Dr. Dog Delivers
February 21st, 2011Dr. Dog – Terminal 5 – February 18, 2011
Playing before giant stained-glass panels, Dr. Dog put on a wild show on Friday night at Terminal 5, but not before an excellent opening set by the Head and the Heart, making their NYC debut. The new Seattle band has a sweet folk sound, balancing multiple vocals and sparse but effective piano and violin parts. With a sound akin to Margot & the Nuclear So and So’s, the young quintet showed incredible promise, prompting many in the crowd to ask, “The Head and the Who?”
Headliners Dr. Dog put on a nearly flawless 90-minute performance. They began with jam-oriented tracks like “Only Wear Blue” and “The Ark,” a bluesy tune with the same vibe as the Beatles’ “I Want You (She’s So Heavy).” The audience started grooving along during “The Breeze,” and that energy carried the band into “The Old Days,” a double-time jamfest.
Halfway through, the group moved into the more pop-oriented part of the night, which included a haunting version of “Fate.” Dr. Dog never stopped moving even during the slowest songs, constantly reflecting the energy of the crowd. And they returned to an incredible buzz to play a taut encore that ended with “Jackie Wants a Black Eye,” during which they were joined by the Head and the Heart for one more smile-filled jam session. —Sean O’Kane
Photos courtesy of Gregg Greenwood | www.gregggreenwood.com
