Doves Played The Fillmore - Pictures, Review, Setlist

On Monday night, Doves dropped in at the Fillmore. San Francisco showed them the love, and they showed it right back. Over the course of an hour and a half, the UK trio (joined by a fourth on keyboards) delivered an energetic set that clearly left both the band and the crowd more than a little enthusiastic. The set drew from all over the band's catalog, from the opener "Jetstream" to the closer "There Goes The Fear". As well as being highly entertaining, it was also a testament to just what a great body of work the band has amassed over the past ten years.

Seeing Doves live is something of an eye opening experience if you're only familiar with the records. The band's studio recordings tend to be highly manicured, layered affairs that seem largely devoid of a "personal" side. Put differently, the band's records can seem a bit icy at times. By stark contrast, the live experience is so full of vitality that you might be shocked if it was your first time seeing the band in person. They so clearly enjoy playing and interacting with the audience, it's a wonder they don't tour more often. On Monday night, it was obvious that the smiles and enthusiasm on both sides of the stage were as genuine as they come.

Obviously, however, enthusiasm can only take you so far, and at some point you need to match it with technical skill. Lucky for them, Doves has it in spades. It's enough of a miracle that the band can reproduce their sound live, but that they can do it so dynamically and accurately, and then add a layer newness on top is simply stunning. The band are all multi-instrumentalists, with everyone singing, adding percussion, and generally working together to create a massive soundscape. To see the trio all singing, while at the same time laying down blistering bass, guitar, and drum parts was a sight (and sound) to behold.

Despite not having a big American chart presence, Doves have manage to carve out a solid American fan base, and it's frankly easy to see why. Their records are carefully crafted and released as they see fit, and then backed by tours that emphasize the strengths of the record so strongly that it's impossible not to find yourself clamoring for more. To be frank, our only complaint is that the band doesn't make their way across the Atlantic more often - we'd love to see them again soon.

Setlist
--
Jetstream
Snowden
Winter Hill
Rise
Pounding
Almost Forgot
10:03
Compulsion
Words
Denier
Kingdom Of Rust
Ambition
Black And White World
The Outsiders
Caught By The River
--
Firesuite
Here It Comes
Last Broadcast
There Goes The Fear

Many more pictures at the HAD Archive