Delamere

Delamere Forest Pictures

Caught By The River

The crowd at Delamere Forest

I usually backdate reviews/picture galleys of shows from a while back. But these photos taken by Alice at the Delamere deserve to be seen by you all. To view the full gallery click here.

I suspect news is going to be thin on the ground over the coming weeks, unless we get any new shows announced. So if you have pictures/reviews etc from past shows, let us know and we’ll put them up for all to see.

Another Delamere Forest Fan Review

Photo by gibbo1968

Here we have another review of the Delamere Forest show. This time from gibbo1968 , who previously submitted his photos & videos of the show to the blog, which you can view here. Gibbo wrote this review originally for u2.com.

Me,mrs gibbo and mulls ventured into the forest at the weekend to see Doves again(this was my 3rd Doves gig of the year).

I know I keep bangin on about them but they are just a great band that are so underrated it’s scandalous.I have Kingdom of rust on constant play,it’s my album of the year and yes I am starting to lean towards Doves more than U2,which although alarming is justified,anyway about the gig.

We ambled down to the arena set in a clearing in the forest with a banked hillside full of picnickers,deckchairs and kids.Jimi quoted during the gig it was like a creche,certainly the widest ranging audience of any gig i’ve been to.

We positioned ourselves on the rail andy’s side and watched support band Delphic,never heard of them but they were actually quite good,on first glance they were like A.N.other skinny indie kid band but sounded like New order/Kraftwerk with an indie edge.Check out their myspace page http://www.myspace.com/delphic

On to the main event and tour opener Jetstream kicks off as usual with(corny I know) a jet coming in to land on the video screen in the background.It’s a kraftwerk tinged belter that opened the album and sets the mood for the rest of the gig.There’s so many layers and styles to Doves songs from country rock Kingdom of rust to melancholy of The last broadcast,chilled out vibe of Almost forgot myself and Cedar room,motown/soul influenced Here it comes,all out dance rock of Black and white town and Pounding to the set closer and rave blast from the past pre Doves incarnation sub sub choon Space face.

So they cover all bases really so go and check ’em out PLEASE! if only for Cedar room alone which was my highlight of the evening.

Thanks Gibbo!

If you are planning on seeing doves at Glastonbury this Friday and you fancy writing a review, we would love to hear from you. Just email us your review here. We will post all reviews submitted to us. More on doves at Glastonbury coming later this week. Including some live footage from previous Glastonbury sets.

Delamere Forest Fan Review

We have another excellent review of the Delamere Forest show. This one was submitted to us by Si. He was checking us out whilst on the train back to Manchester. Got to love modern technology.

Delamere Forest 13 June 2009

How many bands can close a gig with a cover of a song that they made famous themselves when they were a different group? Such is the enigmatic attraction of Doves. A band who’s recent Kindgom of Rust album has finally got them the critical acclaim that many have known they deserved for a long time. Set alongside the recent belated recognition for Elbow by the music industry and general public alike, it feels like the Manchester music scene is once again the centre of the world.

What better place to celebrate this musical epiphany than a gig in a forest in their home county of Cheshire. On a perfect summer evening which brought not clear blue skies, but just enough clouds to create the perfect sunset to form a backdrop to one of the gigs of the decade.

Delphic put in a solid performance, but despite their best efforts still looked dwarfed by the setting. Their studied mix of electronica and indie guitar set the right tone though, and provided ample entertainment as the waiting gathering tucked into picnics, enjoyed copious quantities of alcohol and chatted amongst themselves, pausing only to comment how the nice man from the Forestry Commission really should have been told that it’s just Doves and no definite article is required, but no harm done.

The gentle opening waft of Jetstream brings recognition and approval from the audience. This is a crowd that range from the under 5’s (free –thanks Forestry Commission, darn fine idea!) to the majority of 30 and 40 somethings, and whilst many are clearly long time fans, they love and respect the brilliance of the new and the old. After all, isn’t reinvention, rebirth and recreation the history of Doves?

Slipping back a few years for Snowden and then returning to the now with the superb new local favourite Winter Hill, Doves demonstrated with some style that they can keep the classics in reserve, and the crowd would be equally happy if they only played new tracks. Rise is followed by Pounding and with the light fading, the crowd are well and truly ready to let it all out. Almost Forgot Myself brings a touch of pop before the reset button is hit by the lyrical opening of 10:03 which builds towards it’s climax as the darkness falls and the crowd is readied for the anthemic Words. More perfect English summer brilliance of sweeping highs and lows courtesy of The Greatest Denier gives way to the country overtones and telstar chords of Kingdom Of Rust.

My son nervously checks my watch. Worried that they won’t have much longer on stage. He just wants more and more. This is his first ever proper concert and he is loving it. Dancing to every track, throwing shapes in the liberated way that only a 8 year old can. Black and White town puts everyone back in the singalong mood before we are dragged into the maelstrom by the riptide that is The Outsiders.

Caught By The River tops up the summer mood but no-one believed that they would close a show this special with it. A few years ago, maybe, but not now. Returning to the stage with The Cedar Room, the fans knew that they would get all that they wanted tonight. Keyboard, guitar, drums and voice, simple progression, perfectly delivered. Last Broadcast brings a lilting comedown before There Goes The Fear reminds us that we had been waiting for that night, but somehow we’d forgotten about it, everything else had been so great, we wouldn’t have noticed it was missing.

Some of the crowd start to leave. After all, it makes sense, they closed on one of their best known songs, a real sing along and of course it has the cowbells at the end. But the faithful remain, baying for more. The amps are still live and we are treated to a second encore. As the premature ejectors turn and face the stage, there are a few puzzled glances as it dawns on us that we are about to be treated to Space face, live. For those of us that came to God’s own City of Manchester because of the music and the attitude of the early 90’s, it was a belting, aching reminder of how long we had held the music of Doves close to our hearts. 18 years since their first single they came home tonight and showed that they have come of age and can at last be recognised for the genius that is Doves.

Summer people indeed, summer people.

Thanks Si! That’s great that your son saw doves for his first concert. What a way to start!

Delamere Forest Review

Thanks to Rick for sending us his review of the Delamere Forest show:

Jeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeesuc chrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrist! How good was that??
The settings the ambiance the politeness of all we engaged verbally or by glance….. the youngsters in attendance , 1 yr olds 2 yr olds 3yrs old all the way up to the 40 odd year olds. This was the crowd that mixed well listened well, enjoyed and appreciated what DOVES had to offer yesterday. It was the 3rd DOVES gig of the tour for me, Brixton, Bristol both shone but yesterday was special. Well worth the 350mile round trip from Cardiff. Cedar rooms…..well that was just sublime. Big thank you to all who were there, it was the crowd & settings that made the night for me (oh yeah and the band ……..who where well up for it and played a stormer).

Have to say the support were not my cup of tea but played well.

Jimi strode on stage and his first contact with the mic was

‘Hello you summer people’…………….this said it all really. I for one knew what to expect

The set list was much the same as previous 2 shows I have attended this tour but with the editions of cedar rooms and space face……….wow what a difference this made. A valid point to make is while I found it very hard to look away from the stage you felt yourself drawn to gaze at the sky’s and all around you just to take in the ‘special’ atmosphere that was being generated by the music & settings. It seemed I was not alone as I caught many people in the crowd doing the same, if I caught their eye I knew they were thinking the same thing as me and my companions. The tranquillity was mystical aura and the feeling of peace was flowing even if it was assisted by Stella artios and red wine. The music was a warm wave of emotions high and thumping at times as the bass kicked and pounded into your chest and clothes via the speakers (pounding was the main candidate for this, how fitting). Then the swirling, .swaying melody that was supplied via Snowden, ambition & CBR, then this wave would sweep you back into a frenzy of movement along with the high percentage of inebriated crowd. Excerlant.

The end was near and the first good night from the doves echoed with a rather sad ‘ its all over feeling’. Then the chants of more more……..promted the return and a full stage again then followed the opening haunting keyboads & chords and notes delayed for what seemed a lifetime before the simple dynamic 1-2-3-1 1-2-3 drum beats pieced the crowds screams. Its seemed to go silent…………….then the vocals were delivered with passion. The swaying started again. I have been waiting for this tune since Bath pavilion Dec 2005 and it was worth waiting for. My highlight from the whole day. More jumping and bouncing on the spot with last broadcast and even more with The fear, the samba routine signaled the end was upon us, gutted. But watching and empty stage fill up with frantic roadies, setting the mic stands in readiness and drums being tinkered with means only one thing for someone like me who plays in a band as well watching bands…………..the show is not over yet.

Space face gave most another chance to have jiggle. But that was it, by my timing DOVES came on stage around 21.15 and left for the last time around 23.05, that’s stella artios time mind. Butwhat was that mask all about???

Then the dark walk back to the train station where over heard conversations & laughter all echoed ‘our lots’ feelings………….that gig was special a true tick in ones diary and as my bands motto is ‘MUSIC IT’S A DIARY OF LIFE’ this event truly lived up to it. Class.

Did notice lots of video camera action, let’s hope it’s an official DVD, it’s been a while since the Eden compilation.

Here’s hoping for a mini UK tour after all the festivals are done much the same as 2005. Just can’t get enough of this at the moment. So if anyone can assist in this…….come back to Cardiff there will be a warm welcome for DOVES as always.

Fantastic stuff. If you want to send us your review of the show, do so at the email address on the right. We will put it up. That also goes for any of the shows doves do this summer.

Delamere Forest Videos & Pictures

Photo by gibbo1968

doves board regular and friend of the blog, gibbo1968 took some great pictures from his front row position at the Delamere show. You can see the album set at flickr here. You can also check out the full videos gibbo took of Jetstream & Here lt Comes here.

Fan favourite The Cedar Room found its way back into the set towards the end of the North American tour. The performance at Delamere was the first performance in the UK since the Royal Festival Hall show Sept 08. Watch the stunning Delamere rendition below, thanks to moorlander55

Next stop on the road for doves, will be the MTV studios for a live session on the 22nd. Then its off to Glastonbury for doves seventh appearance at the festival.

Delamere Forest Videos

It looks like the crowd were really into last night’s show:

More videos at radiosjohn youtube channel, which includes full videos of The Greatest Denier, Words, Spaceface and more. Go here.

Professional cameras were spotted at the show. So lets hope the show ends up on DVD.

Delamere Forest Setlist

As per usual, setlist thanks to NLF/Rosie at doves board. More coverage of the show over the coming days.

Jetstream
Snowden
Winter Hill
Rise
Pounding
Almost Forgot
10:03
Words
Denier
Kingdom of Rust
Ambition
Black & White
The Outsiders
Caught By
——–
Cedar Room
Here It Comes
Last Broadcast
The Fear
——-

Spaceface

Delamere Forest

Tonight doves will play to a sell out crowd at Delamere Forest.

Here are the show times:

Car Park Open at 5pm

Gates Open 6pm

Support set by Delphic 7.40 – 8.20

Doves on stage 9.00 – 10.40

If you are attending, and you fancy submitting a review. Just email us the review or the link to where you have it, and we will put it up.

Have a great night!