In my experience, the most difficult show to review is the one embroiled in mediocrity. Luckily for me, Doves wasted no time creating a dense wall-to-wall melodic soundscape in the House of Blues: a perfect complement to the massive scrim onto which clever Danny Boyle-like music videos danced for the duration of the concert. The best live acts let you know right from the get-go that you’re going to enjoy yourself.
In the final performance their 2009 North American tour, Doves opening number “Jetstream” from their most recent release Kingdom of Rust functioned as a veritable “look what we can do,” comprised of a three or four minute crescendo that rolled together layers of programmed bass drums and snares, wobbly synthesizers, and surging guitar licks as it tumbled forward. Critics have hailed Kingdom as the group’s most ambitious project, and their performance showed that this ambition translates to the stage.
After the impressive start, they followed with “Rise” from Lost Souls, first showcasing Jimi Goodwin’s clear, sad, baritone voice that resounded like a muezzin’s call to prayer on a somber morning. Meanwhile, guitarist Jez Williams wailed high harmonies laden with thick reverb, contributing a haunting ethereal dimension to the sound. They then transitioned into “Pounding” before which Goodwin remarked, “Feel free to pound along; I wish you would.” And they made it easy to. The aptly named song accomplished the ultimate goal of a live show: it sounded as clean and calculated as the track we’ve heard on the album, but it was infused with the energy and pulse that only a live show can produce.
Avoiding mid-show lulls, Doves counteracted a slow, atmospheric ballad by blasting though the popular “Words,” followed by the title track of the new album, a sort of neo-folk song that, despite its bouncy two-step nature, sounded like it might have been written on a drizzly Manchester evening. It occurred to me at this point that Doves possess (if you’ll excuse my effusive UK band allusions) the epic sound of, say, a U2 or Coldplay, without the ego or light show, respectively. Although they may suffer from the Travis malady. That is, despite beautifully crafted and delivered music, Doves somehow fly under the radar of the mega-mainstream, perhaps due to an air of melancholy that tends to permeate the rockers’ oeuvre.
Toward the end of the show, “The Outsiders” proved that Jez wasn’t as seemingly limited to arpeggios as one might deduce from the bulk of the show, but that he could unfurl some hard-rocking riffs, too, in what became a head-bobbing jam-out. Doves rounded out their set with “Caught by the River” in all its acoustic glory, after which the quartet played their role in the obligatory pre-encore stage departure.
Sure enough, they emerged anew to the delight of Dove-deficient Bostonians to the tune of “Here It Comes,” followed by a heartfelt version of “Last Broadcast.” It was only fitting of Goodwin to opine in closing, “See you in another five years, I guess” before letting loose on a spirited version of “There Goes The Fear.” By the end of the song, guitars were abandoned for hand drums as Doves were joined on stage by their opener, Wild Light, and whoever else could find a percussion instrument and an implement to beat it with. It was a memorable farewell for a band that has slowly and steadily staked its claim among the great UK acts of this decade.
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he is amazing bro his style can not be touched....some people dont know what he is talking about caz u dont do what he does he is sickkk bra
by dylyn on Thu Mar 18, 2010 at 11.59 am from the entry: Wiz Khalifa: Burn After Rolling (Mixtape)
Wow,Great post.Thanks for sharing with us. land wi
by wisconsin land on Thu Mar 18, 2010 at 09.53 am from the entry: of Montreal + Gang Gang Dance - Orpheum Theatre (Boston, MA; Oct. 30, 2008)
Ugh. Paste’s profile of Free Energy made me kind of hate them. So does your review. It’s this unctuous defense of good-time rock-and-roll ("we’re just here to party, and we’re awesome!") that seems more self-serving than fun-loving.
by beth on Wed Mar 17, 2010 at 09.41 pm from the entry: Foreign Born + Free Energy - The Knitting Factory (Brooklyn, NY; Mar. 12, 2010)
that inescapable feeling you are referring to, is that like when you hear something and you could have sworn you heard it before because of the nostalgic catchy quality? or is is like when you’ve heard a band exactly like said band?
great post by the way!
by paul on Wed Mar 17, 2010 at 03.15 pm from the entry: The Novel Ideas - "The Sky Is A Field" - Borrow It
Whoa! I had no idea she was enegaged. You would never know with the way she behaves! Wow!
by art on Wed Mar 17, 2010 at 09.48 am from the entry: Nikki Darlin and John McCauley: 1+1=1
This comment stream is so meta. Great review Kelly.
by chris on Tue Mar 16, 2010 at 07.50 pm from the entry: Flying Lotus - "Cosmogramma" - Buy It
no prob. The whole album is excellent, combining some of the harder sonics of Los Angeles with the meat of his debut and obviously difficult to summarize in only 50 words… 
I’d say it’s on par with the debut, but better than Los Angeles.
by kelly on Tue Mar 16, 2010 at 06.23 pm from the entry: Flying Lotus - "Cosmogramma" - Buy It
Oh Ian, those are gorgeous photos. Your little girl will be proud one day. You know, when she develops a personality.
oh, she likes ‘em already (even though it’s black & white to her)
Ben nailed the “without ego” difference between Coldplay and Doves; hope they’re back before 5 years pass.
Love the review and so sad I missed the show. I like your Coldplay comparison, too, since I often wonder why Doves don’t attract the same audience as Coldplay. “Pounding” is beyond epic—one of my favorite songs of all time.
No mention of Winter Hill? Were you really at this show? I think the crowd did not have time to fully listen to the new album and this perfect tune, Winter Hill being the next Dove’s classic.