Share this Post
Dr. Dog chats with Raleigh Mag ahead of their WNC romp.
AVL Sounds Fest is like the Hopscotch of WNC: a genre-fluid lineup with an emphasis on local musicians taking over the area’s entire ecosystem of music venues. Formerly known as AVLFest, the Asheville music fete supports ongoing Helene recovery needs, as well the sounds of 150+ artists across 15 venues Aug. 6–9—including the likes of River Whyless, Tyler Ramsey and Carl Broemel of My Morning Jacket, and Philly natives Dr. Dog.
If you heard a rumor Dr. Dog was done performing, you’re not entirely wrong. An aura of panic settled upon Raleigh fans who missed their headlining Hopscotch performance in 2021 after the group announced they were “making a graceful exit from touring.” While fans didn’t know what would become of Dr. Dog, they knew they’d be playing live indefinitely less.
“It wasn’t a dramatic choice,” guitarist and vocalist Scott McMicken tells RM. “Five years later, it’s apparent it’s been a real benefit to everyone creatively and in terms of their ideas about making music.” Dr. Dog still pops up on fest lineups or concert flyers occasionally, and when they do play together, McMicken notes, it’s like a family reunion—for the band and for their families.
The group is now known for their viral song “Where’d All The Time Go,” a bittersweet indie track graduating high schoolers (and anyone else moving on to a new stage of life) use to pour salt on the wounds of leaving loved ones. The song wasn’t an immediate hit—the group recorded it multiple times for multiple albums before eventually saying “good enough!” and throwing it on their 2010 record Shame, Shame.
After years of letting it collect dust at the bottom of their catalog, it was suddenly their biggest hit. Despite initial ups and downs with the track, McMicken resonates with the nostalgic factor—he likes when songs become attached to a certain rite of passage, in an “anthropological sense.”
In addition to hearing the sappy and sweet “Where’d All The Time Go” live, fans can expect to see Dr. Dog, happy to be together and winging it on stage again. “The festival’s intentions really are pointed back at the benefit of this town, and that’s pretty special,” McMicken maintains. “It’s a very different ethos that surrounds this festival.” In short: AVL Sounds Fest is well worth the trek from Raleigh this weekend.
Related Articles
Share this Post