor who performed his own quartet of songs from Hiss Golden Messenger: “Biloxi,” “Middle of It,” “Glory Strums,” and “Feeling Alright.”
Goldsmith then returned for his own time in the spotlight, performing three songs from his band Dawes (“Somewhere Along the Way,” “Never Gonna Say Goodbye,” and “King of the Never-Wills”), as well as a new tune, “Move Between Worlds.” The duo then reconvened for “Sanctuary,” “Comes in Waves,” “Heart Like a Levee,” and “All Your Favorite Bands,” before closing out the evening with a laid back but gripping cover of “Rockin’ in the Free World.”
To describe the evening as “beautiful” seems perfectly apt, but also weirdly deficient. With all other sounds stripped away, the two Taylors were left with nothing but their voices and the sounds their fingers could conjure from two acoustic guitars. The resulting music was nothing short of mesmerizing. An empty canvas slowly filled with the imagery of their lyrics and the textures of their guitars. It was a night to remember from two singer-songwriters the audience won’t soon forget.
For more information about both Hiss Golden Messenger and Dawes, check out their websites here and here.
In the meantime, it should not be overlooked that many people were deeply impacted by the recent wildfires that swept through Los Angeles earlier this year. Taylor and his brother/bandmate, Griffin, were no exception. Taylor lost his recording studio and most of the band’s equipment, while Griffin lost his home mere days before he and his wife welcomed their new child. Since those tragic events, Dawes, along with numerous other artists, have contributed to relief efforts, such as the Fire Aid Benefit Concert on January 30, 2025, and the Musicians for Fire Relief Livestream and Auction benefitting Sweet Relief Musicians Fund on March 6, 2025. More information on both organizations, including donation options, can be found at the respective links.
All images: © Derek Smith / High Voltage Concert Photography for American Blues Scene
