Doves

Mancunian legends Doves celebrate the release of their new 'Best Of' compilation with a sold-out gig in London’s Kentish Town. The last time I saw them was almost exactly 20 years ago in Hammersmith on 7th December 2005, and a lot has happened in the past two decades.

As mesmerising as ever, they cued a projection of a lonely lighthouse to set a cinematic scene that ran throughout the show, complementing their soaring melodies with immersive, atmospheric visuals. When 'Words’ started, we felt Jez and Andy Williams and Jimi Goodwin fill the venue with their signature atmospheric indie rock. Newer track 'Carousels' and previously unreleased 'Spirit of Your Friend' roused a couple of women on the front row into enthusiastically headbanging, which is always a good sign.

Dipping into moodier territory with 'Darker' and the rush of 'Catch the Sun.', the middle of the set leaned hard on the classics. As tracks from Lost Souls and The Last Broadcast landed perfectly, with 'Here It Comes', 'Pounding' and 'Caught by the River' getting huge reactions.

Later songs blended in effortlessly. Hearing the urgency on '10:03', intrigue of 'Firesuite' and newer tracks like 'Prisoners' and 'Cold Dreaming' holding their own among longstanding fan favourites 'The Cedar Room and 'Black and White Town'.

The encore wrapped things up perfectly with the transcendent 'Snowden' and the glorious 'There Goes the Fear'. Closing with their 1991 Sub Sub single 'Space Face', they gave us a lovely little nod to their early Madchester and EDM roots. It was strikingly obvious the band were enjoying themselves as much as we were. They truly smashed it.

Set list:
1. Words
2. Carousels
3. Spirit of Your Friend
4. Cold Dreaming
5. Winter Hill
6. Darker
7. Catch the Sun
8. Rise
9. Prisoners
10. 10:03
11. Firesuite
12. Here It Comes
13. Kingdom of Rust
14. Pounding
15. Caught by the River
16. The Cedar Room
17. Black and White Town

Encore:
18. Snowden
19. There Goes the Fear
20. Space Face (Sub Sub cover)