Review: Doves – The Warehouse Project

“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.

Doves have enough in the tank for a fairly impressive Best of…set nowadays, and the band’s dance background meant enough big beats to keep people dancing at the front as well as satisfying the foot-tappers and head-nodders at the back.

The jubilant ‘Pounding’ set the tone early on, and other set highlights included set-closing oldie ’The Cedar Room’, sounding just as fresh as it did when it first appeared on Doves’ debut ‘Lost Souls’, the melancholic ‘Kingdom of Rust’ and the unashamedly bouncy ‘Black and White Town.’

Doves are anthemic, certainly, but perhaps in a less obvious way than some of their Manchester contemporaries. Goodwin’s a friendly frontman.

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.

The band couldn’t resist revisiting their dance roots before sending the crowd out into the Piccadilly night. It would be rude not to in a venue like this.

“I heard that some of you have come here for a rave,” said Goodwin. “We used to write that shit.” Cue strobe lights and blast through their Sub Sub house monster Spaceface, and a room crammed to capacity collectively jumping up and down at the same time.

If Doves are taking a break, it would be our loss. If this was their last gig, it wouldn’t have been a bad way to go – but this didn't feel like a band saying its final farewell.

Set list:

'Push Me On'
'Snowden'
'Winter Hill'
'Pounding'
'Jetstream'
'Words'
'The Greatest Denier'
'Rise'
'10.03'
'Kingdom Of Rust'
'Black And White Town'
'Caught By The River'
'The Cedar Room'
'Here It Comes'
'The Last Broadcast'
'There Goes The Fear'
'Space Face'