Tuesday 15/12/09 Doves, Delphic @ Engine Shed, Lincoln

Having already released two of this year’s most underappreciated 45s in ‘Counterpoint’ and ‘This Momentary’, Delphic now find themselves stacked with an extra burden of expectation in the shape of a much-hallowed BBC Sound of 2010 nomination. Their current status as openers on the Doves end-of-year festive burnout may also have raised a few eyebrows, not least because their dance-infused paeans are perhaps better suited to the environment of a hot sweaty club than the vast confines of a venue such as the Engine Shed, but let’s not forget their hosts started life in a similar proximity as Sub Sub two decades previous. Unfortunately, tonight perhaps isn’t the most suitable of which to judge Delphic as beyond the front two rows, no one else in the room pays that much attention to them, which is a shame as the chugging bassline of ‘This Momentary’ in particular sends cold shivers down the spine. Their time will come, of that there is little doubt, starting with the release of debut long player ‘Acolyte’ in early January next year.

For Doves, it would be fair to say that 2009 has been possibly their most successful year to date, if not on a commercial level then certainly on a critical one at any rate. Written off by many as being well past their sell-by date, the arrival in April of their fourth studio album ‘Kingdom Of Rust’ probably didn’t set many pulses racing initially. Once consumed however amidst several column inches proclaiming it to be their most consistent body of work to date, the revitalised Doves have rarely put a foot wrong since culminating in some of their most memorable live shows to date, this summer’s Latitude Festival performance being a particular highlight.

With a set heavily culled from their most recent record, one would have expected the audience to have met each song with as enthusiastic a reception as those up on the stage playing them. Sadly that isn’t the case, with barely a cheer or round of applause greeting even the older, more radio-friendly material either that resembles an after hours séance in a local morgue. The band themselves deserve better, Jimi Goodwin and the Williams brothers as passionate as ever tearing through a storming ‘House Of Mirrors’, poignant ‘Caught By The River’ or euphoric ‘Jetstream’. That they choose to end the pre-encore part of the set with early single ‘The Cedar Room’ should have ensured a fervour pitched response from those out front; again, barely a whimper is heard from a seemingly bored looking crowd as the band play a faultless rendition of what is possibly still their most exquisite five minutes to date.

During the encore, former b-side ‘Northenden’ and second album staple ‘The Last Broadcast’ give way to the evening’s highlight, the glorious Northern Soul infused ‘Here It Comes’, whereby Andy Williams and Goodwin swap places, the frontman proving to be a more than adequate drummer with Williams displaying a similar charm vocally up front. As the evening draws to a close courtesy of the band’s biggest hit to date, ‘There Goes The Fear’, one can’t help but thinking tonight felt something of an anti-climax rather than the end of year celebration it should have been. Fortunately, the band can hold their heads high as it was more than a case of a job well done; the same cannot be said of the audience however, who must go down as one of the most subdued I’ve ever had the misfortune to spend an evening with.

The show in photos: