Dasha has undoubtedly been the “Talk of the Town,” as her hit song “Austin (Boots Stop Workin’)” continues to flood TikTok and even Rand’s music playlist. Dasha, a small-town girl from San Luis Obispo, California, gave an unforgettable performance at Exit/In. Her fans — decked in cowboy boots and her iconic merchandise — filled the room for a sold-out night in Nashville or, as Dasha calls it, “Dashville.”
The night began with opener Steinza, a singer-songwriter from Virginia Beach, Virginia, who now lives in Nashville. Steinza is a good friend and co-writer of Dasha’s, so it only made sense for her to bring him on tour. The indie-folk singer played songs off his recent EP, “Visions of You,” as well as previous hits like “The Former,” which is a heart-wrenching lyrical masterpiece that takes listeners through the battle of a one-sided relationship where love doesn’t seem to be reciprocated. Steinza ended his set with his song “Taste The Dirt,” which describes his anger and resentment toward his ex.
“[It is] very much a f— that s— song,” Steinza described it, and we couldn’t agree more.
After Steinza left the stage, a DJ took his place. Shortly after, something happened that neither of us had ever seen at a concert — a line dancing instructor came out and walked the crowd through a few line dancing lessons. To stay on theme with the show, one of the steps was to “Austin (Boots Stop Workin’).”
After the impromptu line dancing lesson, the crowd eagerly awaited their country queen. As a fiery start to the night, Dasha skipped onto the stage with bright red boots and a sparkly rhinestone belt. She began by singing “What Happens Now?,” which we’d describe as the perfect song for late-night drives with friends. Almost immediately, Dasha excited the crowd with her lively stage presence. Her surreal voice, paired with a knack for storytelling, transformed carefully-crafted lyrics into a narrative that resonated with her fans. Between songs, Dasha even shared the candid stories behind her songs with the crowd.
“The album is about the same person, [but I] never dated them, [and] it all happened in Nashville,” Dasha shared.
(Natalie Do Amaral)
Dasha made her concert feel like a party with friends and family. From putting on a fan’s cowboy hat to singing happy birthday to Amanda, a fan from Los Angeles, Dasha brought the crowd together for a night to remember. Not only was she creating new connections with concertgoers, but many familiar faces were also there. Dasha mentioned that her mom and many close friends were in the crowd.
Dasha’s intimate connection with the crowd continued as she played “Even Cowboys Cry” later in the set. Dasha’s emotional voice perfectly complemented the smooth strumming of her guitar. Moved by her raw performance, the crowd shined their flashlights and swayed back and forth to the rhythm of this song. Dasha seemed to love this fantastic “Dashville” crowd.
“I knew I was gonna like this one,” Dasha noted.
The night ended with none other than her hit song, “Austin (Boots Stop Workin’).”
“Nashville, are you guys ready?” Dasha screamed.
The crowd shouted every word of this iconic, fun song. To our surprise, Dasha entered the crowd to line dance the night away with her fans. It was hard to say “Bye Bye Bye” to Dasha as she left the stage, but “Dashville” will be sure to see her again, as she plans to release her new album soon. After all, “Leaving Don’t Mean Goodbye.”
