In the end, it proved to be well worth the wait. Manchester’s Doves, making their first Minneapolis performance in nearly six years at the sold out Varsity Theater, reminded us all why we fell in love with the band in the first place, and why we continue to listen, by playing a career spanning, 100 minute set that exhilarated the packed club. It was a set that showed how potent a live act Doves are, and how memorable and majestic their songs remain. They have amassed an enviable and lengthy catalog to draw from during their set, and liberally chose songs both new and old that thrilled the packed audience. Let’s just hope we don’t have to wait that long to see them again.

Taking the stage as a four-piece, augmented by the keyboardist Martin Rebelski, the Williams brothers (Jez and Andy) and Jimi Goodwin received a large ovation from a crowd that had clearly been waiting years to see the band (Doves last two scheduled local shows were both canceled and not rescheduled). And the band seemed to feed off that energy all evening, for what the crowd didn’t provide vocally through available sing-alongs with Goodwin, they more than made up for with rapturous applause. The band eased into the long intro to “Jetstream,” with a large screen behind them providing stimulating visuals that complimented their songs well. And once “Jetstream” kicked in fully with Williams’ rapid fire drums and Goodwin’s pulsing bass lines, the show really took off. “Snowden” was next (and, due to the canceled shows, represented the first time I’ve heard them play material off of 2005’s Some Cities live), and really exemplified the atmospherics that Doves can create with their music, as the song truly soared and filled the club with the band’s massive sound. Rebelski’s keys played a big part in fully fleshing out their tone, for as opposed to just playing as a three piece with a backing track, the band now had someone up there manning that layer of sound, giving their music a more natural element, despite still employing the backing tracks.

The first time I heard Doves new record Kingdom Of Rust, “Winter Hill” stood out immediately, and upon listening I knew this song would be immense live and it didn’t disappoint in the least, despite Goodwin having some problems with levels on his bass. The sound issues continued a bit on “Rise,” causing Goodwin to joke about the band sounding “Heavy Metal.” But again, there is an inherent ambiance in the music of Doves, perhaps due to their work as an electronic outfit (Sub Sub) prior to forming their current band, and “Rise” was another perfect example of this element of their sound and live show. And again, the predominantly travel related visuals projected on the large screen behind the band only added to the exploratory nature of their music. It was a wonderful complement to their sound, and on the few songs that the visual element wasn’t present, the tracks seemed a bit more grounded than the others.

“Pounding” certainly lived up to its name, with Williams’ driving drums propelling the track forward relentlessly. The live version of this song was indeed as epic as I’d remembered. It was a definite early set highlight, and really found the band gaining their footing and getting comfortable with the crowd. “Almost Forgot” and “10:03″ slowed things down a bit, and created a slight drop in the energy level of the set. But the explosive finish of “10:03″ laid the groundwork for a stellar run of songs that really epitomized the majesty and mood of Doves music. “Words” was ambitious and grand, with Jez expertly handling the vocals, and Goodwin chiming in on the glorious chorus to give it an extra kick. The screen was split in four parts for this song, with each section showing various black and white travel scenes that were reminiscent of the cover to R.E.M.’s New Adventures In Hi-Fi. It proved to be my favorite song of the night.

The band kept the momentum up with another standout from the new record, “The Greatest Denier,” that had an added bite and edginess to it that isn’t as present on the studio version. It was sprawling and intense with Goodwin spitting his lyrics out with a passion and vitriol which gave the song an extra bit of menace. “Kingdom Of Rust” kept the run of new songs going, and really took flight in the live setting, as the delicate keys and effects of Rebelski added a fine layer to the track. And Goodwin’s voice was in fine form (as it was all evening), soaring right along with the song. It was a stirring and impassioned version of one of my favorites from the new record.

“Ambition” again slowed things down a bit, but was delivered with such feeling by Goodwin that it worked well, and the deep sentiment of the track was conveyed beautifully by the birthday-boy Goodwin. But the minor lull was done away with by the recognizable propulsive drums of Williams that could only be “Black And White Town.” The song was superb, and the dreary lyrics about wanting to get out of a dead end city was amplified by the promo video for the song playing behind the band. It’s interesting to successfully incorporate the video for the song in a live setting (it was a tactic I had also seen Franz Ferdinand use to a good affect a few weeks prior), and was one that Doves would return to for the set closer “There Goes The Fear.” But after the stellar “Black And White Town,” the band tore into a prolonged, techno-ish intro to the new track “The Outsiders” that really gained an added strength in a live setting. It was feisty and driving, and really flourished live.

When Jez grabbed an acoustic guitar most of the audience started screaming for “Cedar Room” (which unfortunately went unplayed, despite the numerous requests), but instead we were treated to an absolutely gorgeous rendition of “Caught By The River” that was truly stunning. The song started with a bit of ad-libbing by Goodwin due to Andy needing his drum kit fixed, and while Jez strummed away the melody, Goodwin dead-panned perfectly timed lyrics “I’m stalling for time here for my drummer doesn’t have a high-hat, can’t you see my dilemma, I’m just busking up here.” It was a funny intro, which thankfully gave way to a really fantastic rendition of “River.” It’s such a beautiful song, and the version played at the Varsity was a bit extended at the end to provide for a crowd sing-along that never really materialized, but it was enough to hear Goodwin deliver the lyrics with an emotional depth and intensity that only added to the elegance of the song. It was a brilliant way to end the main set, and the euphoric applause the band received as they left the stage certainly showed them our gratitude and acknowledgment that we had just witnessed something wonderful.

Goodwin and Rebelski came out alone for the first encore, with Goodwin playing an acoustic guitar on a tender version of “Northenden” that was helped along by the subtle keys of Rebelski. It was an understated, gentle version that was a charming way to start out the encore. Goodwin took to the drums as the rest of the band came out, and when Andy blew the train-whistle like harmonica to introduce the track, I thought we were indeed going to finally hear “Cedar Room,” but it proved to be just a tease, as the band launched into a spirited version of “Here It Comes” with Andy on vocals. It was lively and vibrant, and was followed by a cheeky (and thankfully brief, since Goodwin didn’t really know the lyrics) cover of “The End” by the Doors that segued nicely into the epic splendor of “Last Broadcast.” After Goodwin thanked the crowd for being a fantastic audience the familiar opening strains of “There Goes The Fear” spread throughout the club. And with the video for the track providing an exquisite visual accompaniment to the song, the band finished the set on an absolute high-note, sending everyone home happy with a splendid rendition of this obvious crowd favorite.

The band was all smiles as they left the stage, continuing Goodwin’s birthday celebration elsewhere. And the crowd milling about after the show was happy as well, finally getting another chance to see one of the best bands in Britain in such an intimate setting. It had been far too long since I saw them last, but it’s good to know Doves still have the magic and majesty I remember. It was a show that truly was a long time in coming, but was certainly worth the wait. I just hope we won’t have to be as patient before they grace a stage in this city again.

[review by Erik Thompson, photos by Jon Behm, videos by Kyle Matteson]

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Also: Four Takes on “Kingdom of Rust” by Doves