nottingham

Archive: Nottingham Rock City 2002

If there’s a better band than Doves in Nottingham all this week I’ll abseil naked down Nottingham Castle

I’ve had tons of requests for live doves from 2002. So here is a gig from Nottingham’s Rock City, the band did for Radio One’s “One Live In Nottingham”. The band had just returned from Paris playing in front of 170 odd people, so they seemed quite chuffed to be playing a packed out Rock City. I was at this gig myself, it was a brilliant night.

Earlier in the day, I was lucky enough to attend a open session interview the band did live on Radio One with Jo Whiley. The interview is still archived on the BBC site here. Some interesting questions about Sub Sub, chosing doves as the band name, the videos and more. Check out the awesome quality, so 2002!

Here’s a BBC One review of the show:

Matt Bingham: “Doves took the roof off with what can only be described as a blinding set. By the encore I was ready to kneel down and pay homage at the feet of one of the best live bands around. If there’s a better band live in Nottingham all this week I’ll abseil naked down Nottingham Castle.”

BBC Nottingham Review of the show:

After an introduction from a scrawny Steve ‘Lurpack‘, The Doves (with Jimi pulling funny faces and looking suave in blazer and jeans) strolled onto a glowing red and purple stage, and after a small technical hiccup, began with ‘Pounding’.

The four of them looked quite at home up there, in front of their backdrop of a huge video screen, which, during the course of the night, probably played every video they’ve ever done.

Candy cane coloured lights (very white stripes!) shone into the crowd during ‘There goes the fear’, which got almost half the crowd jumping away madly.

Halfway through the track, Jimi suddenly swapped his microphone for a small drum kit and together with the drummer, they belted out a stomping rhythm.

Bright green neon lights lead into ‘Sea song’, which comprised the mesmerising backdrop of a surf video, and Jez’s wailing vocals.

Jimi tells us they’ve just played to a minuscule 174 people in France, and that ‘this place is ****** jammed – it’s quite refreshing‘!’.

‘Rise‘, ‘Words’ and ‘NY’ followed, and then, to a clapping crowd, a rendition of ‘Satellites‘.

To read the full review click here.

The BBC did not air the full show. Notablely they cut out the Cedar Room & Spaceface among others. To download to the show, click here.

Review Of Rock City, Nottingham Show

Drowned In Sound, have today posted a review of Doves recent show at Nottingham’s Rock City venue.

Drowned In Sound

What is apparent with Doves current live show is the way the new songs glide almost effortlessly into the set with the minimum of fuss, as if they had always been there. ‘Jetstream’ could be their epitaph if they ever were to call it a day, its five minutes of sonic escapism flitting from atmospheric Eno trajectories into anthemic krautrock at the switch of a lyric, while ‘Winter Hill’ and ‘The Outsiders’ fuse acid house reared grooves and laid back reverb drenched rhythms with a sense of muted ambivalence that becomes even more apparent during the latter’s us-against-the-world battle cry. Add to that ‘Compulsion’, which transforms the Spencer Davis Group’s ‘I’m A Man’ into a 21st Century liturgy and you can see why many of these more recent compositions are undeniable highlights of the evening.

To read the full review, click here.

Nottingham Review

This is Nottingham have reviewed last night’s Rock City show:

At times, it seemed as if everyone in the room was lost in their own private world: concentrating on the exquisitely played material, without letting their faces give anything away. And then occasionally, an anthem like Black And White Town or Pounding would punch through: breaking the spell, and sending hands flying skywards.

A four-song encore climaxed with There Goes The Fear, whose coda had the whole band bashing out funky percussion rhythms, their regular instruments abandoned.

To read the full review, click here.

Spaceface In Nottingham

By all accounts, last night’s show in Nottingham was a right stormer. The regular set was played, but with the inclusion of Spaceface after The Fear. Well done Nottingham! I have fond memories of seeing the band at Rock City in the past, so to hear of a great show last night does not surprise me at all.

On the topic of great gigs. Scotland’s Sunday Mail rated the recent Glasgow Barrowland show as the concert of the week:

SundayMail.co.uk

Gig of the week: Doves *****

Barrowland, Glasgow, April 22

Doves are a band for our times. Down-to-earth Jimi Goodwin and twins Jez and Andy Williams deliver songs about love, loss, death, grime, gritty cities, bad times, good times and hope.

If ever a venue was suited to them it’s the Barrowland as Jimi spoke lovingly about the peeling paint and sticky floor. With his furry beard, he looks a bit like a kindly uncle but when one of his crew was hit by flying beer, he made the crowd say sorry to his mate.Tight, muscular and pounding, Doves gave a steely performance and there was an easy chemistry between the band.

They kicked off with Jetstream and tracks like The Greatest Denier, The Outsiders and an excellent 10.03 showed the crowd are taking the new material to their hearts.

Kingdom Of Rust again proved a brilliant live track. Old Doves staples will always please and in the perfect surroundings of the Barras, the hot and sweaty crowd jumped to Black & White Town, Words and the grand finale of There Goes The Fear, which merged into a samba-party style track.

This is Nottingham Interview

This is Nottingham interviewed Jez, ahead of the band’s gig at Rock City next tuesday.

The lyrics are quite impressionistic, aren’t they?

We’ve always liked songs that are ambiguous. In fact, we hate pinpointing what they’re about. Some are obvious, like 10:03 and Jetstream. But there are others where we wanna keep it ambiguous, so the listener can put their own version of the story on them.

Anyone’s point of view is just as valid as ours. We might be coming at it from a different angle than what the listener might interpret it as, but that’s cool. That’s what good songs do.

To read the full article, click here.

Rock City, Nottingham

Rock City, Nottingham

October 28th 2002

Bootleg: Yes, BBC Radio 1 Recording. ‘One Week’ live on Lamacq show. Incomplete recording. BBC did not air all of show. They aired several tracks in a different order.

Setlist (Incomplete in wrong order in parts)

Pounding
There Goes The Fear
Rise
Words
NY
Satellites
Catch The Sun
The Last Broadcast
Caught By The River
The Man Who Told Everything
Here It Comes
Sea Song