Keanu Reeves’ Band Dogstar Resurfaces with a Bang at BottleRock Festival
In a blast from the past that thrilled fans and shook the stage, Keanu Reeves and his band Dogstar marked their return to the music scene with a groundbreaking performance at Napa Valley’s BottleRock festival this Saturday. The alternative rock band’s reunion show was the first in twenty long years, stirring up a storm of nostalgia for the attendees.
The crowd swelled with anticipation as Keanu, Robert Mailhouse, and Bret Domrose prepared to serve up a feast of old classics and some fresh material. The performance was seasoned with tracks from their iconic albums, 1996’s Our Little Visionary and 2000’s Happy Ending, and flavored with a tantalizing taste of what’s to come – songs from the band’s eagerly anticipated upcoming album, Glimmer and Flowers.
Keanu, globally recognized for his portrayal of John Wick, admitted to feeling a hint of stage fright, according to the San Francisco Chronicle. But Robert, an unshakable rock in his own right, steadied the John Wick star with a simple reminder – to immerse himself in the music, live in the song, and let the rest flow naturally.
Born in the mid-90s, Dogstar boasts a star-studded line-up with Keanu handling the bass guitar and supporting vocals, Robert adding the drumbeat and percussion, and Bret leading with guitar and vocals. The band’s first foray into the world of music was the 1996 EP Quattro Formaggi, followed by their albums Our Little Visionary and Happy Ending. They also covered Mr. Big’s Shine in 2004.
Throughout their early run, Dogstar made their mark in both the music and film industries, appearing in films like 1999’s Me and Will and 2005’s Ellie Parker. They toured with rock legends David Bowie and Bon Jovi and headlined their own shows, supporting then-rising bands Rancid and Weezer.
Post the mid-2000s, Keanu and Robert took a detour into a new musical venture – becky – with guitarist Paulie Kosta and The Real World alum Rebecca Lord. The band even recorded the theme song for Disney Channel’s JoJo’s Circus.
Whispers of Dogstar’s reunion have been circulating on social media for a few weeks now. “Exciting news coming soon. Thanks for being so patient,” a caption read on a recent Instagram post, accompanied by a striking black-and-white snapshot of the band.
Dogstar has been stirring the pot on Instagram since July 2022, dropping breadcrumbs about their recording sessions for the new album. A caption from December 2022 read, “Can’t wait to perform for everyone when the record comes out Spring 2023,” teasing their long-awaited comeback. With their performance at BottleRock, it seems that the wait is finally over. Dogstar, it appears, is back and ready to rock.
