The Sadies came up in Toronto's roots and garage scenes, blending surf twang, country picking, and psychedelic mood.

A long road with a hard turn

Everything since 2022 carries the weight of Dallas Good's passing, and the show now balances tribute with forward motion. Travis Good steps up on lead vocals and guitar, with Sean Dean and Mike Belitsky locking in a lean rhythm that gives the songs a fast, dry snap.

Songs that still bite

You can expect a set that moves fast, with likely anchors like Riverview Fog, Another Year Again, The Trial, and So Much Blood. The crowd tends to be a mix of longtime Toronto-scene lifers, guitar nerds, and younger roots fans, dressed in worn denim, western shirts, and band caps. Energy swings from pin-drop listening during harmonies to whoops after the breakneck instrumentals. Trivia worth knowing: the Good brothers are sons of Bruce Good of The Good Brothers, and Gary Louris of The Jayhawks co-produced New Seasons and Darker Circles and still guests at times. Note that specific songs and staging mentioned here are educated guesses, not confirmed details.

The Sadies Crowd: Denim, Pins, and Quiet Toasts

The scene leans casual but intentional, with vintage boots, pearl-snap shirts, and denim patched with small venue logos.

Road-worn style, city polish

You might see a leather jacket with a country festival pin next to a garage-psych button, which sums up the split the band bridges. People tend to listen closely, then let loose with sharp yips during the speed-picking runs and the surf breaks.

Rituals around the songs

Merch skews classic and useful, like screen-printed posters, embroidered patches, and shirts that nod to Dallas without turning the night into a eulogy. Between songs, fans trade notes about old Toronto gigs, oddball collaborations, and which instrumentals morphed the most over the years. When the tempos drop, couples drift into a small two-step near the edges while the middle keeps eyes on the guitar hands. Encores often feel communal rather than loud, with a quick thank-you, a final instrumental, and a few raised cups before folks slip out into the night.

How The Sadies Make That Desert-Twang Thunder

Live, The Sadies keep vocals dry and close, with Travis taking most leads and the band stacking tight thirds for the choruses.

Twang built on economy

The arrangements are short on chatter and long on motion, snapping from gallop to shuffle and back without losing the thread. Dual guitars carry the color, switching between glassy surf tones and fuzzy bursts that frame the harmonies rather than bury them. Sean Dean's upright bass walks with a springy two-beat, and Mike Belitsky's snare stays crisp and light so the tempos can breathe.

Hidden mechanics that matter

A lesser-known detail: Travis often plays a B-bender Telecaster to fake pedal-steel slides, and some tunes drop into open D for that rolling drone. They like to stitch short instrumentals into a single medley, then tag the last one with a double-time coda that pushes the room forward. Lights tend to sit in warm reds and dusty ambers, letting the guitar attack and the quick starts and stops be the real drama.

If You Ride With The Sadies, You'll Likely Ride With These Too

Fans of Neko Case often show up for The Sadies because the band has backed her and shares a love of bold harmonies and noir-tinged country.

Kindred spirits, different roads

Drive-By Truckers loyalists connect with the narrative grit and the sturdy, guitar-forward live mix. Calexico fans will recognize the desert moods, tremolo guitars, and spaghetti-western shadows that color The Sadies instrumentals.

Where tastes overlap

If you like the unhurried sprawl and jangly bite of Kurt Vile, the band's long-form grooves and droning textures hit a similar nerve. All four acts balance craft with feel, reward close listening, and value tone over flash, which mirrors how The Sadies build a set.