Instead of attending the Sweetheart’s dance this past weekend, I scored some tickets to the Dr. Dog concert at First Avenue with special guest PHOX. I loved this show. The bands both complimented each other perfectly; PHOX with their floaty, sugary sound preparing us for the rock and roll of Dr. Dog. Both of the artists have a whimsical sound which was played up by the lighting and stage props courtesy of First Avenue.

PHOX is one of my favorite artists, and seeing them live made me fall even deeper in love with them. They put on a great live performance, incorporating many different instruments in their show, such as a recorder, a xylophone and a trumpet, making the live performance unique. The lead singer was shy at first, but opened up as the show went on. PHOX was so fun to watch because it felt like it was just a bunch of best friends hanging out making insanely beautiful music. They made you feel like you were part of the group which I really appreciate about live shows. PHOX finished their set with “Slow Motion”, their most popular song, and one of my favorites. They killed it. Each note was met with lead singer Monica Martin’s soft and velvety voice, and instead of creating the same sound as on the album, they added in some authenticity to our live show. The laid back and relaxed music got us prepared for Dr. Dog.

I only knew four or five songs by Dr. Dog, but now after hearing them live I am so much more into their music . The psychedelic sound of this band got the whole crowd dancing. Many concert-goers were wearing the classic knit beanie with a pom-pom on top that says Dr. Dog across the middle. There were some die hard fans that would jump up and down like mad men when their favorite song came on. It was impossible not to join in the fun. The band was having fun on stage which carried over into us in the audience. I think that Dr. Dog could have done a better job utilizing silence. While I loved the music, and it was a blast to dance and sing along, a break between songs would have let us hear the crisp noise of their set. Another thing that I would have liked to see more of would be more personal greetings. All the lead singer said to us as an audience was “Hello” when they entered the stage and “Thank you” as they left. I do not mean to make them sound stuck-up because they were not at all. After an almost two hour set they followed with a four song encore. Dr. Dog is definitely one of the more experienced bands I have seen.

Overall, this was a great show. It was super high-energy and upbeat, but was balanced by PHOX’s lackadaisical set. I definitely prefer a more folky sound in bands and live concerts, but the vibe emitting from all the fans was impossibly contagious. It was a great show, and a great night.