Doves

Another (more modern) outfit spurred on by Manchester's Hacienda, Doves are revered as one of the sharpest UK rock bands of recent years. Although bearing sonic similarity to Guy Garvey's Elbow, with the mournful gravity-ridden vocals, sprawling rock sagas and axe warmth, Jimi Goodwin, Jez and Andy Williams (and Martin Rebelski, the unofficial 'fourth Dove'), achieve different goals. There's a small-town, everyman vibe, a kind of down-to-earth grit that Elbow – though great themselves – have glided away from in their Olympic-sized ballads.
Live, Doves keep things simple and let their music do the talking. Tracks like “Jetstream”, “Kingdom Of Rust”, “Pounding” and “The Cedar Room” are rapturous bundles of taut energy and slick riffery, backed by thumping rhythms and Goodwin's wistful croon. There's a harrowing nature to some of their cuts, so expect to have the hairs on your neck raised. The three-piece (four-piece) might not whip out the dancers, trampolines, t-shirt cannons or fluorescent lighting, but they don't need to rely on gimmicks to ensure people leave utterly thrilled. Their music is more than enough.
Goodwin may be on his lonesome now, after the band decided to go on hiatus, but he's keeping busy with a support slot with... Elbow.