Doves @ Lincoln Engine Shed

It's amazing how much can change in a couple of months. When Delphic last played Lincoln’s Engine Shed, they did so as part of the line-up for one of the MODA club nights.

To many, they were considered to be filler, unworthy of note or mention.

Now, making their second appearance at the venue, providing support for fellow Mancunians Doves there’s an air of anticipation largely motivated by that elitist industry buzz which comes as standard for this time of year.

Given their dance influences, it would be easy to start talking about the spirit of Tony Wilson or the shadow of the Hacienda, but Delphic are more than just your standard band of lads from the north west who picked up a Happy Mondays album and a synthesizer. There’s a degree of intelligence and thoughtfulness about their composition, which makes them much more akin to the likes of M83 or Sigur Rós.

Delphic were recently shortlisted for the 2010 Critic’s Choice Brit Award, the same award won this year by Florence And The Machine. Needless to say, if they carry through to the new year with the same momentum they ended this one with, Delphic will certainly be one to keep a close eye on.

Backed by some well-placed festival sets and a Mercury Music Prize, indie rock favourites Elbow started to gain notoriety over these past 12 months, leaving Doves to step up and take their place as most underrated band in Britain.

Ever since the release of Lost Souls in 2000, Doves have perpetually remained on the cusp of mainstream recognition. Every now and again, they’ll release a single that manages to leak into the collective public subconscious, but aside from that, they rely on the loyal fan-base they’ve managed to build over the past nine years.

Their Engine Shed set is made up of songs spanning their entire career, mixing favourites like Pounding and Caught By The River with material from their newest album Kingdom Of Rust. However, there’s something slightly unimpassioned about the newer material. Jimi Goodwin’s usually booming Mancunian drawl is lost among bass and keyboard that have had the atmospheric level turned up to 11.

The highlight of the nights comes when Doves end their set with a triumphant and affirmative rendition of There Goes The Fear. Complete with a carnival refrain seemingly taken from a New Orleans Mardi Gras, Doves bring an unseasoned close to Lincoln’s year of live music.