A little known fact has recently emerged regarding the recent Dr. Dog show in Boston on Thursday, November 14th. A perfect storm occurred. The conditions: ‘Movember’ in full swing, and half of Allston/Somerville in attendance. It has been reported that on that night, the Boston House of Blues produced the highest per capita square mile of mustaches north of Williamsburg.
Even the bartenders of the House of Blues were shocked at the sheer volume of PBRs consumed. In the words of a concertgoer, chatting with his buddy before the show: “It’s weird, but everyone I know who’s into Dr. Dog is an alcoholic.”
Uniformed droves of beanie and flannel adorned kids filled Lansdowne St., a place where not even a month ago, bearded Red Sox fans amassed for some good ole fashioned riots outside the gates of Fenway Park.
Like nearly any Dr. Dog show, it was a lot of fun; a celebration of good times and music. Dr. Dog did what they do best; play music they enjoy playing, to the people who love it. Nothing more. No new boundaries to cross, no new ground to cover, just fun, sing-a-long-able music.
Coming off of the latest of seven albums, B-Room (QRO review), Dr. Dog gave Boston an energetic 22-song show. The set mixed hits (“The Beach”), new songs (“The Truth”) and even a cover (“Heart It Races” – Architecture in Helsinki), the band covered all of their musical bases. For those in attendance who had never before listened to Dr. Dog, the set list provided a mix of songs covering genres and influences that would please nearly any musical taste in the room. Beatles, check. Neil Young, check. Beach Boys, check. Bob Dylan, check. Pavement, check. While the band’s sound may stem from easily identifiable influences, they have continued to refine their own unique sound. On stage, they were clearly comfortable with the music they’ve created, and perfected.
Dr. Dog seemed much more at peace with themselves than previous tours. Half of the songs played were from their two latest albums, B-Room, which was released this October, and Be the Void (QRO review), from early 2012. However, as if rewarding faithful Dr. Dog fans for their graciousness, the entire encore was comprised of older, fan favorites and rarities.
All in all, Dr. Dog played a fantastically fun show at the House of Blues on a cold November night.
Set list
These Days
That Old Black Hole
Broken Heart
Shadow People
The Beach
Heavy Light
Nellie
Oh No
Too Weak to Ramble
The Truth
Stranger
I Only Wear Blue
Cuckoo
How Long Must I Wait
Heart It Races (Architecture in Helsinki cover)
Jackie Wants a Black Eye
Lonesome
encore
County Line
Hang On
The Way the Lazy Do
Die, Die, Die
The Rabbit, The Bat, and The Reindeer
