Does dry-brushing really do anything...

I stopped using a dry brush a few years ago, and instead have been using Last All Purpose Cleaner after each play.  This works well to pick up any dust before putting the LP away into its anti static sleeve.  I dispense the Last cleaner from a small spritzer bottle rather than the dropper bottle it comes in, for better control of the amount of cleaner that goes on the brush.

The old discwasher with a few drops of solution on the edge kept my records clean enough for decades that most still look and sound great.
For me, no dry cleaning process I have ever tried (Audioquest, Hunt) works as well. Ultrasonic wet is the ultimate.

I use a Hunt brush with a spritz of distilled water from a re-purposed eyeglass cleaner spray bottle.  This is the kind of bottle you get at the optometrist and puts out a very fine mist.  Once empty of the eye glass cleaning solution, rinse thoroughly and fill with good quality distilled water.  Hold the bottle 1-2 feet away from the brush and spray in its general direction to very lightly moisten the brush surface.  Helps pick up dust rather than just push it around.  

By the way, ticks and pops are often - though not always - the result of wear from repeated playings eventually exposing voids (tiny unfilled pockets) in the vinyl that were formed at the time of manufacture.    

Yeah, mostly a ritual but it does remove some dust. Could create static sometimes, no doubt. Using LAST after each play may be a good idea but it's too much for me, this and machine cleaning before each play.

Just for a point of clarification, the Last all purpose cleaner was designed as a maintenance cleaner for records that have previously been thoroughly cleaned.  As such it takes no more time to use than a carbon fibre brush.