So, here we are… and what a place to be
There’s something profound about seeing a band whose music has threaded itself through your life turn up, years later, in a room like Cambridge Junction. Doves holds a special place in my heart, as one of their songs soundtracked my wedding video. So when the So, Here We Are tour rolled into Cambridge on a cold December night, this gig already carried a little extra weight.
The tour has been an eclectic run of dates — Dundee (my hometown), Kentish Town, Bournemouth and Cambridge (with extra shows now added in Sheffield and Manchester). It reflects a band very aware of where they’ve come from and who’s stayed with them. It’s a victory lap, yes, but a modest one. No bombast, no arena excess (not this year at least!). Just rooms, people, and songs.
This tour leans heavily into the idea of legacy — So, Here We Are is a greatest-hits celebration, with a few newer songs for good measure. The set opened with “Words”, a choice that immediately set the tone. Rather than easing the crowd in, Doves went straight for a crowd pleaser. But they have plenty of crowd pleasers in their back catalogue to pick from. Banger after banger were delivered without fuss. They sounded tight. What struck me most was how timeless the material felt.
Then came the encore — and a curveball. After doing exactly what you’d hope an encore would do, and finishing with “There goes the fear” (the song on my wedding video), Doves closed the night with a bonus extra: “SpaceFace” an upbeat, dance tune, it was a left turn that somehow worked perfectly. Instead of sending everyone home in introspective silence, it lifted the room, cut through the winter chill, and pushed the night outward into motion.
Which felt especially fitting in Cambridge. As the lights came up, there was no mad rush for taxis or Ubers. Instead, helmets appeared, bikes were unlocked, and clusters of people pedalled off into the cold night air — buzzing, smiling, still humming melodies under their breath.
So, here we are. Older, maybe. Wiser, possibly. Finding new moments inside classic songs. And on this December night in Cambridge, Doves reminded us exactly why we keep coming back. Hopefully they extend the live shows into next year.
Words & Photography by Kenny McLeish: Instagram