Sábado 9 Mai 2009, 22h:53

Well, I'd been waiting a long time to see these guys & tonight was the night! :D A few hiccups on the way here - helped by London Underground kindly deciding to close Brixton tube station - but luckily they were the only problems I encountered tonight!

With a little Jack Daniels & Southern Comfort coursing through my veins, the lights darkened at about 9.30pm &, to the metallic clatter of the intro to Jetstream, they walked onstage. I just had a feeling they'd start with this song & they didn't disappoint me! In fact, this was one of the best starts to any gig I've been to recently as the first five songs they played were on my secret wishlist of songs I hoped they'd play :D Jetstream was followed by the cinematic sweep of the lovely Snowden & for the first of many times this evening, the colony of goosebumps that live in my spine, went into overdrive. This was beautiful! My fave track from the new album - Winter Hill - followed. This song really is everything that is great about Doves wrapped into 5 minutes. A wonderful surprise came next with the woozy & lovely Rise from their debut album. Its a strange track, full of distorted vocals & shimmery sound effects & a track that I wasn't sure would translate well live, but it was truly hypnotic. During the whole gig, there was a collage of random images on the screen behind the stage & during Rise we had - yes! - images of the sun rising! It sounds obvious, but somehow the images of a sleepy sun rising behind the band, coupled with this beautiful song, was somehow just perfect :)

They were on a roll & they weren't about to disturb it with next track Pounding - still my absolute fave song of theirs & a song that gave me massive goosebumps & is indeed giving me goosebumps just thinking about it, as I type this. It really is a song that does exactly what the title says. From the moment that the insistent drum came in & it clattered into life, I was utterly spellbound. Its a phemonenal song anyway, but live - wow - for once words fail me! :D This is also a rare instance of a song where an instrumental part can reduce me to tears & tonight was no exception as we reached the climax of the song - it shimmered, shook & left me repeatedly wiping my eyes - an incredible song, multiplied by an unknown factor when allowed to breathe live. A beautiful & perfect gig moment :D

A couple of gentler tracks later, on one of the rare occasions that Jimi Goodwin spoke, he asked us if we were up for it. A shout back that we were, & seconds later the enormous, chiming & beautifully insistent Words blasted into life & threatened to burst the walls of the venue. Their songs sound big enough on record, but live, they really do expand beyond what you think is possible - basicaly these are songs that were made to be played live. The brutal & ear-scouring The Greatest Denier followed by the new albums title track followed then came the mellowest & saddest song of the night, the title track from their astonishing album The Last Broadcast. This is always a crushingly sad song for me & tonight was no exception, but I'm completely mystified as to why on earth there were people jumping around in circles in front of me to this song.

The jumping around was totally justified for next song Black & White Town, with its clanging intro & the most unashamedly pop moment tonight - this is utterly joyful escapism of the highest order. Its an awesome pop rush of a song anyway, but live, it just sounds like every atom of you is trying to run in a different direction - its a lovely feeling! :) Things mellowed a little with the brilliant dark rumbling bassline of new track Compulsion, that thudded through the floor & made you shudder - it was spellbinding. The lovely cinematic sweep of the epic Caught By The River was a lovely way to end the pre-encore part of the gig & a lot of cheering, foot-stomping & clapping in time followed, until about 5 minutes later they returned.

First off for the encore was a lovely acoustic track that I have no clue of the title of - sorry! But it was lovely & a calming moment. Another shiny pop moment followed in the shape of Here It Comes, then we were braced for the grand finale. I had a feeling about what it was gonna be & again, they didn't let me down. The simple, sweet intro of There Goes The Fear rang out around the venue & was greeted by one of the biggest cheers of the evening as this epic, hypnotic, circling song unwound before us & there was mass dancing around wherever I looked. Then it broke down into that glorious clattering calypso-esque finale & the dancing reached epic proportions - this is a song that just compels you to MOVE! Enormous cheers greeted the end of the song & to round off, we were treated to a wonderful, nameless, directionless jam that sounded like an explosion in an indie disco & it was great! :)

So, about one-&-a-half hours later, Doves flew away & we were left staggered, stunned, drained & utterly exhilirated. What an amazing gig! :D If this is what they are always like live, then I curse my bad luck/ineptitude/lack of cash (delete as applicable) for not having seen them before. OK, Jimi Goodwin isn't gonna win any Guy Garvey awards for witty banter, but when the songs are as huge, epic & downright SPECIAL as what I heard tonight, you don't need banter - the songs speak for themselves & they speak in a loud, booming voice that blasts your senses six ways from Sunday - in short, a phenomenal gig & a sensory soundclash of the highest order! :)

OK then, the all-important setlist, now with added links!

Jetstream
Snowden
Winter Hill
Rise
Pounding
Almost Forgot Myself
10:03
Words
The Greatest Denier
Kingdom Of Rust
Last Broadcast
Black and White Town
Compulsion
The Outsiders
Caught By The River

ENCORE

Here It Comes
There Goes The Fear

So, thank you Doves. You send my heart & senses a-flutter tonight! :D

P.S. - one tiny grumble - where was Catch The Sun? Meh, minor grumble & totally unjustified after such a stunning gig!