Free show? Hard to knock back. For Dr Dog? Definitely. Especially as I missed the Philadelphia crew on their 2007 visit to Australia. Plus, this was their only headline show in Sydney. However, it was at the Beach Road Hotel in Bondi. I felt a little out of my inner west element. Lots of guys who looked like they had just stepped out of the surf and lots of girls with big tans and short skirts. The venue was huge and packed. Three floors of bars and restaurants and on the third level there was a small stage. It was not the ideal venue. The stage was too low, there was no air conditioning and the lighting was not exactly expert. But, but...

It was still a very enjoyable night. Why? Because Dr Dog are just very entertaining. Not in a change your life way, but just in a feel good way. Their songs are brimming with melody and joy, they have songs that are full of life and spirit. Naturally, they played a slew of tunes from their latest release "Fate". This included the opener "The Old Days", which was a perfect starter, with its rousing chorus and irrepressible charm. Also welcomed were the hummable "Hang On" and the very catchy "Army Of Ancients". The vocal duties were mainly handled by lead guitarist Scott McMicken and bass player Toby Leaman. Both did a fine job, but I think I preferred the meatier tunes of Leaman. This was best shown on the stirring "100 Years". The band also showed they could jam with the best, with many songs being belted out with great gusto. As in the great closer "The Rabbit, The Bat & The Reindeer". One thing for sure on the night was the effort the band put in. On a hectic schedule of dates around Australia, Dr Dog attacked the night with a big heart.

Set List
The Old Days
Hang On
The Way The Lazy Do
The Beach
Ain't It Strange
My Friend
Army Of Ancients
From
The Ark
The World May Never Know
Oh No
Worst Trip
The Girl
100 Years
The Breeze
The Rabbit, The Bat & The Reindeer