Picture thanks to Joy.

For more pictures by Joy, click here.

Manchester Confidential reviewed the show at their website:

“Thanks for sticking with us all these years,” says Jimi Goodwin, halfway through a blistering underground set, which veered through a back catalogue spanning more than ten years. “This is The Last Broadcast.”

“Thanks for sticking with us all these years,” says Jimi Goodwin, halfway through a blistering underground set, which veered through a back catalogue spanning more than ten years. “This is The Last Broadcast.”

Doves are the people’s band. ‘There Goes The Fear’ –the track that will probably end up defining Doves’ career when they finally do decide to call time – had the whole room singing during the encore.

That’s the song, of course, and title of the band’s 2002 album. But Doves (click here for our 2009 interview with them) played imperiously with the will they/won’t they rumours all night.

“This is our last gig,” teased guitarist Jez Williams early in the set, with a wry smile. “Is it?” asked Goodwin. “I don’t know. I’m normally speechless.”

Band and crowd were in fine voice though, and both managed to keep plenty of energy in the room, despite a 1am stage entrance and a set that lasted almost two hours.

To read the full Manchester Confidential review, click here.

Photo by Shirlaine Forrest

For more pro-shot photohtaphs, visit the gigwise.com

Picture by @susfb

NME were at the gig, they noted the band’s management insisted it was not the band’s last gig. With more Australian dates expected to be announced for next year.

Kicking off with B-side ‘Push Me On’, the group rolled out a number of previous singles early on including ‘Snowden’, ‘Winter Hill’ and ‘Pounding’.

“Thanks for coming down, it’s our last ever gig,” guitarist Jez Williams said to the crowd, something he had also recently told NME.

Despite the claims frontman Jimi Goodwin was quick to play down the guitarist saying “there he goes again”, something the band’s management also did, telling NME that it wasn’t their last show having booked a number of dates in Australia next year.

Later on the set was composed of the band’s best-known singles such as ‘Black And White Town’, ‘Caught By The River’, ‘The Cedar Room’ and ‘There Goes The Fear’, before closing with ‘Space Face’ by their previous incarnation Sub Sub.

To read the full review, click here.

Doves have been confirmed to perform at the Playground Weekender festival in Australia next Febuary. Festival takes place over the weekend of Febuary 17th. Tickets on sale next Monday at 9am.

For more info visit the Playground Website

Head over to the Echoes In The Alleyway micro site to download a track from the album. For download is a reworking of Ambition by Modeon.

Visit echoesinthealleyway.com

The album in full will be available to download from next Monday, when we do ask that you please consider a donation to Teenage Cancer Trust.

Doves play probably their last gig of the year at the Manchester Warehouse Project this coming Saturday. Tickets still available at ticketline. If you are going, as always do send in photos etc! Doves are due on at midnight, so pace yerself! :)

Then next Monday see’s the release of the cover album project ‘Echoes In The Alleyway: A Tribute to Doves”. Check the album website on Wednesday to download a track from the album.

The track listing for the Doves covers project Echoes In The Alleyway: A Tribute to Doves was announced last night:

Disc One

Firesuite –Dementio13
M62 Song –The Honored Guests
House Of Mirrors –Tom Hummer
Snowden –A Clearing
Sea Song   (Substance Sonar Remix) –Substance
Rise   (Live From Abandoned Seaside) –springtide
Compulsion –Thoughts Of Crossing
The Last Son –Loren Carpenter –Red Guts
Caught By The River –prAnkster
Friday’s Dust –Ella Constantinides
Words (Reprise) –Clarion
The Cedar Room –Bradley Rains

Disc Two

Eleven Miles Out –Supercade
Black And White Town –Town Criers
Here It Comes –Fourteenhours
Dub’s House Of Mirrors –Dr.Keys
The Outsiders –Silentjets
Spellbound (Substance Quartet Mix) –Substance
Brazil –The Jetsprays
Melody Calls –Alambradas
Some Cities –Loren Carpenter –Red Guts
Andalucia –Richard Stephens and John Howe
Caught By The River –John Rockliffe
The Cedar Room –The Nurse Who Loved Me
Ambition –Modeon

To reach about each artist, visit the album microsite.

Doves are featured on Dermot O’Leary Presents The Saturday Sessions, released next Monday October 4th. Kingdom Of Rust recorded live in session,   April 2009 is Doves contribution. Good choice I reckon!

Get the album here.

Badly Drawn Boy returns with a new album next Monday. Titled It’s What I’m Thinking Pt.1 –Photographing Snowflakes. You can get a free EP at the Badly Drawn Boy website. The EP features the rather excellent Tim and Sam’s Tim and the Sam Band, check them out. I believe they are out on tour with Cherry Ghost right now, tunes up at MySpace sound great.