“We’re gonna play another free show soon,” Doolittle’s front man David pointed out to the crowd from Elsewhere’s stage, “Because twenty-seven dollars to see my shitty band is too much.” It’s not usual for a band to apologize for the price of their tickets, but Doolittle knows their reputation is defined by three little words: “Do It Yourself.” By putting out invitations to free house parties in Brooklyn, hosted in basements and backyards, Doolittle has built a community of emo music lovers over 3,000 strong that will follow them just about anywhere… even when it costs almost thirty bucks. Almost as if to prove the point, an enthused audience member screams back, arms up in the air, “You’re worth it!”
Consider Doolittle your proof that a DIY community built on free shows and connecting to new friends can translate into ticket sales. Not that music was ever really about ticket sales.
All week the Dooverse (Doolittle’s Discord chat) had been buzzing with hype for this last-minute addition to the weekend. Opening for the Baxbys, a soulful indie rock foursome celebrating the release of their killer EP Human Music, this was Doolittle’s follow up to a wildly successful “Doo Year’s Eve”, which filled out Gold Sounds in Brooklyn. The partiful invite for the event received over 271 RSVPs in just four days, and it sold out the venue in the hours leading up to showtime.
It was undeniable that Doolittle brought the crowd to life.
Bassist Gemma took center stage with guitarist Jared to her right, and it didn’t take much pressure from David for the packed crowd to open up the pit and get moving. And maybe it’s just me, but I really much prefer a show that gets people moving. During the hits, like “Headlights” and “Breaking Down and Feeling Low”, the audience was almost as loud as the band. And of course, because some things never change, David couldn’t resist the chance to plunge into the crowd.
You know that mix of devastation and pride you feel when your favorite secret spot gets discovered? When I heard Doolittle was playing Elsewhere, I thought it might be hard to say goodbye to the free backyard and basement parties. But this night firmly cemented Doolittle‘s commitment to DIY. Even in such an impressive venue, Doolittle found a way to keep things warm. Maybe it’s the way Gemma smiled down at her friends, or how they seemed more interested in dancing along with us than looking cool. “Hey Ash, is that you?” David squinted into the audience and smiled, “Welcome home.
What keeps Doolittle DIY, even as they play larger, more traditional venues, is the Dooverse. I, and many others, spent the four days leading up to the show enjoying the talk and the chatter of a bunch of anonymous internet profiles that I knew I’d be meeting in person in just a few days. To (loosely) quote David, “The friends are the main thing, the music is the background”. There’s a dozen people meeting up beforehand at Cobra Club and playing pool for an hour, I went on a quest to loan someone my belt to keep his pants up in the pit, and I huddled in a Chinese restaurant with the bassist and a bunch of friends to avoid the rain and chill while we figured out where the hell the afters are—this is the type of chaos that comes with real community and real connection.
And the Dooverse isn’t just about music; it’s about community.
Any other band wouldn’t care that some people couldn’t afford the thirty dollar tickets.
Any other band wouldn’t play another full show at the afters just for the people who couldn’t make the first show.
Doolittle isn’t any other band.
In the most punk rock move of the evening, David performed an intimate solo set at Gold Sounds, especially for the folks who couldn’t get into Elsewhere. Gemma led the rest of the band on stage shortly afterwards. Show number two, relentless stamina, all to make sure that everyone got the chance to see a damn good show, even if you couldn’t get into Elsewhere tonight (although, you should try to see the Baxbys live if you missed them this time). Friends sitting around the stage and singing along to old SoundCloud songs and unreleased new songs, a crowd gathering and growing by the minute, and the singular coolest sound guy ever making it all happen with almost no notice, it was like peeping in on a practice session in someone’s living room. Baxby’s other opener, Bonny, joined in for a raucous set to close out the night.
It was an impromptu extension, the sort of night you never want to end, spearheaded by a very genuine desire to keep the spirit of music as a medium for connection alive.