Dr. Dog
Dr. Dog at Stubbs BBQ, March 9th
On March 9th, I had the privilege of seeing Dr. Dog perform at Stubbs BBQ in Austin, Texas. A band that I hadn’t heard of prior called the Givers opened for them. The whole show absolutely blew my mind. By far, it was one of the best concerts I’d ever seen. The Givers went on and played an awesome upbeat rockin’ set. Their music was danceable and did a great job of getting me loose, pumped, and ready for Dr. Dog. After the Givers left the stage, what was to come quickly became apparent. I stared at the empty stage to observe what looked like it could have been the set for a play; it was so elaborate. There were a wide range of decorations distributed throughout the stage, including a full sized door and a tiger head and a large collection of posters as the backdrop. I knew I was in for something great and when Dr. Dog took the stage, my prediction was confirmed. First off, they just looked really cool as they took the stage. Like, one of them was wearing a striped beanie that said “Dr. Dog” on it, and they had beards and sunglasses! Visually, the only word I could think to use to truly describe it is: groovy. But as for the important part – the music – they were absolutely incredible. They more than gave the audience their money’s-worth with a generous 2 hour set, filled with all the songs that I’d hope they would play along with many others. Watching them live was kind of like the musical equivalent to me of watching Seth Rogen and his friends all hang out and joke around in “Knocked Up.” It just seemed so perfectly done and like the exact right amount of every ingredient to draw in the audience and make them connect with the show. I was close enough to be able to see the members’ faces and the driving passion behind them as well as the fatigue of being a musician in their every movement, making watching them tell as much of a story as the songs did. Dr. Dog’s live show took everything that their albums have and lifts it up with a huge breeze of energy that left me dancing and entranced. If you’re a fan of Dr. Dog, good music, or captivating shows, I highly recommend seeing them live.