Doves – Live @ Vic Theatre

Concert Reviews • Wednesday June 3rd, 2009 • 8:26 am

Jimi Goodwin celebrated his birthday in style on May 29, when Doves came to the Vic Theater in Chicago and were surprised by a crowd of fanatics so excited to listen to them that it visibly shook them. Here is a trio meaningful not just for their output, but for their character: not showy or cocky but absorbed and marked by the music that’s in them.

New Hampshire indie rockers Wild Light opened the festivities, strutting their Brandon Flowers-esque vocals and tight jeans to tunes from their debut album, Adult Nights. It’s been a while since I’ve been to a show with such a solid opening act. I was specifically impressed with the way Jordan Alexander, Tim Kyle, Seth Pittman, and Seth Kasper switch their instruments around. Wild Light certainly deserve credit for warming up the crowd, but the Main Event was what sold out the show.

In a recent feature, Goodwin expressed to SSv’s Matt Conner that the new Doves album, Kingdom of Rust, was a “Why Do We Still Matter?” creation for a trio that’s been together for the better part of two decades – the velocity of touring forced Doves to push back for a spell since their last release, Some Cities, and figure things out. Kingdom of Rust is the anticipated gem of their creative reconstruction, and I was personally blown away by how obvious their musical relevancy came through at Friday’s concert. Goodwin, brothers Andy and Jez Williams, along with longtime unofficial member Martin Roman Rebelski hit a game-winning walk off home run for the crowd at the Vic, asserting themselves through music like many groups only dream of doing. The sound mix was superb, the crowd attentive yet not unruly, and the rest was history.

“Jetstream,” Kingdom of Rust’s brilliant opening track, set off the first set, ushering the crowd into a gleeful, energetic throb — one they’d undoubtedly been waiting months to experience. Applause roared at the first sound from Goodwin’s mouth, astounding even the band itself. As drummer Andy Williams jumped into his cadence, video began on the enormous screen behind the stage: a commercial jet taking off into a clear blue sky [more applause] and an ensuing montage of super artsy visual themes that continued on throughout the show.

After a deafening opening applause and a few carefully placed words from Goodwin, Doves rocked through “The Outsiders,” another track off of the new album, on into a smattering of epic Dove tracks that spanned each of their four albums (Lost Souls in 2000, The Last Broadcast in 2002, Some Cities in 2005, and Kingdom of Rust). From Lost Souls it was “Catch the Sun” and “Here It Comes,” which threw the crowd into shear elation when Andy Williams traded the kit for a harmonica and mic at the front of the stage. The chill instrumental musings of “Firesuite” opened the encore, the combination of Jez Williams’ ridiculous tone and creative guitar effects, Andy’s straight beat, and Goodwin’s vocals (eyes closed, head thrown back—each sound delivered seemed to actually pain the man, like he was giving up a special part of his soul) made this my personal favorite.

From The Last Broadcast the foursome marched through “Pounding,” “There Goes the Fear,” “Words,” and “Caught by the River,” stopping to switch guitars and stand in amazement at how much love the crowd was giving them. To be honest, I have never seen so much direct applause at a music event. It was kind of incredible. Some Cities numbers were “Snowden,” “Almost Forgot Myself,” and of course “Black and White Town.”

Doves were free that night—free to enjoy the music they were playing, supported by a group of people who knew and loved their music and had probably, I think, believed in them from the very first Doves song they ever heard. “10:03,” “Winter Hill,” “Kingdom of Rust,” and “The Greatest Denier,” all from the new album, shined with extra permanence—Doves’ hiatus from touring was obviously refreshing and energizing for the trio, and witnessing their new material in a live format was evidence enough. In the April 2009 interview, Goodwin mused that for Doves, “…it really is about the music. It’s not about who you’re spotted dining with or what club you’re hanging out in. It’s never been about that. We’ve always flown under the radar and have always been able to get along with what’s important to us, which is just trying to be a band…” As far as Doves fans in Chicago are concerned, Goodwin and the Williamses have that ideal on the level, and are heroes for it.

Go see for yourself. Seriously. The band offers an experience you can’t afford to miss.

Tagged as: Brit Rock, Chicago, Vic Theatre