Over this past year we’ve expanded our coverage from NYC to all four corners of America. One city we’ve always had our eye on was Washington D.C. and we’re excited to welcome a new contributor to cover the live music scene in our nation’s capital. Please welcome Rudi Greenberg to Team HT…
[All Photos by Zachary Herrmann]
Apparently, Dr. Dog didn’t know it was December. With ornate flower arrangements, faux palm-like trees on stage and three band members wearing sunglasses, the band tried to heat up the 9:30 Club on a chilly Wednesday night in Washington last week with its psychedelic power pop. All the better, considering the Philadelphia-based band’s music is more fit for a summer day than a winter night.
With an 18-song set and a three-song encore, Dr. Dog powered through its 85-minute show with the energy and enthusiasm of a young band out to prove itself, which makes sense. While the band released its first album, Psychedelic Swamp, in 2001, the band’s current style dates back to 2007’s We All Belong
READ ON for more of Rudi’s Dr. Dog review…
Dr. Dog didn’t decorate the stage of Higher Ground as they have on some stops of their current tour – but they didn’t have to. Dr. Dog’s music that night was sufficiently a world unto itself.
Decorating the stage with huge potted plants and flower garlands around the microphones, Dr. Dog created an overgrown garden on stage, adding to the already down-home-vibe of the music, this theatrical setting transported the audience to a remote forest glade for the performance.
Fate gives the lie to the notion Dr Dog are too eccentric for their own good. Five albums on at this point, it’s clear the band is working in a most purposeful, albeit unorthodox manner.
Photos by Jake Krolick of Dr Dog and The Spinto Band performing at the Starlight Ballroom in Philadelphia on April 13th, 2007. The show was part of Philly's Popped! fetival.
Blogs, NPR, The New York Times have all been singing the praises of Philly’s Dr. Dog and now they have some hard evidence. We All Belong is one of the 2007’s strongest releases, combining tight arraignments with picturesque vocals and a lazy fall afternoon BBQ vibe; Dr. Dog has crafted a winner to go along with their energetic live show.
Simultaneously psychedelic (“The Girl”) and soulful (“Worst Trip”)—We All Belong is seemingly the result of the Beatles spending spring break with The Allman Brothers Band and getting delirious with sunburn and their 24 track, 2 inch tape machine.
Everyone makes their standard "best of's," top 10s" and "year in review" lists, but each December we like to take that model a couple of steps further. We go straight to the artists to see where they found inspiration over the past twelve months, and we don't stop with just album choices. We dig a bit deeper and go for a broader picture of the past year in art. From classic moments on the road to their guilty pleasure confessions, this is a panoramic snapshot of "the best of 2006," and a peek into what to expect in '07.
CMJ (NYC’s annual music fest) came in like a lion, roared like a lion and left like – yup, you got it – a lion. The whirlwind of fantastic jams set the foundation for the Wednesday night show at Bowery Ballroom. Chock Full O’ Bands that are in various stages of their journey on a streetcar named fame, there was a bevy of talent packing the house for seven hours of music. While tag wearing hipsters skedaddled about the city, your faithful narrator got a spot on the ballroom floor and has a review of each of these acts presented here, because all are worthy of praise and your attention:
ooking like Mike Nesmith’s fan club, this five piece hit the stage just before midnight in silly wool hats, but the sweltering club had already served to warm them up. They collided into the music sans introduction, if there was any doubt about the energy and excitement in the room, it was obliterated under the first notes of the majestic show opener “Say Something.” The band who goes by their coded names are: TAXI: guitar, vocals, TABLES: bass, vocals, TEXT: keyboards, guitar and vocals, TURBO: trapset, vocals, THANKS: guitars, vocals.
