How I Went From Curiosity to Meeting My Favorite Band
I had downloaded some music guide from Filter magazine because it had Beck on the cover. As I discussed last night with my friend, I am the type of fan that has to have everything if I'm really into a band or artist. As I looked through it, mainly for the pictures, a page caught my eye. It was a picture of five guys dressed in 30's era clothing with suspenders and hats standing next to a train and its tracks. My curiosity drove me to find out what they sounded like, so I did it the best way I knew how, Youtube!
I browsed a couple of Dr. Dog's songs. I really didn't know what to think. I read someone's comment on a song they covered called "Heart It Races"
Not bad, I thought. This then led me to download what I could of their music, which was almost everything. It took me a while to get around to giving them a good listen, but when I finally did I felt like I had discovered something so amazing. I had never heard anything like it before. I'm talking more like something that nobody else is doing and they're good at it. I was hooked. Next I did what I always do and introduced my brother to them and in time he became a fan like me.
I was hoping they would come out with another album, because with my luck I'm always finding out about a band or artist and its one of those "Why am I just now finding out about this?!" feelings. Then I found out they were coming out with a new album and got excited because I knew what it really meant: Touring! Shows!
I spent the summer in Seattle and bought their album We All Belong on vinyl, which plays an important role in this story. They are definitely a band that translates excellently on vinyl. I love playing their records and day dream that I'm hanging around in a huge field of grass on a hot summer day or watching the sunset while chillin' on a porch.
But back to reality. So I eventually I found a date that they would be "in town" and asked my brother if he was interested in going, and of course he was. We bought the tickets one week before the show because I wanted to make sure I didn't have to go to work that day. My excitement just grew with each day that passed and we got closer to the date.
A few days before the band released a few songs that didn't make the album and of course I had to have them so I bought them right away on itunes. I began listening to them while I was sewing something to "warm me up" for the upcoming show. And this song came on that immediately caught my attention and soon blew my mind. It sounded like no other song they had done before. I was immediately addicted to "Black-Red" and had to listen to it a second time.
The Doctor Will See You Now:
November 5, 2010 I was so excited the day had finally arrived. I called my brother up and soon he was on his way to pick me up. When he finally arrived I had to show him "Black-Red."
Dr. Dog was playing at The Wiltern in Los Angeles and we figured we would go early in the day and hang out and explore the city. I gathered some things and pulled out a folded poster that came with the We All Belong vinyl and told my brother "I'm gonna bring this... just in case... You never know." I had been lucky once before with another artist, but I knew I couldn't expect anything this time.
So we took the long drive to L.A. and finally arrived. We drove past the front and saw the marquee with Dr. Dog on it. Thankfully there was a parking structure right next to the Wiltern. We wanted to get good pictures of the marquee so we began to make our way.
We were walking on the sidewalk when I said to my brother "We should look for the tour bus after the show-" and just as I said those words I look past my brother down an ally and stopped in my tracks. "Dude, that's it! That's the bus!" I slowly recognized two guys standing by the bus. "Is that them? Dude, that's them! No way! Should we go over there and ask 'em to sign my poster?" Without even waiting for a response we walked over and they had a gate to keep people from "intruding" and one of the guys from the band came over. There was some other guy there that was getting something signed and I couldn't believe how ridiculously nervous I was. Frank introduced himself, we all shook hands and started chatting a little.
Frank said something about needing chap stick and before we knew it we walked to a CVS just around the corner. It was weird to be somewhere like CVS with someone from a band you love. We all made our way back to the venue and he then invited to sound check! It was indescribable. We were the only ones in the room, in front of the stage. They all came out played parts of songs to get speaker volumes and keys just right. It only got me more excited for the actual show to start.
So they finished and all the guys stepped out and we told Frank we'd get some food and see him later. We made our way back outside the same way we came in and lo and behold the rest of the guys were outside taking a cigarette break. I pulled out my poster and asked if they mind signing it. Toby reached out his hand and gave a really strong gripped shake and signed the poster while Scott and I introduced each other. The poster was all passed around and got some love.
Looong story short, the show was amazing, I sang at the top of my lungs, jumped and danced around, and screamed incredibly loud when they began playing "Black-Red." After the show I bought Fate on vinyl and a pair of sunglasses with Dr. Dog and their "symbol" which is two dots over one dot, as if they're a dog's eyes and nose. You can see Frank put those dots on the top of my poster.
So! Now that my brother's birthday is a week away, I've started stitching the Dr. Dog symbol in a cross-hatch of blue and red.
Here's a few pics I took from the show:
The Wiltern
Toby Leaman
Scott McMicken
Frank McElroy
Frank and Zach
Toby
Scott
Toby
I got Frank's set list! Encore was The Old Days, Heart It Races, and We All Belong.
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