Thursday, December 4, 2008

Concert Review: Dr. Dog - 12.3.08 at the 9:30 Club

For the pre-encore setlist, see the previous post.

The encore was:
  1. I Hope There's Love
  2. OHNO
  3. Fuck It
This was my second Dr. Dog show in five days and third in the past three months. From these shows, I've learned it's best to see this band up close, not hanging back or from a balcony. Though not the most danceable of musical styles, a lot of their appeal is their high energy. I used to always be a "near-the-stage" kind of concert-goer, but lately, in my old age, I've been favoring the balcony or the "hang-back" method. This is fine for mellower shows. But I hung back at the Dr. Dog show in Philly a few days back, and it just wasn't as good.

The 9:30 club set was pretty similar to both of the previous sets I saw. All three opened with "The Old Days", the first song of theirs I ever heard, and still one of my favorites. The sets were all heavily from their two latest albums, Fate and We All Belong, but featured a few old ones sprinkled in there. They're a really well-rehearsed band, and I definitely respect them for that.

The real treat in being up front for the show was the crowd. Dr. Dog fans are my kind of people, I guess (except for the couple that was making out hardcore in the front row). They sing along, but not obnoxiously; they dance; they're good-natured. I'm glad I saw this show, because after watching them from next to the sound board in Philly, I was starting to question whether this band was as good as I'd thought. The answer: yes, they're that good. If you ever get a chance to see them (and you will - they tour a lot), learn the songs, buy a ticket, and stand in the front with my people.

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