A mix of energy, emotion and engagement was brought to The Troubadour by alternative rock band Dexter and the Moonrocks on February 7th, 2026. This West Hollywood show was the last California stop for the band’s tour dates following their release of The Donkey Flats EP at the end of 2025.
The band surely did not just lean into one aspect of a rock show. From intimate, emotional moments in certain lyrics to intense moshing, a true artist-to-fan connection was present from start to finish. The Troubadour echoed this dynamic as a venue, serving as a close, personal space for Dexter and the Moonrocks’ passionate fans to connect with the band and each other.
Complimenting the band’s energy, an opening performance by Girl Tones set the lively nature of the night in stone. The sister duo from Kentucky combined exceptional musical skills with immersive audience engagement. Lead singer Kenzie made her way into the pit numerous times to jam out with fans and get them hyped up for the rest of the night. Her asking the audience to jump, clap and dance alongside her ensured the packed audience of rock fans were beyond excited for the show.
Then, fans watched as the Dexter and the Moonrocks members made their way down from the green room to the stage, cheering and chanting as they got ready to start their set. Starting with songs like “Where I Steer” and “Space Invader” brought their alt-rock and country grunge influence to the spotlight, with fans singing and jumping along to start. Then, lead singer James Tuffs spoke with the audience about future songs on the setlist, and explained the next song, “Sarahtonin,” flipping to a romantic, emotional rock that their fans loved. They followed this with another song from their Happy To Be Here EP, the loud and catchy “Cry,” with lyrics for most fans to relate to.
The middle part of their set featured the first big burst of both gratitude energy, as they shouted out the birthday of Amy, an executive from their label Big Loud Rock. Alongside this, they asked fans to clear the center of the pit, which invited a fun and intense mosh between riled-up fans. Even with these bursts of spirit, the band continued to ensure that everyone was okay and doing great as they progressed through their show. They also took the chance to showcase more songs from their most recent EP, including “West Of Where I Am” and “All Your Friends Still Scare Me,” with them dedicating the latter to their label through another meaningful shout-out.
The genuine artist-to-fan connection did not stop as the show progressed. Dexter and the Moonrocks took time to talk about their recent music journey, leading them to play their brand new single “Flavorless,” which dedicated fans were ecstatic to hear. The band also kept the fun and humor of their music going, inviting the audience to “sing about premarital sex,” hinting at their song “Birds and the Bees.” Fans surely sang along to each lyric of these songs, dancing and enjoying the passion of the lyrics with one another.
As the show neared its end, more moshing continued, and fans enjoyed a cover of “Basket Case” by Green Day, inviting an exciting break in their own repertoire for rock fans to appreciate their love of the genre together. Before moving on to some of the final songs like “Wet,” drummer Fox took a heartfelt moment to shout out his father’s birthday, highlighting how he has joined them along on their touring journey since retiring. The audience cheered at this moment and joined the band in singing “Happy Birthday” as his father took the stage with a cake. These moments in the show underscored the band’s deep appreciation for the foundation they have built, along with the fans’ personal connection to Dexter and the Moonrocks’ music.
Ending with an encore of “Ritalin,” fans were sad to see the show end, but sang along and rocked out to the last moment of the night. To say the least, Dexter and the Moonrocks’ last California stop at The Troubadour was packed with moments of intensity, intimacy and adoration from the fans to the band and vice versa.
Setlist:
Where I Steer
Space Invader
Sarahtonin
Cry
Bleach
West Of Where I Am
Excuse Me
All Your Friends Still Scare Me
Say I…
Flavorless
Birds and the Bees
She Likes Girls
Basket Case (Green Day cover)
Couch
Wet
Sad in Carolina
Ritalin
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