Doves Return To Touring: A Celebration Of Great Music Old And New

Since their first EP in 1998, Doves have been creating classic indie rock albums, producing a critically and commercially acclaimed discography over 27 years together and their latest tour gives the opportunity to revisit old favourites as well as listen to newer songs from their latest release,  ‘Constellations For The Lonely’. 

However, this tour is different for Doves as it sees the absence of lead vocalist Jimi Goodwin who has made the step back to focus on his mental health. The rest of the band, Jez and Andy Williams have been honest and open about the adjustments to the tour, communicating with fans and despite this change, Doves put on an outstanding show.

Nestled in the heart of Newcastle, The Boiler Shop is a brilliant venue with high, exposed ceilings and full of big open space. Despite the openness of the room, the stage was fairly small which worked perfectly to create an intimate atmosphere. Support act White Flowers were the perfect start to the evening, bringing soft, fluttery vocals and experimenting with different keyboard and guitar effects to create an ethereal sound. But, before the highly anticipated arrival of Doves, a stellar soundtrack played through the speakers, a mixture of funk, soul and classic rock keeping the energy and vibes high as the crowd waited.

Doves' opening to the show was perfect, starting with the instrumental ‘Firesuite’ which marks the first track of their first studio album ‘Lost Souls’ and created a building sense of excitement and anticipation in the crowd. Following this, they played ‘Carousels’ from their 2020 album and the pattern of mixing older, classic Doves tracks with their newer releases to create a varied and entertaining setlist. They then launched into the catchy riff of ‘Words’ with its twinkling glockenspiel sounds and smooth harmonies, the entire song feeling full of nostalgia and reflection. A definite fan favourite from the evening was ‘Black and White Town’, which had everyone moving and experiencing the song together with Jez pointing the microphone to the audience to sing the repeated “Gotta get out of this satellite town”.

The even mix of new and old made for a great show, highlighting the band's development over 25 years by playing soft indie tunes like ‘Pounding’ and ‘Winter Hill’ next to the more cinematic and experimental ‘Strange Weather’. Another track from their more recent release saw drummer Andy Williams stepping up to sing ‘Last Years Man’ and creating some beautiful harmonies with brother Jez, and it was especially interesting to hear newer songs and see the changing dynamic of the band's performances.

After continued applause and pleas from the crowd for “More!”, the band stepped back on stage to perform their encore. Immediately launching into ‘Here it comes’ Doves matched the crowd's energy and performed the final three songs with great intensity and passion.

To start the legendary track ‘Kingdom of Rust’, Andy Williams swapped the drumsticks for a microphone and harmonica to perform the song. Starting the song with no drums felt poignant and powerful, letting their voices be heard and allowing the audience to take in the song and its lyrics. Halfway through when he returned to the drum kit - not before a quick harmonica solo - the song kept building and building and burst into life as the drum beat kicked in, its iconic chorus leaving the crowd singing and dancing along. Similarly to ‘Black and White Town’, clips of the music video were projected onto a screen behind the stage, creating an even more immersive experience for the audience. As the first notes of ‘There Goes The Fear’ filled the venue, the energy and excitement were palpable as people threw their hands in the air wanting to be a part of the moment and show their appreciation of the song. As the song drew to a close, Jez Williams and Jake Evans (touring band member) had a battle of percussion, with Williams rhythmically hitting the cowbells and Evans banging a timpani drum and ending the gig in a whirlwind of sounds and emotion.

Doves put on a great show, appealing to the audience in performing fan favourites throughout, while showcasing first-time performances of songs from their most recent album, ‘Constellations for the lonely’.

Isabel McDermott

@Isabel_mcdermott_

Image: David Filipponi

If you enjoyed reading this article please consider buying us a coffee. The money from this pot goes towards the ever increasing yearly costs of running and hosting the site, and our "Writer Of The Month" cash prize.