Dr. Dog/ The Districts/ The Hawks of Holy Rosary

The Vogue Theatre

June 8, 2014

Written by: Zen Wild

Photos by: Tony Vasquez of Vasquez Photography

Arrival at the Vogue, in Indianapolis, brings with it some ill, unlikely news associated with the second opening band, The Districts. It seems their gear was stolen the night before in St. Louis. In order to play their set, they’ll have to borrow gear. It’s bad news, but the night will show that even with borrowed equipment, they can put on a great show.

The opening band, The Hawks of Holy Rosary, doesn’t play a long set, but they use their time wisely, filling up the short period of time with intricate jams and at times, surprisingly delicate harmonies. It’s a nice opening set leading up to the heavyweights to come.

While young, The Districts play as tight as a band that has had numerous years to hone their skill at playing with one another. Their drummer is right on point, changing tempos, rhythms, and time throughout their set. The bass is steady, and both of the guitarists show impressive skill. My only complaint, at first, is that it’s hard to hear the vocals in the mix, but after moving from the barricade in front of the stage to the balcony, I realize that the main problem is that we had been standing behind and below the overhanging PA speakers. In the balcony, the vocals come through loud and clear, and I think that they really shine on tracks like “Long Distance,” and “Telephone.” Again, the set isn’t incredibly long, but the energy is incredible. It’s all another bit of buildup to the headliner, Dr. Dog, which as the increasing crowd would suggest, is expected to put on a stellar show.

I’m not sure if the show has sold out, and I fail to ask anyone official, but I saw Gary Clark, Jr. at the Vogue last November, which was sold out, and this crowd seems to be almost equal, if it isn’t, in packing the aisles, crowding the length of the bar, and filling the balcony. In short, there isn’t much room to move. Nonetheless, as Dr. Dog begins to play, and their stage lights begin to spread across the crowd, from up in the balcony the mass of people looks like the waves of an inland sea, moving and crashing about each other.

  It’s only the beginning to a great set. This is something that has assuredly helped their fan-base to grow from the time that the band came together back in the late 90’s. The lineup has changed throughout the years, but being assured of receiving an energetic set of layered sound has not. It has to be expected at this point.

After their opening songs are received by the crowd with thunderous applause and cheers that resound throughout the Vogue, the band begins joking a bit, commenting on the sign that accompanies them on stage, although it looks more at home outside a truck-stop diner, with witty sayings that change every night. They mention that it was funnier the night before. Tonight, it says: “What you unexpect.” Any lack of humor regarding tonight’s message is forgotten as Scott McMicken speaks his opinion on the current NBA Finals series. “F**k the Heat,” he says, and the crowd roars with approval! He had to know that would go over well in Naptown (Indianapolis). Fans love to see their favorite musicians show a bit of their personalities on stage, and the members of Dr. Dog are not the sort to keep them closely guarded. Back to the music, though.

    From the first song, all of the musicians are beautifully in synch, and combined with the incredible light show, that seems reminiscent, if toned down, of the Flaming Lips, it’s quite the spectacle. The visual stimulation only supports the music. With lead vocals switching between Toby Leaman and Scott (McMicken) all night long, whose styles differ but seem equally at home, the music soars in the cozy confines of the Vogue. Combined with the harmonized backing vocals of the other band members (Frank McElroy, Zach Miller, Eric Slick, and Dimitri Manos), there is a richness and depth to the overall sound that fits nicely alongside the thick instrumentation, which includes keyboards, synthesizers, drums, bass, lead and rhythm guitars. Frank McElroy’s antics, while wearing his white-rimmed sunglasses and playing guitar, only add to the craziness of the wild, prismatic jams as Dr. Dog let themselves give in to the grooves throughout their set.

   Perhaps my favorite songs to see performed this evening are “The Beach” and “The Truth,” and “Broken Heart.” I think that during their performance of “The Truth,” the light show really kicked into overdrive and all around fans could be heard singing along. The band has to feed off of that and the lengthy jams they provide seem to be proof. Honestly, though, every song delivered this evening is amazing. I’d never seen them before, only listening to their albums at home, or while driving in my car, but after the excellent show they put on at the Vogue, I would love to see them again. I would suggest the same to anyone else, even if they’d never heard a single track of theirs before. “Go, and listen,” I’d tell them, “and by the end of the evening, you’ll be leaving the venue with an album, or two, or if you’re wallet’s deep enough, maybe the whole discography.” You’ll want to hear them again, though. That, I guarantee.

Photo Gallery: http://jamsplus.smugmug.com/TonyVasquezPhotography/Dr-Dog-with-the-Districts/