Keanu Reeves' most excellent band, Dogstar, coming to Newport Music Hall on Oct. 3
If the bass player for the alterna-rock band Dogstar looks familiar, you need not look farther than your own television, where one or more streaming apps is likely to be showing a "John Wick" or "Matrix" movie.
No, your eyes aren't deceiving you — it's Keanu Reeves. Yes, that Keanu Reeves.
The popular actor and musician is coming to Columbus with his band during their "Somewhere Between The Power Lines and Palm Trees" tour, which will stop at Newport Music Hall, 1722 N. High St., on Oct. 3.
Tickets go on sale at 10 a.m. Friday at dogstarofficial.com. Prices range from $39.50 to $89 in advance, while admission at the door will be $45-$85.
Reeves and fellow actor-musician Robert Mailhouse (a former "Days of Our Lives" regular) formed Dogstar after a random encounter in a supermarket, where Reeves — a dedicated hockey fan and player — noticed Mailhouse's Detroit Red Wings sweater. The pair struck up a friendship, began playing music together, and with the addition of lead singer and guitarist Gregg Miller, Dogstar was born (albeit under a different, unprintable name).
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After Bret Domrose came aboard in 1994 as an additional vocalist and guitarist, Dogstar toured extensively throughout Asia and the U.S., including opening spots for David Bowie and Bon Jovi. Miller left the group after the tour, bringing Dogstar to its current lineup.
Though Dogstar disbanded in 2002 and the members pursued other projects, they still met up now and then for jam sessions. The onset of the COVID-19 pandemic in March 2020 found them spending more time together in quarantine, which resulted in them writing more than enough songs for a new album, their first in 23 years.
Their new single, "Everything Turns Around," shows a less grungy, more upbeat side of Dogstar, which the band said in a press release that they hope "brings a positive vibe that makes your day a little lighter."
This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Keanu Reeves and his band Dogstar playing Newport Music Hall on Oct. 3
