Resilience has always been a bedrock in Doves illustrious music story, as has been the necessity to adapt and evolve. Throughout the history of the band, they have had to contend with everything from a studio fire to cancelled tours, but their biggest challenge so far is touring without their lead singer Jimi Goodwin. Their upcoming performance at engine rooms Southampton will be a true testament to their ability to push forward and captivate audiences despite the obstacles.
The amiable frontman has taken a leave of absence for this tour, the band’s first full tour in 15 years, to focus on his well-being, with the band adding that “Mental health has always been central to Doves and we fully support him in his decision.”
It’s an incredibly brave decision for Jimi to be so entirely candid and on behalf of the team at House of Coco, we all wish him well on his healing journey, but full credit must also be given to his Doves bandmates guitarist Jez and Andy Williams on drums who along with three new touring band members delivered a spectacular set at Southampton’s Engine Rooms on Saturday night.
It was a touching story not only in the importance of resilience, but also belief. From the band believing in each other to the sold-out crowd believing in Doves themselves. Jimi’s absence was acknowledged by the band and whilst the quintet served up a fantastic set, his presence was omnipresent.
The band kicked off proceedings with the evocative instrumental ‘Firesuite’ from their debut album ‘Lost Souls’ which is (gulp!) twenty five years old. Both on record and especially so played live, ‘Firesuite’ has almost a menacing, cinematic feel which really sets the tone.
It was followed up with ‘Carousel’ and ‘Words’ from 2002’s ‘The Last Broadcast’ which really got the crowd going. Jez, stepping up to perform lead vocals, should be really proud of himself; it must have been daunting to take on the mantle from Jimi, but he was absolutely brilliant and was superbly supported by his brother Andy too.
The live sound was elevated by the addition of three incredible musicians in their own right which included the always-superb Christian Madden on keys.
Of course, there will always be a Jimi-shaped hole whenever he is not performing, but it is testament to the entire band (and in particular Jez and Chris) that they deliver an rousing and unforgettable set that is nothing short of awe-inspiring.
From the anthemic yet introspective ‘Renegade’ with the poignant line ‘And nothing, lasts forever’ to the dreamy vibes of ‘Rise’, this was an assured spin through through their career-spanning back catalogue, as well as serving up highlights from their critically-acclaimed latest album ‘Constellations For The Lonely’ which showcase their exemplary musical craftsmanship and is a bona fide masterpiece.
Brimming with self belief, life affirming and defiant, the set list showcased their sonic evolution from their early days of ambient-electronic vibes from the early noughties, to the more indie-rock-centric tracks of today, demonstrating that they can do the introspective as well as the uplifting with ease on the live stage.
‘Pounding’ from Doves 2002 epic album ‘The Last Broadcast’ was a standout and was even more exhilarating than on record along with the brilliant fan favourite ‘There Goes The Fear’, both of which were nothing short of electrifying! The former with its lines ‘I can’t stand by, see you destroyed’ has never been so relevant or poignant. It effortlessly straddles the feeling of anguish and triumphant.
Euphoric, commanding and celebratory, Doves proved once again why they are one of the best live acts in the UK and continue to go from strength to strength.
Photo Credits
Doves live – Dave Rofe
Main image – Brian David Stevens
