On April 27, Dopapod made their long-awaited return to the stage, offering a standout comeback show at The Capitol Theatre. Marking the group’s first outing since their New Year’s Eve run at the end of 2017, Dopapod effectively ended their yearlong hiatus, much to the delight of fans who have been eagerly awaiting this new chapter in the band’s history.
To kick off the show, the group started things off with Redivider‘s “Vol. 03 #86” followed by Drawn Onward‘s “Nuggy Jawson.” After these two older tracks, the group turned to their last album, 2017’s Megagem, for “Mucho.” The fugue-like “French Bowling” and a hard-edged “Braindead” proceeded “My Elephant vs. Your Elephant,” which marked a slower, more soulful change of pace for the first frame. To close out the set, Dopapod offered a groovy 17-minute rendition of “Trapper Keeper,” which the group introduced as an old favorite.
Thematically, the group began to hint toward the future more directly with their second set, offering two debuts off their forthcoming record Emit Time. The first debut came in the form of “Numbers Need Human,” with the percussive tune marking the first song of the set. An almost-18-minute take on “FABA” off Never Even Or Odd followed, which was a major highlight of the show. After the easygoing and effects-laden tune, the group hit “Onionhead” before a cover of Smashing Pumpkins’ “Bullet With Butterfly Wings,” a choice inspired by lighting designer Luke Stratton’s recent role as the lighting director for the ’90s alt-rock act.
2016 single “Super Bowl” helped transition into the second half of the set, which the group followed up with Drawn Onward‘s “Roid Rage,” complete with a stunning drum solo, and Megagem‘s “Plaese Haalp.” By way of “Cloud World,” Dopapod landed in their second premiere of the night, “Never Odd Or Even,” a tune that takes its name from their 2014 album. The thoughtful ballad helped close out the show, harkening in the final song of the set, a celebratory “Bubblebrain.” For their encore, the group offered “Freight Train Filled With Dynamite,” which spanned 17 minutes.
Listen to full-show audio from Dopapod’s return show at The Capitol Theatre below, courtesy of Matt Moricle.
Setlist
Set 1: Vol. 03 #86, Nuggy Jawson, Mucho, French Bowling, Braindead, My Elephant vs. Your Elephant, Trapper Keeper
Set 2: Numbers Need Humans [1], FABA, Onionhead, Bullet With Butterfly Wings [2], Super Bowl, Roid Rage, Plaese Haalp, Cloud World, Never Odd Or Even [1], Bubblebrain
Encore: Freight Train Filled With Dynamite
- [1] Debut
- [2] The Smashing Pumpkins
