Dr. Dog delivers at Observatory North Park

A late February Friday night in North Park is the perfect atmosphere: not too hot, not too cold, finally thawing off that thick layer of hibernation everyone has been living in all winter. The Observatory Theater attracts a wide array of musical talent, ranging from hip hop to alternative to reggae to metal artists; this particular night was of the folk-alternative variety. If you can classify Dr. Dog that. To be honest, they pull from so many influences, it’s hard to label them concretely. What can be said about this enigmatic band is that they deserve much more recognition than they have received in their impressive long-running career.

Dr. Dog is probably the most underrated band in the biz.

As The Observatory filled, opener Michael Nau and bandmates took to the stage. Darkened stage, pink and blue spotlights, mellow mood. Nau pleased all before a brief intermission. The boys of Dr. Dog then came out, instruments in hand, smiling and waving, ready to rock and roll. New songs mixed with old, as the singers switched back and forth, jumping into high-energy solos as they went. The percussionist in the back played pretty much everything, too! Such an entertaining band. With work lingering early in the morning, I knew I had to leave before the end of the set. As each song rolled out, I was enticed to stay longer and longer. I just couldn’t leave! Dancing and twirling out the door (much later than I planned, yet completely satisfied with my choices), I thanked the world for Dr. Dog, shaping much of my teens and 20s. Until next time, I shall play my Be The Void album on repeat.

Photography by Kristy Rose

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