Mike Dawes Turns a Single Guitar Into a Full Band, at The Vogel

A viral cover of Gotye’s “Somebody That I Used to Know” turned into a career built on collaborations with Tommy Emmanuel and Grammy-nominated metal band Periphery.

One guitar shouldn’t be able to sound like this. Mike Dawes has spent a career proving otherwise, and on Friday, October 23, that reinvention of what a single acoustic instrument can do lands at The Vogel, rescheduled from earlier in the year and still every bit as anticipated.

Dawes is known for composing, arranging, and performing multiple parts simultaneously on a single guitar, a technical feat that’s earned him recognition as one of the world’s most creative modern fingerstyle players. Total Guitar Magazine and MusicRadar reader polls named him Best Acoustic Guitarist in the World two years running, in 2017 and 2018, with several additional second place finishes in the years since. YouTube personality Rick Beato, whose opinion carries real weight among serious guitar enthusiasts, has called him one of the finest acoustic guitar players in the world.

From Viral Cover to Genuine Collaborator

Dawes’s breakout moment came from a solo guitar arrangement of Gotye’s “Somebody That I Used to Know,” a video that quickly racked up tens of millions of views on YouTube. That success wasn’t a one time fluke either. He’s repeated and expanded on it with arrangements of songs like “One,” “The Impossible,” and “Jump,” building a substantial catalog of viral instrumental work along the way.

A Career Built on Serious Collaborations

Beyond his solo work, Dawes has built genuine creative partnerships with major names across multiple genres. He recorded the duet record Accomplice Vol. 3 with Grammy Award winning guitarist Tommy Emmanuel, and joined Grammy nominated metal band Periphery on their 2024 double single release, an unusual pairing that speaks to just how far his musical range extends. He’s also featured on multiple live releases from Justin Hayward of The Moody Blues, including Spirits…Live, which debuted at number two on the US Billboard chart. Beyond performing, Dawes maintains a serious reputation as an educator, writing columns for Guitar World and Acoustic Guitar magazines and teaching masterclasses around the world.

Why This Show Belongs on Every Guitar Fan’s Calendar

Between the technical virtuosity, the genuine cross genre collaborations, and a reputation for warm, funny stage banter that longtime fans consistently praise alongside the playing itself, a night with Mike Dawes offers far more than a typical solo instrumental set. For anyone who’s ever watched one of his viral videos and wondered how a single guitar could sound like an entire band, this is the chance to see it happen live.

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Explore New Jersey covers the state’s live instrumental and virtuoso music scene, from viral guitar sensations to the touring artists redefining what their instruments can do. Check back for more concert coverage all season long.