Dr. Dog at the Double Door

Last Friday I was invited to go see Dr. Dog play at the Double Door. I had never heard them before, but the ticket was free, so I thought I'd check them out.

Before the band came out, there was a song playing over the PA system that sounded like the sample song from a cheap Casio keyboard -- the kind that uses every sound available. I thought it set the tone for the show nicely: it would be fun, and not too serious.

The five-piece band made its way out -- each member sporting a different trendy hat -- and started rocking. Dueling guitars, keys, bass, and drums -- nothing out of the ordinary.

I enjoyed the set. Dr. Dog had a nice mix of jumping around having fun, and busting out some intense grooves. They didn't do anything shocking. Simple, but enjoyable songs. I found myself wanting more, though, at times. The two guitar players would reach a really cool groove with harmonies, and instead of sticking with it, they'd either end the song or start singing. I think they could have gotten people going crazy if they just held on to those moments for a little longer.

The vocals were OK. I had a hard time hearing the backing vocals; I'm not sure if this was a Double Door problem or not. Listening to some of their recorded music, they have a lot of pretty cool vocal harmonies that I wish could have come through during their live performance.

I also would have liked to hear more keys. Aside from a few instances where the keyboard started off a song without anyone else playing, I barely noticed they had a keyboard player.

But overall, I liked the show. They reminded me of a raw version of Wilco. The songs were catchy and there were definitely some intense moments. I'll probably check out more of their recordings and possibly go see them live again.