Having already played 100 shows this year throughout Europe and North America, English guitar virtuoso—and Guitar World columnist—Mike Dawes has taken a break from the road to release a new music video for "Overload."
"Overload" has everything you’d expect from a Dawes tune, including explosive technique, precision and the musicality of a player far beyond his years. Not to mention that element of "How the hell does he do that?!"
"'Overload' is based on a jam I came up with in the bathroom of the Blue Note in New York City—great reverb, by the way!" Dawes says. "The tune stemmed from this rhythmic hook and followed me all over the world. It ultimately ended up being composed entirely on the road. [The song] is about the chaos of urban life, travelling, digital media, all the distractions that keep you away from yourself, and time to breathe within your own space. It can all get a little much sometimes."
Note that "Overload" is devoid of looping and overdubs. It's just one guy playing one guitar—not to mention a few effect pedals (as shown in the clip).
The song is available to download for free from Dawes' Bandcamp page. There's also a 19-page transcription of the song available at mikedawes.com.
You can check out Dawes' current tour dates below. Enjoy!
Mike Dawes 2016 U.K. Tour Dates
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Sep 03 Jacaranda Club (concert/masterclass) Liverpool (UK) Sep 09 Hall For Cornwall Truro* (UK) Sep 10 Regent Centre Christchurch* (UK) Sep 11 St David’s Hall Cardiff* (UK) Sep 13 Southend Cliffs Pavilion Westcliff on Sea* (UK) Sep 14 Chatham Central Theatre Kent* (UK) Sep 16 Stevenage Arts Centre Stevenage* (UK) Sep 17 G Live Guildford* (UK) Sep 18 Floral Pavilion New Brighton* (UK) Sep 20 Alban Arena St Albans* (UK) Sep 21 The Sage Gateshead* (UK) Sep 22 Perth Concert Hall Perth* (UK) Sep 24 Wolverhampton Grand Theatre Wolverhampton* (UK) Sep 25 Shanklin Theatre Isle of Wight* (UK) Oct 1 Llyn Acoustic Guitar Festival Llyn (UK) Oct 13 16 III Festival Internacional de Guitarra de Cartagena Cartagena (Colombia) Oct 28/29 IOM GuitarFest Isle of Man (UK) Nov 4/5 Kulterhof Dulsberg Hamburg (Germany) *with Justin Hayward
Damian is Editor-in-Chief of Guitar World magazine. In past lives, he was GW’s managing editor and online managing editor. He's written liner notes for major-label releases, including Stevie Ray Vaughan's 'The Complete Epic Recordings Collection' (Sony Legacy) and has interviewed everyone from Yngwie Malmsteen to Kevin Bacon (with a few memorable Eric Clapton chats thrown into the mix). Damian, a former member of Brooklyn's The Gas House Gorillas, was the sole guitarist in Mister Neutron, a trio that toured the U.S. and released three albums. He now plays in two NYC-area bands.
