It’s a canning weekend. That means that a good amount of your friends are out getting some last minute THON money (or simply going home to escape a zombie campus). For those of us who decided to stay in town tonight, though, there was a treat – Dr. Dog performing live at the State Theatre!

The show started off with opening group The Growlers (an appropriate name for a band playing with Dr. Dog). These guys were essentially the definition of “band that sounds like what the look like”. In this case, the sextet looked like a psychedelic band of motley circus performers and carny folk from the Old West. Despite their puzzling outfits (especially the lead singer, who wore a polka dotted dress and blonde wig for the majority of the set), they were pretty good, if a bit too chaotic for my tastes. Still, a welcome opener for the main attraction.

Shortly after The Growlers finished up their set, Dr. Dog came on the stage. Before the show, I had only listened to Dr. Dog a few times. I liked what I heard, and I was expecting a pretty decent show. However, I was blown away by how excellent their performance was. The whole band’s licks, fills, and technical skills were solid, and their overall sound was great, like a mixture of The Beatles and Built To Spill.

But where Dr. Dog truly shined was in their mastery of songwriting. Each song had creative progressions, impeccable arrangements, and great pacing. All of their songs felt natural, progressing from slow ballads to fast assaults of rock (or vice versa) at just the right moments. Dr. Dog’s diversity and inventiveness made sure that their set was never dull.

Tonight’s show was another fantastic addition to a semester that has been full of great music. Let’s hope the trend can continue into the spring with Movin’ On and Wallypalooza (no Ke$ha, please!).

Photo Credit: Chase Tralka