Show Review: Dr. Dog @ Stubbs (11/12)

The rain stayed just east of the downtown, lightning flashing in the cloud line.  Everyone was a little nervous about the weather.  In fact, security joked that the show was cancelled.  Maybe just kidding, but with lightning in the area, I would guess Stubb’s would have to shut down.  Good thing the show went on, it was well worth the price of admission and brief delay.  On to the review after the jump.’

After a brief chat with the gents from Bear in Heaven, I made my way to the merch table.  I nearly put a bid in on the kitty etching.

Thax read his poem in the blue lights as Here We Go Magic built up “Only Pieces”.  The live sound is quite a bit different from the studio tracks; it takes a moment to get used, better at times when broken down a bit, but occasionally lacking complexity and polish.  The set included “Collector”, “Surprise” and “Fangela” with the latter starting a little shaky for me, but ending strong.  “Casual” and may have been my favorite.  Things blended here and I lost track after not being to get a setlist pic.  “Tunnelvision” was the closing song of what I counted to be an eight song run, building and ending with a pretty heavy crescendo.  I spoke with a few of the Dr. Dog faithful and they seemed they enjoyed it.

As Nathan mentioned in the show preview, Dr. Dog may as well move here.  The pride of Philly came out, let Thax do his thing and got underway by saying how much they enjoyed being back in Austin.  “Mirror” led off the nineteen song set, a nice start, but the following track hit me in my happy place for live music.  “Stranger” was tight.  “I Only Wear Blue” was up next and continued a great opening to the show.  “Army of Ancients” bridged to “Black-Red”, delivered with a fantastic performance.

“Fool’s Life”, “The Breeze” and “Worst Trip” comprised the middle bit of the set, leading into “Unbearable Why” which lifted the crowd, salutes of hoisted beer cans bought moments prior as a sign of approval.  “Hang On”, “Nobody Knows Who You Are” and “Someday” preceded “Shadow People”, the next crowd favorite.  All through the set, vocals were thrown back and forth between Scott McMicken and Toby Leaman. The solid stage presence was bolstered by a fantastic lighting.

“Take Me Into Town, “The Rabbit, The Bat and The Reindeer” (tagged a roller rink song in my notes) and “Shame, Shame” finished out the proper set.  It was a short pause, with the three-song Encore starting with “The Way the Lazy Do”.  This song’s verse phrasing reminds me of “Crazy Little Thing Called Love”, heh. “The Old Days” finished out material written by Dr. Dog.  Closing the show was a cover, an interesting choice; they put their Philly spin on Architecture in Helsinki’s “Heart It Races”.  Cool way to end the show…