https://www.cluas.com/indie-music RSS feeds for CLUAS Irish Indie Music 60 https://www.cluas.com/indie-music/Home/ID/571/George-Michael-live-in-Dublin#Comments 0 https://www.cluas.com/indie-music/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/RssComments.aspx?TabID=36&ModuleID=728&ArticleID=571 https://www.cluas.com:443/indie-music/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/Tracking/Trackback.aspx?ArticleID=571&PortalID=0&TabID=36 https://www.cluas.com/indie-music/Home/ID/571/George-Michael-live-in-Dublin Review Snapshot:  Having returned from a performing exile in 2006 to promote his back catalogue of hits, this time George Michael brings his Symphonica Orchestra to Dublin, and while it may not have been the first time he’s had a horn section behind him, he proved he can songs from a wide range or artists ranging from Tim Buckley to Rihanna. The Cluas Verdict: 8 out of 10 Full Review: Dressed immaculately  in a dark suit and tie (like he does for his court appearances), tonight George Michael alternated between standing front of stage for up-tempo numbers like 'My Baby Just Cares For Me', to sitting on a stool for ballads 'Cowboys And Angels', 'True Faith' and 'You have Been Loved'. What becomes evident in the first half of the show is boredom setting in amongst the audience, with the increase in chatting volume while George does his best to keep their attention with unknown covers from the likes of Rufus Wainwright and Terence Trent D'Arby. It’s not until the up-tempo Bowie cover 'Wild Is The Wind' that the audience come to life, while 'Brother Can You Spare A Dime' puts the spotlight on the Orchestra for the first time. After a 20-minute interval the ballads continue. 'John & Elvis Are Dead' features a backdrop of Lennon and Presley images while 'Love Is A Losing Game' plays tribute to the late Amy Winehouse on the big screen. With the show entering its finale, the classics begin to appear. 'A Different Corner', 'Kissing A Fool' and 'Praying For Time' are elegantly performed by the band, meeting audience approval, while 'Roxanne' (with its video featuring real-life prostitutes) goes down well with all the heterosexual males present. For the encore we get all the up-tempo numbers like 'Amazing', the Wham! classic 'I’m Your Man', and 'Freedom ’90' brings the whole place to their feet. A second encore of 'I Remember You' is probably unnecessary but it doesn’t take away from a great evenings’ entertainment.  Those that went to the gig expecting the hits were five years behind the times but after 30 years in the business, George has proved he still has the voice for any genre of music and to a Wham! fan like me, this was Fantastic. Mick Lynch   mick Sat, 05 Nov 2011 16:03:00 GMT f1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:571 https://www.cluas.com/indie-music/Home/ID/565/Brian-Wilson-live-in-Dublin#Comments 0 https://www.cluas.com/indie-music/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/RssComments.aspx?TabID=36&ModuleID=728&ArticleID=565 https://www.cluas.com:443/indie-music/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/Tracking/Trackback.aspx?ArticleID=565&PortalID=0&TabID=36 https://www.cluas.com/indie-music/Home/ID/565/Brian-Wilson-live-in-Dublin Brian Wilson (Grand Canal Theatre, 7 September 2011) Snapshot Review: The legendary Beach Boy performs the music of two of the world’s greatest composers - Gershwin and Wilson - and a draw is a fair result. The Cluas Verdict: 8 out of 10 Full Review:  “About two years ago, I was approached by the Gershwin family to work on some of his music and the result was Wilson does Gershwin, and we’d like to sing those 14 songs for you now” was how Brian Wilson greeted the audience on his return to Dublin. Over the next 45 minutes he sat almost motionless behind the keyboard while his 10-piece band, (and a five-piece orchestra of Irish artists) playing a lounge selection of beautiful composed and arranged Gershwin pieces including ‘Summertime’, ‘It Ain’t Necessarily So’, ‘Rhapsody in Blue’ and ‘Someone To Watch Over You’. The band were faultless throughout, with a mix of brass instruments, keyboards and xylophone playing in time with each other majestically After the interval he returned to the Grand Canal Theatre stage, sat at the keyboard and launched into ‘California Girls’, ‘Dance Dance Dance’ and ‘Catch A Wave’. He invited the crowd to join him in a sing-a-long of ‘Mary Had A Little Lamb’ in an effort to recognise if we could sing our not. He announced ‘The Little Girl I Once Knew’ as his “sequel to California Girls” and played keyboards for the first time of the evening on ‘Salt Lake City’. His guitarist Jeffrey took lead on ‘Don’t Worry Baby’ as Wilson obviously struggled with the high notes, and he performed it adequately. For the majority of songs, Wilson took lead vocals, but on numerous occasions I could see him reading the lyrics from the monitor placed in front of him. ‘Do It Again’, ‘Darlin’ ‘’I Get Around’ and ‘Sloop John B’ were mixed in with lesser known, but just as great tunes like ‘Sail On Sailor’ and ‘Pet Sounds’. As the show went into overdrive, Brian stood up and put on his bass for a few number, while we were treated to ‘Wouldn’t It Be Nice, Heroes And Villains’ and Good Vibrations while I saw Paul Brady clapping along to every tune. “Paul McCartney once told me that this is his favourite song of mine” was how Wilson introduced ‘God Only Knows’ to which one of his band members jokingly replied “have you met Paul McCartney?”. For the encore we got the Chuck Berry classic ‘Johnny B Goode’, ‘Help Me Rhonda’, ‘Barbara Ann’ and ‘Surfin USA’ which had everyone in the venue on their feet singing along, and the final encore consisted of ‘All Summer Long’. While there’s no doubt that it’s the band around Wilson that are making this music sound so good, Brian’s presence is certainly required and if this is the last appearance by this icon here in Ireland, it was a great way to bow out and be remembered. Mick Lynch mick Sat, 10 Sep 2011 16:19:00 GMT f1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:565 https://www.cluas.com/indie-music/Home/ID/559/Prince--Malahide-Castle-Dublin-30-July-2011#Comments 2 https://www.cluas.com/indie-music/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/RssComments.aspx?TabID=36&ModuleID=728&ArticleID=559 https://www.cluas.com:443/indie-music/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/Tracking/Trackback.aspx?ArticleID=559&PortalID=0&TabID=36 https://www.cluas.com/indie-music/Home/ID/559/Prince--Malahide-Castle-Dublin-30-July-2011 Review Snapshot: His Royal Purpleness fulfils his appointment in Dublin, at the second time of asking, and makes it up to those disappointed fans first time round, with a show packed with classic hit after hit. The Cluas Verdict:9 out of 10 Full Review: Easily the most eagerly awaited gig in Ireland this year, Prince was determined to make it up to the Irish fans on Saturday night, and he did so, in front of almost 30,000 fans at Malahide castle. Wearing a creamed coloured poncho he walked on stage and started taking photographs of the crowd before opening with ‘Gold’. “I’m sorry it took so long to come to you” he said as an apology before immediately kicking in a storming collection of ‘80s classics. ‘Let’s Go Crazy’, ‘Delirious’, ‘1999’, ‘Little Red Corvette’ and ‘Take Me With U’ followed in quick succession and there was no doubt that he was determined to make this his greatest Irish performance ever. For ‘Raspberry Beret’, one of his female guitarists proceeded to sketch a picture of a beret on a drawing board, and ‘Cream’ brought us into the 90’s for a few minutes. A couple of covers followed, with ‘Don’t Stop Til You get Enough’, and The Time’s ‘C.O.O.L.’ before Prince took a much needed rest and disappeared for a change of clothes while Shelby J, and two other group members gave us their version of ‘To Make You Feel My Love’. Prince returned, all dressed in black and gave us ‘Purple Rain’ (complete with purple confetti sprayed into the crowd), and his timing was impeccable as the rain started to fall slowly. ‘If I Was Your Girlfriend’ was next, and for ‘Kiss’ he sang  ...”you don’t have to watch Big Brother” (Dynasty being outdated). His support act, the Hypnotic Brass Ensemble were brought back on with all their Trumpets and French Horns for ‘Musicology’, ‘The Bird’ and ‘Jungle Love’ and he invited several members of the pubic up on stage for ‘Love Rollercoaster’ and ‘Play That Funky Music’. One girl even managed to give him a kiss, while Prince offered his guitar to play, to another unexpected fan on stage. He certainly looked chilled and I’ve never seen him smile so many times during one concert. It looked like the concert was over but he appeared back on stage for the beautiful ballads ‘Sometimes It Snows In April’, and ‘Nothing Compares 2 U’, the latter he dedicated with “love and respect to Miss Sinead O Connor’. He sat at his purple Piano for ‘Sign of The Times’, and mixed it with ‘Alphabet Street’ and the intro to ‘When Doves Cry’. He stopped abruptly and said “I’ve too many hits. We’d be here till tomorrow if I play them all” which provoked unanimous cheering. He played ‘When Doves Cry’ through this time, along with ‘Hot Thing’, Sheila E’s ‘A Love Bizarre’, and ‘Controversy’. As he reappeared for what was his third and final encore he commented “you’re a gluten for punishment. Let’s go back to 1982” he added. He finished the set with ‘Let’s Work’, and ‘U Got the Look’ and again thanked the fans. I’ve seen Prince four times in Concert, and this was by far the best. Smiles and apologies are things you don’t normally see or hear from him, and while he’s now 53 he certainly seems to have mellowed quiet considerably. An outstanding performance on Saturday night by the little purple fella.                                      Mick Lynch Mick Lynch Sun, 31 Jul 2011 22:06:00 GMT f1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:559 https://www.cluas.com/indie-music/Home/ID/557/Eddie-Vedder-live-in-San-Diego#Comments 0 https://www.cluas.com/indie-music/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/RssComments.aspx?TabID=36&ModuleID=728&ArticleID=557 https://www.cluas.com:443/indie-music/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/Tracking/Trackback.aspx?ArticleID=557&PortalID=0&TabID=36 https://www.cluas.com/indie-music/Home/ID/557/Eddie-Vedder-live-in-San-Diego Eddie Veder, Copely Symphony Hall, San Diego (July 5, 2011) Review Snapshot: Eddie Vedder is touring solo across North America with a brave and beautiful show, crossing musical generations and styles, challenging his audience and himself.   The Cluas Verdict: 10 out of 10   Full Review: Eddie Vedder has got soul and guts. He's touring solo again, this time playing stuff from his new 'Ukulele Songs' album, as well as stripped down versions of Pearl Jam gems, songs from his 'Into The Wild' album, and some amazingly great covers. Eddie can make a lot of noise with just a guitar or ukulele and that beautiful booming baritone voice. He jumps across decades to croon a 20s ukulele love song, on to a 60s Beatles heartbreaker, 80s Springsteen & X covers, and the whole breadth of Pearl Jam's time.   As with Pearl Jam shows, he has great faith in his audience, and we have complete faith in him, and that feels good.   Eddie started with a set of beautiful ukulele songs, strumming and picking, then moved on to electric and acoustic guitar versions of Pearl Jam songs, including a radically re-worked Betterman – many in the crowd didn't know what he was playing till the "Can't find a betterman" line- and a communal ode to Lennon/McCartney (and Vedder) ideals, in Love Boat Captain: Love boat captain Take the reins,.. steer us towards the clear. I know it's already been sung,... can't be said enough. Love is all you need,.. all you need is love,.. Love,.. love,... Love. He followed with a set of Into The Wild songs, then closed the 19 song main set with a string quartet backing him up on a couple recent Pearl Jam ballads. Then on to the first (10 song) encore. He just kept going, and the energy and invention never wavered.   A few highlights... On the spur of the moment, Eddie changes the plan and he and Glen Hansard, who opened the show, leave the circle of mics and chairs and instruments, he brings a ukulele, and they step out onto the edge of the stage. They stand like two buskers harmonizing & strumming, with no technology involved, crooning the 1950s country love song Sleepless Nights. The couple of thousand listeners went dead silent, sensing that something real special was happening. That was grand. Eddie turning You've Got To Hide Your Love Away - not exactly a pleasant sentiment -  into a sing-along, much like Betterman (similarly bleak) has become an anthem sing-along. Weird, but he lets the audience make that call. Eddie singing ass-kickin' versions of the L.A. legends X/Dave Alvin's song 4th of July and of Springsteen's Nebraska stomper Open All Night, which was bravely and raucously sung much like Springsteen did on his own solo tour in 2005. Eddie covered moods from vulnerable and tender to angry & near violent, crossing musical generations and styles. It was a sight to behold.   Alas, he does very few of these shows. But you can get a taste by getting hold of the new DVD Water On The Road, a film of Eddie's last (2008) solo tour.  You won't be disappointed.   John Ford   Set List - Eddie Vedder, Copely Symphony Hall, San Diego (July 5, 2011)   01. Can't Keep 02. Sleeping By Myself 03. Without You 04. Broken Heart 05. Hey Fahkah 06. You're True 07. Longing To Belong 08. Deadman 09. I Am Mine 10. Off He Goes 11. Love Boat Captain 12. Betterman 13. Long Nights w/Glen Hansard 14. Far Behind 15. No Ceiling 16. Guaranteed 17. Rise (incomplete) 18. Just Breathe w/string quartet 19. The End w/string quartet   Encore 1 20. Unthought Known 21. You've Got To Hide Your Love Away 22. 4th Of July 23. Elderly Woman Behind The Counter In A Small Town 24. Sleepless Nights w/Glen Hansard 25. Society w/Glen Hansard 26. Falling Slowly w/string quartet 27. Wishlist 28. Open All Night 29. Porch   Encore 2 30. Hard Sun w/Glen Hansard   John Ford Sun, 10 Jul 2011 15:04:00 GMT f1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:557 https://www.cluas.com/indie-music/Home/ID/550/The-Pains-Of-Being-Pure-at-Heart-Live-in-Dublin#Comments 0 https://www.cluas.com/indie-music/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/RssComments.aspx?TabID=36&ModuleID=728&ArticleID=550 https://www.cluas.com:443/indie-music/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/Tracking/Trackback.aspx?ArticleID=550&PortalID=0&TabID=36 https://www.cluas.com/indie-music/Home/ID/550/The-Pains-Of-Being-Pure-at-Heart-Live-in-Dublin Review Snapshot: Not to worry, Pains of Being Pure at Heart, it's not your fault. I don't think that the combined bill of Obama, the Queen of England, Jedward and a large hadron collider could have breathed life into the Button Factory on Wednesday night. Tough crowd. The CLUAS Verdict? 5 out of 10 Full Review: The Pains of Being Pure at Heart were in Dublin this week for their first headline gig in Ireland, having visited these shores only once before as support to The Wedding Present back in 2008. And with their energetic, chorus driven indie-pop, I was expecting quite an atmosphere. However, like a certain American preacher whose recent doomsday predictions went tits up, I was left sorely disappointed. I missed the support act through a series of unfortunate events, namely my finishing work later than I had expected and also finding a nearby pub that were serving two euro pints. But I made my way there sometime before nine to find the Button Factory comfortably crowded and took up a position near the bar. When the Brooklyn troupe wielding the most emo name in modern music made their way to the stage they were greeted not by whoops or cheers (not many anyway), but rather by half-hearted applause which turned quickly into silent judgement. Kicking off with the title-track of their second album, 'Belong', the band seemed unaffected by their lacklustre welcome and powered through the first few songs of the set with great intensity. However despite churning out established tracks like 'A Teenager in Love' and 'Heart In Your Heartbreak' the crowd never really got going. When 'Young Adult Friction' fell to a similarly muted response, we knew there was something wrong. What could have caused such untypical coldness from an Irish audience? Maybe a case of early summer lethargy? Perhaps we were all puckered out from the welcomes afforded to the too cool for school president of the world and the 'not as much of a bitch as we initially thought' Queen? Whatever the case, the Cead Mile Failte was found desperately lacking. The crowd were even treated to an intimate version of 'Contender' from the band's debut album played alone by front man Kip Berman. It's a brave man that confronts an unenthused crowd, armed with only a guiter and a melody. The payoff must have been considerably less than he had expected. They finished the night on an old favourite 'Everything With You' and were gone with as little fan fare as they had arrived. And I left the Temple Bar venue feeling that it just wasn't the gig that it might have been. Through no fault of the band, the evening had been a bit a little disheartening. Gig goers, get your act together.   Kevin Boyle Thu, 02 Jun 2011 20:53:00 GMT f1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:550 https://www.cluas.com/indie-music/Home/ID/549/Richard-Marx-Live-in-Dublin#Comments 1 https://www.cluas.com/indie-music/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/RssComments.aspx?TabID=36&ModuleID=728&ArticleID=549 https://www.cluas.com:443/indie-music/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/Tracking/Trackback.aspx?ArticleID=549&PortalID=0&TabID=36 https://www.cluas.com/indie-music/Home/ID/549/Richard-Marx-Live-in-Dublin Review Snapshot:  An 80s heart-throb making his debut appearance in Ireland has the crowd eating out of his hand with a mix of story and song from an illustrious singing and songwriting career that would have even his most cynical critics smiling. The Cluas Verdict: 8.5 out of 10 Full Review: Richard Marx! Now there’s a name from the '80s that we haven’t heard much from lately, but thankfully the man is back with a new album ‘Stories To Tell’, which includes some stripped down covers of his classic hits, and these are what he performed at Dublin’s National Concert Hall during his first ever gig in Ireland. Opening with ‘Endless Summer Nights’ and ‘Take This Heart’, this two hour show basically featured, one man, 2 guitars and a piano, and the occasional assistance of his mate Steve tinkling the ivories, but it really was a one-man show of music and chat, and what stories he told us throughout the evening. Coming through passport control earlier that day he informed us that the lady asked him what he was doing in Ireland. Upon telling her he was a singer/songwriter she enquired “And would I know any of your songs”. Telling her, she might, she then asked him to sing her one. He looked around and saw a huge queue forming behind him, and instead told to Google him, to which she replied “Do I look like I have time here to Google you”. It was this kind of humour and relaxed atmosphere that really set the tone for the evening. Before ‘Keep Coming Back’ he spoke about the late Luther Vandross ringing him up asking if he needed anyone to do backing vocals on any of his songs. “That’s like us playing basketball in the yard, and Michael Jordan enquiring if we need another team member”, he joked. During songs the crowd would shout up several requests. “At least you’re shouting up my songs” he said, before going on to tell us about the guy at a gig that keep asking for ‘Cuts Like A Knife’, and not realising it wasn’t one of his. He concluded by telling us about going backstage at a Bryan Adams gig six months ago, relaying the story to Bryan and asking him “Do people shout out my songs at your gigs?” - to which Adams defiantly said “No”. ‘Hazard’ had everyone singing every single word, a song he said he hated, but his wife told him it’d be a hit. “So I recorded it with a big band, just to prove her wrong. It went to no. 1 in 13 countries” he added. He sat at the piano for the first time this evening to perform ‘Through My Veins’, an emotional tribute to his late dad on the video screen behind, whom he’s not shy in revealing that he was a fantastic musician, and it’s certainly hereditary. For ‘Angelia’ he told us about needing a four-syllable girls name to fit into a song he’d written, and found it courtesy of a stewardess serving him a ginger-ale on a flight to Texas, while ‘Satisfied’ was another track performed from the classic ‘Repeat Offender’ album. At one stage during the evening he joked “you may know this next song, but please don’t join in, you’ll ruin it”. A new song ‘Save Me’ showed that talent certainly runs in the family. His three sons (the Marx brothers) played piano, drums and guitar individually on the screen behind him, while he sang this rocky number, and there’s no doubt we’ll hear more from them in the future. He was genuinely impressed with the acoustics in the National Concert Hall, by spontaneously pulling the lead out of his guitar, walking away from the microphone and sitting down at the front of the stage to perform ‘Always On My Mind’. You could have heard a pin drop. This is what the term ‘Unplugged’ typifies. Then he sang a few of his own compositions that were recorded by other artists. Introducing ‘Better Days’ by Keith Urban he says “This was a huge hit for Nicole Kidman’s husband….Tom Cruise” he joked, while performing ‘This I Promised You’ (N Sync) he had another great story to tell. "N Sync were huge when they recorded my song, so we had to find studio miles away from anywhere, but the girls would follow them and camp out waiting for them. About 3am in the morning when we finished, the guys were secretly taken out a back door, while I just walked out the front door to the parking lot. As I was putting my stuff into the car, a 19 year-old girl appeared out of nowhere” he added. “Are you Richard Marx” the girl enquired. “Yes” he said, to which she replied “Oh my God! My mum loves you!” So he dedicated ‘This I Promise You’ to “all the mums”. “This next song was recorded when I had a mullet” was his intro to ‘Should’ve Known Better’ and for the encore he gave us “my first hit” ‘Don’t Mean Nothing’, the ballads ‘Hold On To The Night’ and ‘Now And Forever’ blended in together, and he sat at the piano for the final song of the evening, his signature song ‘Right here Waiting. “Thank you Dublin, you were amazing” were his parting words as he spent time shaking hands with several fans. He promised he’ll come back and on this performance there’s no doubt he’ll fill the place again. On a glorious June evening, this was one endless summer night to remember. Mick Lynch Mick Lynch Thu, 02 Jun 2011 11:51:00 GMT f1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:549 https://www.cluas.com/indie-music/Home/ID/541/Roger-Waters-live-in-Dublin-review-no-2#Comments 0 https://www.cluas.com/indie-music/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/RssComments.aspx?TabID=36&ModuleID=728&ArticleID=541 https://www.cluas.com:443/indie-music/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/Tracking/Trackback.aspx?ArticleID=541&PortalID=0&TabID=36 https://www.cluas.com/indie-music/Home/ID/541/Roger-Waters-live-in-Dublin-review-no-2 Review Snapshot: The legendary 1979 album performed in its entirety, coupled with a visual display to rival anything seen in a science fiction movie. This is as good as it gets. The Cluas Verdict? 10 out of 10 Full Review: Roger Waters show at the O2 in Dublin was a visual spectacle from the opening. The half constructed wall, with so many fantastic images projected onto it, dominated from the start of ‘In The Flesh’ and ‘The Thin Ice’. The sound for ‘Another Brick In The Wall (parts 1-3)' was crystal clear, during which the group of young school kids singing the chorus had hair standing on the back on my neck, while the huge Gerald Scarfe school teacher puppet with the large cane in his hand, moved eerily above the children as they sang “Hey Teacher, leave those kids alone”. The tracks were performed in the order they appeared on the album, as the bricks continued to be put in place during ‘Mother’ and ‘Goodbye Blue Sky’, with the last bricks slotted in place as Waters peered out through the one remaining space to deliver ‘Goodbye Cruel World’. The animation and 3D effects were a show in themselves, and numerous tributes of people who died unnecessarily appeared in the form of pictures, with Roger posting the following message on the wall at the interval; "I Would Like To Thank All Of You Who Have Sent In Photos Of Fallen Loved Ones – We Will Remember Them – Roger". The second part of the show began with ‘Hey You’ and ‘Is Anybody out There’ from behind the wall, before he appeared in his sitting room watching TV to ‘Nobody Home’. One of my favourite pieces ‘Vera’ was brief, before the crowd sang along to ‘Comfortably Numb’ which portrayed some colourful images of explosions on the wall behind him, and even the flying pig appeared several times above the crowd. His military uniformed band appeared for ‘The Show Must Go On’ with the two crossed hammers image draped behind them, while Waters appeared for ‘Run Like Hell’ wearing a long leather coat and shades complete with machine gun which he activated on several occasions to great sound effect. As the show reached its conclusion with numbers like ‘Waiting For The Worms’ and ‘The Trial’, the images continued to be very effective with the marching hammers behind him again while as he shouted through a megaphone, and the explosion to bring the wall down was very effective and dramatic. For the final number, obviously titled ‘Outside The Wall’, the complete band appeared at front of stage as Waters named checked all 11 members (which included his son on Accordion and the legendary Snowy White on guitar). He thanked the crowd for making his appearance here in 2002 the reason he came back again, and then he was gone. Even without the music, this was a theatrical orgasm from the beginning, a production of gigantic proportions, including a satisfying climax. Unmissable. Bet you wish you were here.  Mick Lynch Mick Lynch Thu, 26 May 2011 13:26:00 GMT f1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:541 https://www.cluas.com/indie-music/Home/ID/539/Roger-Waters-live-in-Dublin#Comments 0 https://www.cluas.com/indie-music/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/RssComments.aspx?TabID=36&ModuleID=728&ArticleID=539 https://www.cluas.com:443/indie-music/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/Tracking/Trackback.aspx?ArticleID=539&PortalID=0&TabID=36 https://www.cluas.com/indie-music/Home/ID/539/Roger-Waters-live-in-Dublin Roger Waters, The Wall (live in the O2, Dublin, 23 May 2011) Review snapshot: Waters is currently touring with ‘The Wall Live 2011’, an ambitious and spellbinding performance of the 1979 Pink Floyd epic double-album and film, on a massive visual scale. Flawless sound, a light show that would make the most seasoned stoner wet themselves, and a multimedia extravaganza charged with biting social commentary. If rock is your bag, then this is one show you do not want to miss.   The CLUAS Verdict? 8.5 out of 10 Full review: On Monday night Dublin’s O2 Arena played host to one of England’s finest, Roger Waters, ex-bass player / lead singer of rock gods Pink Floyd. Waters is currently touring with ‘The Wall Live 2011’,an ambitious and spellbinding performance of the 1979 Pink Floyd epic double-album and film, on a massive visual scale. The success lies in the mix of flawless sound, a light show that would make the most seasoned stoner wet themselves, and a multimedia extravaganza charged with biting social commentary. The roaring guitars, roving spotlights and SS-type costume elicited such a frenzy, one could have been forgiven for thinking they had time-travelled to the Nuremberg rally. The opus  tells the story of the progression of one man’s psychological isolation and resulting disintegration, at the hands of key figures in his life, such as the terrifying Scottish school master who inspired the anthemic lines ‘Hey! Teacher! Leave us kids alone! / All in all, you’re just another brick in the wall’. Gerard Scarffe’s famous  iconic animation and artwork is used to great effect in the stage production, emulating a nightmarish descent into madness.  To call this event a concert would be sheer folly. This is an audio-visual feast, underpinned by pertinent themes of the human experience, such as the injustice of war, fear and disunity. (Notably, Waters’ father died in World War II and was the inspiration behind the album). Over the course of the performance a giant wall is constructed and dramatically destroyed on the stage. The wall is used as a canvas to display dramatic images of war and its victims. The only drawback  was the partial obscuring of the visuals by large lighting rigs and being victims to unlucky seating arrangements. Waters himself was in relaxed form and traversed the gargantuan stage with ease and age-old rock wisdom. This was not the usual cringe-inducing display of the old-timer refilling his empty coffers: the man has heart and he has a message. Undertaking a tour at two years shy of his seventy years is not only impressive, but a testament to his deep-seated conviction that war is a choice and, ultimately, avoidable. Waters conveys this in a way that avoids patronising his audience and with classic songs that have withstood the test of time. Despite hearing the opening lines ‘Hello, is there anybody in there?’ hundreds of times over my life, ‘Comfortably Numb’ still manages to make the neck hair stand on end. This show has re-invented a classic album as a vehicle for important social truths, which is a tribute to the genius of, not only Roger Waters, but a team of designers that dreamt up the most impressive multimedia spectacle imaginable.  Whether or not rock is your bag, this is one show you do not want to miss. Liz Murphy Liz Murphy Wed, 25 May 2011 23:48:00 GMT f1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:539 https://www.cluas.com/indie-music/Home/ID/88/Duke-Special-live-in-Portlaoise#Comments 0 https://www.cluas.com/indie-music/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/RssComments.aspx?TabID=36&ModuleID=728&ArticleID=88 https://www.cluas.com:443/indie-music/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/Tracking/Trackback.aspx?ArticleID=88&PortalID=0&TabID=36 https://www.cluas.com/indie-music/Home/ID/88/Duke-Special-live-in-Portlaoise A review of Duke Special (live in Kavanagh’s, Portlaoise) Review Snapshot: While there’s no room in tonight's small venue for his piano, Duke Special still  managed to put all his energy, enjoyment, and drama into a gig which enthralled us for over two hours. The Duke managed to silence us with his fascinating stories and history lessons, bringing a different perspective to what can be achieved when you mix music and art. The Cluas Verdict? 9 out of 10 Full review: Having witnessed a few Duke Special gigs over the years, I thought I’d seen all this man has to offer, but I have to admit his May Day Bank Holiday performance in Portlaoise recently was the best I’ve seen him deliver. There’s standing room only as the venue cramped with 100 lucky people has an intimate feel to it, like he’s performing in your sitting room.  With at least six studio albums to his credit now, there’s no shortage of material to pick from, and the early part of the evening consist of tracks like 'As Good As It Get', 'Apple Jack' (a story about Adam and Eve) and the sing-along favourites 'Everybody Wants A Little Something Good' and 'Sweet Sweet Kisses'.   With Duke banging away on the keyboard, his partner in crime percussionist Chip Bailey frantically runs around the place, keeping the beat going on everything from the kitchen sink literally which brings a humorous angle to the show.   If Chip provides the humour, Duke’s serious lessons in history and art provide the darker side to tonight’s performance. There are stories about Irish washer women ('Washday Blues'), and Eastman’s Kodak camera ('You Press The Button, We Do The Rest') which Duke tells with such interest that you could have heard a pin drop.   Renowned for his interesting choices of cover-versions, he gets the crowd going with 'The Lion Sleeps Tonight' segued in with his own song 'Diggin An Early Grave'. The recent Neil Hannon composition Wanda Darling Of The Jockey Club brings up back to the 1940’s.   In recent months Duke has been supporting DePaul Ireland, a charity that looks after alcoholics and homeless people (which Duke jokes that “most musicians are only two steps away from”). He donated the proceeds from his recent 'Songs of Ruby Murray' EP to this cause. We’re treated to the beautiful Happy Days And Lonely Nights from same, before the show goes into over-drive for a frantic finale of 'Last Night I Nearly Died' and 'Our Love Goes Deeper Than This'.   As the audience give him a standing ovation and shout for more, he duly obliges with a song that he says “wasn’t on the set list”. He beckons his support act Bill Coleman to get back on stage with his ukulele and we’re treated to a great version of Dylan’s 'I’ll Be Your Baby Tonight'.   Having gone well over his allotted time, the crowd applaud this genius, because that’s what he is. He may not have the hit singles under his belt, but he doesn’t need them. Duke Special has the talent, and the personality. He doesn’t need the commercialism to prove how good he really is.   Mick Lynch Mick Lynch Tue, 10 May 2011 02:00:00 GMT f1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:88 https://www.cluas.com/indie-music/Home/ID/435/Esben-the-Witch-Live-in-Dublin#Comments 0 https://www.cluas.com/indie-music/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/RssComments.aspx?TabID=36&ModuleID=728&ArticleID=435 https://www.cluas.com:443/indie-music/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/Tracking/Trackback.aspx?ArticleID=435&PortalID=0&TabID=36 https://www.cluas.com/indie-music/Home/ID/435/Esben-the-Witch-Live-in-Dublin Esben & the Witch (Live at the Crawdaddy) Review Snapshot: The critically acclaimed Esben and the Witch make their Dublin debut in The Crawdaddy, and give a performance appropriate for the fairy tale from which they’re named. A memorable night for those in attendance. The CLUAS Verdict: 7.5 out of 10  Full review: A small crowd of about forty gather for the night's support act, The Ambience Affair. The unsigned Leinster band have to date released two EPs, but with a full length LP in the works expectations are high. Pounding drums and jangling guitar sail the band from track to track, from upbeat to soothing and from start to finish. The band, masters of creating a wall of sound, seamlessly mount guitar and vocals on replayed loops, building a sound far more tangible and expansive than could be expected from a three member group. Once the applause after each song has died down there is a dead silence with frenzied guitar changes and set ups for the next song. They attempt to distract the crowd by using this downtime to crack a few jokes and plug their debut album's upcoming release. Only the small audience stood in the way of a rapturous farewell at the close of their set. Headliners Esben & the Witch - aptly named after a strange and dark fairy tale - are met with a slightly fuller room of about one hundred or so when they hit the stage, devotees and sceptics alike gathered for the Brighton-based band's first Irish gig. They waste no time in getting started and launch into their first track “Argyria”,  opening track of their debut album ‘Violet Cries’. Sticking to the album's track listing for much of the set list, their next number is ‘Marching Song’ the hauntingly beautiful 2nd track on the album. It loses none of its intensity or allure in the live environment, the crowd hardly move throughout. Only when a gracious few words of appreciation are uttered is it clear that the track has ended the crowd applauses. The performance is carefully coordinated: members rotate their position constantly and efficiently - this is a well toured and rehearsed band. Just as well, as the band members regularly swap their instruments (Rachel Davis on lead vocals sometimes doubles as a bassist, and Tom Fisher and Daniel Copeman swap backing vocal,  bass, rhythm guitar and synths duties). There is also a solitary drum in the centre of the stage, and each member takes their turn at playing it. At one point the band show remarkable - if not manic - harmony and coordination when two members share drumming duties. And not one beat or clash of the cymbal is out of sync. Track ‘Chorea’, as close to an upbeat dance number as they get, finally sees some movement from the crowd, heads nod approvingly.  The reception has been mixed, some ecstatic, others still not quite sure what they have just seen. With their debut album released only 2 months before the gig, this is a band who have the potential to grow in years to come. Based on tonight's performance, their future could be something quite spectacular. Katie Murphy Katie Murphy Sat, 09 Apr 2011 11:12:00 GMT f1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:435 https://www.cluas.com/indie-music/Home/ID/89/The-Hold-Steady-live-in-Dublin#Comments 0 https://www.cluas.com/indie-music/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/RssComments.aspx?TabID=36&ModuleID=728&ArticleID=89 https://www.cluas.com:443/indie-music/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/Tracking/Trackback.aspx?ArticleID=89&PortalID=0&TabID=36 https://www.cluas.com/indie-music/Home/ID/89/The-Hold-Steady-live-in-Dublin The Hold Steady (live in The Academy, Dublin) Review Snapshot: Playing to audience of 30 something men, The Hold Steady deliver a set much appreciated by the many converted in the audeience. A band however lacking the urgency and depth to ever become a major force in rock music. The Cluas Verdict? 6 out of 10 Full Review: The first thing that is noticeable upon entering The Academy tonight is the clientele. Without exaggeration, the crowd is made up of 90% men. The Hold Steady’s combination of classic and geek rock appealing, based on those in attendance tonight, more to the male 30 something demographic than any other, The band, who have forged a career by releasing consistently decent albums, struck up a genuine bond between band and audience from the off in The Academy. Even so, front man Craig Finn looked somewhat out of place. Reminiscent of a young Elvis Costello, his on-stage dancing borders on embarrassing-uncle-at-a-60th territory whilst sipping his can of Diet Coke. But it is this carefree spirit that seems to endear Finn to the reasonably sizeable crowd in attendance. His voice is an acquired taste, mixing Springsteen-esqe moments with the occasional spoken word. Finn sings about his home town of Minnesota; obviously holding a strong connection with the place of his upbringing, and there is an unquestionable autobiographical theme running through many of the songs tonight.   The band play songs from all of their studio albums and early gig standouts include the melodic ‘Ask for her Adderall’ and ‘Hurricane J’. The band do not rely on their singles to power their live performance and after ‘Sequestered in Memphis’, follows the highlight of the gig: a trio of heavier tunes (Stevie Nix, Smidge, Southtown) with dual guitars reminiscent of Thin Lizzy in their prime. The wonderful mid-section break in ‘Southtown’ ends too fast and shows another, groovier, dynamic of the band.   By this stage, the vast majority of the crowd are won over. The band return for a strong encore consisting of  ‘Stay Positive’ and ‘Slapped Actress’ (both from 2008’s ‘Stay Positive’ album) and a birthday wish to a fan’s girlfriend who had contacted the band directly by email – a testimony to the Hold Steady’s lack of pretentiousness and rock star ego.    The Hold Steady strike me as an ideal act to see on the main stage at a summer festival before the sun sets. For me, they are a little middle of the road’, lacking the urgency and depth to ever become a major force in rock music. This gig was one my parents would have enjoyed - rarely a healthy sign.    The Hold Steady might not be the most contemporary, or vital for that matter, band to visit Ireland in 2011, but they deserve their place in the industry. In many respects they represent a welcome juxtaposition to some other self-aware and media conscious acts of present. Colin White More ... Host Account Wed, 02 Mar 2011 02:00:00 GMT f1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:89 https://www.cluas.com/indie-music/Home/ID/90/Imelda-May-live-in-Dublin#Comments 0 https://www.cluas.com/indie-music/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/RssComments.aspx?TabID=36&ModuleID=728&ArticleID=90 https://www.cluas.com:443/indie-music/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/Tracking/Trackback.aspx?ArticleID=90&PortalID=0&TabID=36 https://www.cluas.com/indie-music/Home/ID/90/Imelda-May-live-in-Dublin Imelda May (live in The Olympia Theatre, Dublin, Ireland) Review Snapshot: For such a small woman, Imelda May has a huge presence, controlling not only the stage but the crowds sense of control as well, with everyone losing control alongside her. The queen of Rockabilly has returned to her home town and no sense of grandeur following her rise to the top  is going to pull this girl from her roots. The Cluas Verdict? 8.5 out of 10 Full Review: Coming back to Dublin after a year of commercial success with critical praise and international stardom, one could fear that Imelda May could have lost sight of where it all began. She hasn’t. Catching the first of four end of the year shows in the Olympia Theatre, a venue I have called once before a place of faded grandeur, where better to let your hair down and revel in your success.   May comes out on the stage showing off what she’s known best for, her style, charisma, an insurmountable surge of talent and that jaw dropping quiff. May’s got a look of determination on her face as she takes the stage setting out to prove that success doesn’t make you lazy. Almost every song that was played has this unparalleled potential to take the charts by storm from the very sultry ‘Big Bad Handsome Man’ to the incredulous strains of ‘Psycho’. Not giving the crowd a break from their singing and dancing to catch a breath before moving into the rigorous ‘Sneaky Freak’ and then pulling it all back with her on stylised version of Soft Cell’s ‘Tainted Love’ May proves she knows how to keep the crowd coming back for more.   Frantic bass lines and the trickiest of hooks and solos, May’s band know their place on the stage, holding back and letting her take the full stage for what it’s worth, letting the crowd see what they have truly paid to see: a spectacle of true musical talent.    The jubilant mood only increases throughout the night as May aims to entertain not only the crowd but also her parents, who she only noticed watching her from the balcony part way through the show.   The set ended in the only way one could expect. An all out true Rockabilly performance of ‘Johnny Got a Boom Boom’. But this couldn’t be the end could it? Of course not. Returning to the stage with a seasonal Santa style dress, May treats the crowd to an encore of Christmas songs to get them ready for the coming holiday. You haven’t heard Christmas until you’ve heard ‘Holy Night’ Rockabilly, and ‘I’m Dreaming of a White Christmas’ in true Rockabilly style with a barrage of billowing fake plastic snow.    A fantastic end to a fantastic year for this queen of Rockabilly who can only expect better more to come in the New Year.   Greg Synnott   More ... Greg Synnott Fri, 28 Jan 2011 02:00:00 GMT f1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:90 https://www.cluas.com/indie-music/Home/ID/91/The-Pogues-live-in-Sheffield#Comments 0 https://www.cluas.com/indie-music/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/RssComments.aspx?TabID=36&ModuleID=728&ArticleID=91 https://www.cluas.com:443/indie-music/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/Tracking/Trackback.aspx?ArticleID=91&PortalID=0&TabID=36 https://www.cluas.com/indie-music/Home/ID/91/The-Pogues-live-in-Sheffield The Pogues (live in The O2 Academy, Sheffield) Review Snapshot:  'They sang us songs from times long-gone / though we knew that we’d be seeing them again' – a fiddled lyrical quote from The Pogues romping rendition of Sally MacLennane. One that highlights the cloud of uncertainty over the authenticity of this year’s fantastic farewell performance by Shane MacGowan and his merry men. The Cluas Verdict? 9 out of 10 Full Review: Fabled festive farewell or not, this was a grand performance from The Pogues in a season which they dominate. The agonising wait until they take to the floor is warmed by choruses of Body of an American recited by the eager crowd.  When the doddery Shane MacGowan finally blunders onto stage he’s greeted with a hero’s reception and passionate chants of ‘Shano’ despite appearing as if he has been unceremoniously awoken or directed away from the backstage bar. Is that a sloshing pint of vodka or water accompanying his constantly lit cigarette? For most of this evening’s gig MacGowan mutters unintelligible snippets to the crowd which tin whistle player Spider Stacy on our right translates as song introductions.    First up is Streams of Whiskey, aptly appreciated by the average beer-fuelled, bald nut at the front, followed soon after by the jumpy 'If I Should Fall from Grace with God'. Thereafter the tempo of the set oscillates perfectly with the terrific two-paced 'The Sick Bed of Cúchulainn' inciting a riotous response while 'And the Band Played Waltzing Matilda' provides respite and swaying material.    The Anglo-Irish outfit also sandwich in the brass instrumental 'Metropolis', the beautiful accordion-led 'London Girl' and the much anticipated, energetic 'The Irish Rover'. Not even a minor wire-slip/blown amp sound explosion can dampen the celebratory carnival atmosphere created by the loyal gathering packed inside the often soulless Academy. This is further fuelled when MacGowan dons the band’s green and white scarf which is hurled onstage later on.    And so The Pogues return for their encore (Shano’s fifth) which culminates in a classic rendition of 'Fairytale of New York' which sees him grapple his female compatriot in an awkward arm-in-arm waltz under a sea of confetti. They finish with 'Fiesta' and the baking tray head-bashing antics of Spider Stacy which, although many are too-spent to sustain their bouncing for, has the balcony viewers swinging and leaves us with a special something to hum and whistle along to into the freezing Sheffield night.   This one will live long in the memory – or at least until another farewell concert  this time next year... Jamie Kendrick More ... Host Account Fri, 28 Jan 2011 02:00:00 GMT f1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:91 https://www.cluas.com/indie-music/Home/ID/92/Two-Door-Cinema-Club-live-in-Dublin#Comments 0 https://www.cluas.com/indie-music/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/RssComments.aspx?TabID=36&ModuleID=728&ArticleID=92 https://www.cluas.com:443/indie-music/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/Tracking/Trackback.aspx?ArticleID=92&PortalID=0&TabID=36 https://www.cluas.com/indie-music/Home/ID/92/Two-Door-Cinema-Club-live-in-Dublin Two Door Cinema Club (live in The Tripod, Dublin) Review Snapshot: Having finally gained access to The Tripod after being refused entrance at 17 with a fake ID you could forgive Alex Trimble for looking a little nervous on stage, this time facing a sold out headline show with a 1400 strong crowd. With just one album under their belt one wondered whether this band could live up to standard everyone else seems to have set them.  The Cluas Verdict? 7.5 out of 10 Full Review: As it turns out, you don’t need more than one strong album's worth of material to pull off a headline show. Not when you have two equally strong opening acts and the right kind of music playing in between to keep the crowds energy pumping. Opening the doors at 7:30, you could tell the small crowd standing outside were glad to be out of the cold. It wasn’t long before we were faced with the dazzling flash of strobe lights staring blindingly at a trio that can only be described as Belfast’s best party band. Sadly for Not Squares, emerging as the opening act they were met with a miniscule crowd who were too cold to move to their dancey uplifting blend of electronica and post-punk.   Taking the stage shortly afterwards were what I could only describe as one of the best bands emerging out of Ireland at the moment: The Cast of Cheers, who arrived fully formed at the start of this year with their (free to download) debut Chariots. Having only come on the scene this year, you would not expect this band to play as tightly as they did, with edgy vocals and a guitarist not afraid to throw himself around the stage manically between lead duties. One wonders where they thought up the idea of using a sampler loop pedal to have a mysterious guitar play from somewhere unseen whilst they thrash about onstage.   Having little knowledge of this band apart from hearing their name thrown about once or twice I was amazed to see the number of people in the crowd singing and dancing along, leading me to wonder, why they’re still singing “is there any f**ing love in here?”   The clocks struck 9:30 and Two Door Cinema Club were greeted with a full room of high octane energy, something that works well when you’re music is vibrant punchy electro pop. Having finally put the drum machine away, for touring purposes at least, they've brought with them an actual living drummer who can now let their full sound be known.    Herein lies the failing in their debut album ‘Tourist History’, it just doesn’t live up to their live show. Two Door Cinema Club are something of an anomaly, when playing live they possess this profound surge of energy, that no matter how experienced or inexperienced a band may be, it just can’t be replicated on record.   The band played solidly through their first album, treating the crowd to a new track, a teaser of positive things to come. Suffice to say I was never one to question whether any act was worthy of headlining their own show but tonight made me realise, the support act can and will upstage you in more ways than one if they are good enough, as is proof with The Cast of Cheers.   If you have the opportunity to go see Two Door Cinema Club, it’s certainly worth the money, if for no other reason than they’re really fun to bop around to with a crowd particularly in a small venue such as Tripod. But tonight was a fine example on the importance of keeping your eyes on the opening bands, considering they could be headlining even larger shows in the coming years and you can say you saw them when they upstaged everybody.  Greg Synnott More ... Greg Synnott Wed, 22 Dec 2010 02:00:00 GMT f1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:92 https://www.cluas.com/indie-music/Home/ID/93/Caribou-live-in-Dublin#Comments 0 https://www.cluas.com/indie-music/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/RssComments.aspx?TabID=36&ModuleID=728&ArticleID=93 https://www.cluas.com:443/indie-music/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/Tracking/Trackback.aspx?ArticleID=93&PortalID=0&TabID=36 https://www.cluas.com/indie-music/Home/ID/93/Caribou-live-in-Dublin Caribou (live in The Button Factory, Dublin) Review Snapshot: Studio whizzkid with a strong live reputation brings his album of the year - Swim contender to the slushy streets of Dublin. The Cluas Verdict? 8 out of 10 Full Review: Dublin is getting back on its feet (literally) after as severe a bout of cold weather as this gig-goer can ever remember enduring, Grafton Street is a slushy muddy hive of after work Christmas drinkers and shoppers. We beat a path down through the shopping thoroughfare, across Temple Bar and over a beggar strewn Halfpenny Bridge before settling into the Grand Social (Formally Pravda) on Liffey Street. The Grand Social is a very welcome addition to the Dublin indie pub scene, Gil Scott Heron's ‘Lady Day and John Coltrane‘ is playing on the stereo which for me denotes bar staff with rather excellent taste in music. They also have Leffe beer on tap which they serve by the pint - fantastic.    We trotted back across the Halfpenny Bridge and up through the cobblestones to The Button Factory buried right in the Heart of Temple Bar.   Caribou is essentially a recording moniker for Dan Snaith, a prodigious mathematician by account who on relocation to London fell in with electronica genius Kieran Hebden of Four Tet. Initially as Manitoba and then as Caribou he released two of my favourite albums in recent years, songs such as Sundialling of Andorra and Leave House of album of 2010 contender Swim have featured on more than a couple of this reviewer's mix tapes. Having read strong live reviews of previous visits to this shore I was interested to see how the records were going to translate in a live environment.   Given the nature of his music it comes as no surprise to see that percussion instruments are to the fore, strings and keys somewhat to the back. Four guys take to the stage and they start into 'Kalli' from Swim. This song feels like a tease, Snaith stands jabbing at a keyboard while the other three musicians on stage fidget about and look a bit uncomfortable. They look as though they will break into a full dance freak out mode but they somehow hold back.    The set is well paced and it’s probably just as well because I don’t think I am fit enough for an hour and twenty minute freak out, certainly not in snow worthy boots. 'Melody day' is dropped quite early in the set and is as fantastic as this reviewer imagined it could be. 'Hannibal' sounds as if it has been tweaked by the good guys at DFA. Swim's closing track - 'Jamelia' -  kicks off like an R'n'B classic and the lyrics find Snaith at his most open, honest and bare. Odessa is a piece of pure majesty. These three songs are highlights which, as a sample, show how diverse and dexterous the sound Snaid has created truly is.    Elsewhere there are moments that deliver the promised freak outs. As moments, they pass and as you attempt to digest what you have just witnessed you are already being challenged by something else. Every now and again Snaith looks up and flashes a grin as if the studio driven vision is being brought to fruition. I cannot argue with that. They encore with Sun which feels like a perfect climax. Nothing is left on stage at the end, not even Snaith himself as he is dragged from the stage and is passed around the fervent crowd before carving his way back to the stage and off into the night. Phil Gill More ... Phil Gill Wed, 22 Dec 2010 02:00:00 GMT f1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:93 https://www.cluas.com/indie-music/Home/ID/94/The-Frames-live-in-Dublin#Comments 0 https://www.cluas.com/indie-music/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/RssComments.aspx?TabID=36&ModuleID=728&ArticleID=94 https://www.cluas.com:443/indie-music/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/Tracking/Trackback.aspx?ArticleID=94&PortalID=0&TabID=36 https://www.cluas.com/indie-music/Home/ID/94/The-Frames-live-in-Dublin The Frames (live in The Olympia, Dublin) Review Snapshot: The Frames haven’t played a small venue in Ireland in a while but Glen Hansard has proven that no matter how long he’ll stay away from his roots he’ll always return with a bang. From ‘Santa Maria’ and ‘Revelate’ to his minute covers in the middle of songs (tonight it was the turn of ‘Kashmir’ and ‘Lilac Wine’). He showed it wasn’t all serious as he delivered over-served fans with his wit the now expected quips and anecdotes between songs. The Cluas Verdict? 9 out of 10 Full Review:  “I want my life to make more sense… I want my country to make some f**king sense!” he quips halfway through the show proving that Glen Hansard isn’t as removed from the everyman as his fame would have you believe. Sell-out tours with The Swell Season and getting his hands on an Oscar has not removed this busker from his roots. Coming back to Ireland fully formed and playing as furiously as ever The Frames are one of those bands that split opinions like no other, especially when at home. Love them or hate them no one can deny that seeing them live is somewhat of a spectacle. From the minimalist stage you have nothing to focus on but the sheer brilliance of a band celebrating what is now their 20th anniversary. This performance mirrored their entire career in many ways, with a slow lulling start (‘Headlong’) before picking up gear about halfway through and creating a bond with the crowd, something that seems to be rather underestimated by many bands these days. There is something special in a front man that can both conduct his band and ultimately conduct his entire audience, leaving them longing for so much more.  Proving that Irish devotion to music isn’t dead, The Frames relationship with the crowd is intense. Like long term partners, members of the audience could be heard discussing the very first and last time they had seen The Frames play, even fondly recalling that one time they had run into Glen Hansard busking on a street in Dublin. Everything from a classic Frames show are present, incoherent rambling song openings, crowds singing along, snippets from others songs (yes he treated everyone to his usual rendition from Willy Wonka) but the crowd doesn’t fully catch up until they play ‘Lay Me Down’ speeding it up halfway through in what seemed to be homage to The Sex Pistols.  The final leg of the gig is an exciting run through of crowd favourites from ‘Revelate’ to ‘Santa Maria’, with ‘Fake’ having the crowd gleefully singing along, It ended on a monumental rendition of The Auld Triangle with dedications to Damien Dempsey.  This is the point when nobody expects the gig to be over, it played like it would never have stopped, and felt like it should have never ended. But, alas, the band left the stage and the lights came up leaving the audience in take in The Olympia in its faded sense of grandeur. Greg Synnott More ... Greg Synnott Tue, 14 Dec 2010 02:00:00 GMT f1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:94 https://www.cluas.com/indie-music/Home/ID/95/Local-Natives-live-in-Dublin#Comments 0 https://www.cluas.com/indie-music/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/RssComments.aspx?TabID=36&ModuleID=728&ArticleID=95 https://www.cluas.com:443/indie-music/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/Tracking/Trackback.aspx?ArticleID=95&PortalID=0&TabID=36 https://www.cluas.com/indie-music/Home/ID/95/Local-Natives-live-in-Dublin Local Natives (live in The Village, Dublin) Review Snapshot: LA Hipsters Local Natives roll into town to play a work unfriendly Monday night at The Village in Dublin, the reviewer can't help but be reminded of sunnier times the previous July. The Cluas Verdict? 8 out of 10 Full Review: Ado decided to drive in so I sat in the house watching Australian Masterchef waiting for the lad to pull up outside the door in his ridiculous PlayStation-like BMW. The phone rings. It's himself, too lazy to get out of the car and knock on the door and, to be honest, when it is this cold I don't blame the buck one bit. Local Natives all the way from California playing The Village on a Monday night. I got into them during the summer in my uncle's vacant house on the Aran Islands, my girlfriend from Montreal was playing albums on her iPod for myself and two friends while we drank wine in the long grass and watched the sun set out over the west coast of Mayo. Happy memories that seem so far away as we spin down the N11 into Donnybrook on a bitterly cold November night. We made our way past the group of shivering, nicotine-addled hipsters with enough time to grab a bottle of O'Hara's stout and pick a position in front of the awful overhang which is the curse of the Village as a venue. The trick is to get far enough forward so you can't hear the chattering from the peeps who shelled out 20 odd quid to talk at the bar. The band walk on reflecting a straw poll of the audience themselves: comical tashes, low cut oversized tees and skinny jeans-a-gogo. They launch into the percussion-driven 'Camera Talk' (scroll below to listen to it). The first thing that hits you is how loud they are playing. Having not seen them before this was unexpected. The second thing that hits you is that these guys really can sing. And not just one of them. They all seem fit to hold a note, with the exception of the enormous bass player. Next up is 'World News' which starts off as a thumping footstomper, immersed in vocal and strung-up hooks that evolves into another shout-out loud vocal singalong. A Talking Heads cover followed by a string of songs from their debut album Gorrilla Manor. After 3 or 4 songs I would imagine it would be impossible not to be completely taken in by these guys. They are impressively tight, something which comes from two years or so on the road. The hooks are plentiful and the boys can more than just hold a note. Kudos must also go to the crowd for this gig. Sun Hands in particular involved a 'sing along' which required the lead to sing a bit louder to be heard over the Monday night hardcore indie element. We left The Village as far awaty as ever from a summer's evening on Inis Mor but very happy nonetheless. Phil Gill Camera Talk by Local Natives More ... Phil Gill Fri, 10 Dec 2010 02:00:00 GMT f1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:95 https://www.cluas.com/indie-music/Home/ID/96/Lady-Gaga-live-in-Dublin#Comments 0 https://www.cluas.com/indie-music/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/RssComments.aspx?TabID=36&ModuleID=728&ArticleID=96 https://www.cluas.com:443/indie-music/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/Tracking/Trackback.aspx?ArticleID=96&PortalID=0&TabID=36 https://www.cluas.com/indie-music/Home/ID/96/Lady-Gaga-live-in-Dublin Lady Gaga (live in The O2, Dublin) Review Snapshot: The Madonna comparisons are obvious. They both write and sing, the choreography is similar in parts, Alejandro is the new La Isla Bonita but I’ve never seen Madonna play the piano the way Gaga can. She’s here for the long haul and I’ve no doubt, on tonight’s performance we’re watching the artist of this decade. The Cluas Verdict? 9.5 out of 10 Full Review: The world’s current most famous pop star returned to Dublin for the first of 3 nights at the o2 for a two-hour show split into four acts culminating with her Monster Ball. Act 1 was set around a New York City backdrop for the opening numbers ‘Dance In The Dark’ and ‘Glitter And Grease’ as her green car breaks down in the Big Apple, but fear not, under the bonnet is a piano which she plays during ‘Just Dance’. There’s a constant changing of costumes throughout ‘Beautiful Dirty Rich’ and ‘The Fame’, and there’s certainly a Michael Jackson influence. Besides the Thriller album playing over the house speakers before the gig, she’s also stolen the catapulting of dancers up out of the ground from his This Is It film. With the car breaking down, they’ve no option but to take the subway to the ball and during ‘Love Game’ she beings to read some of the many posters that the Irish fans have written for her. It’s a lovely part of the show but as she struggles to read some of them at a distance she comments “Lady Gaga plays the o2 in Dublin and she can’t even read”.   The numbers continue with ‘Boys Boys Boys’, ‘Money Honey’, and ‘Telephone which has her on the walkway down the front close to her “little monsters”.  On numerous occasions thoughout the concert she gives out positive vibes. It’s obvious she was bullied as a child in school and was told she’d never achieve anything but she gets the message across that we’re all equal and can achieve anything we want.   The highlight of the show musically is her unaccompanied version of ‘Speechless’. She sits at the piano and sings it completely stripped down. There’s no whistles of bells on this number and it shows how talented this woman really is when the masks and make-up are taken away.   She stays at the piano because she wants to give the fans something new. “I know when my little monsters are ready to hear something new, so this is a track from my new album Born This Way” she states. During‘You And I’ she discusses her long term relationship with her boyfriend and dedicates it to her irish fans, before telling them about her love for Jameson Whiskey. She even introduces an Irish harp into the set before performing ‘So Happy I Could Die’.   For the next Act, the scenery changes to a forestry. ‘Monster’, ‘Teeth’ and ‘Alejandro’ are performed between footage depicting anything from blood and guts to Monsters, while ‘Poker Face’ has the audience eating out of her hand. By now the o2 is rockin, everyone is on their feet and the atmosphere is just fantastic.   The final act concludes with the Monster Ball. A huge monster appears to attack Gaga while she sings ‘Paparazzi, and the encore is ‘Bad Romance’ a song that is celebrating its first anniversary tonight. “I wrote this little song a year ago today” she added.   I brought my 9-year old daughter but came away from this gig a bigger fan that she probably is.   Mick Lynch More ... Mick Lynch Fri, 05 Nov 2010 02:00:00 GMT f1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:96 https://www.cluas.com/indie-music/Home/ID/97/Paul-McCartney-live-in-Dublin#Comments 0 https://www.cluas.com/indie-music/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/RssComments.aspx?TabID=36&ModuleID=728&ArticleID=97 https://www.cluas.com:443/indie-music/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/Tracking/Trackback.aspx?ArticleID=97&PortalID=0&TabID=36 https://www.cluas.com/indie-music/Home/ID/97/Paul-McCartney-live-in-Dublin Paul McCartney (live in the RDS, Dublin) Review Snapshot: 165 minutes, of 36 songs ranging from The Beatles, Wings, The Fireman and McCartney's solo material, throw in a fireworks display to rival Sydney Bridge on New Years Day and you’ve only a taster of Paul’s RDS gig in the summer sunshine.  The Cluas Verdict? 10 out of 10 Full Review: sung That seven year itch for a McCartney gig at Dublin’s RDS came back around last night, and in the summer sunshine he put on a stomping rocking show for nearly 3 hours, that would leave fellow musicians half his age speechless. The fact that his beloved England had a World Cup match at the same time meant that the gig was delayed in starting until half-time in the game. Was it worth the wait?   At 8:30pm the band walked on stage to huge applause, and began with Venus And Mars / Rockshow and Jet before McCartney tried a bit of the local tongue. “Failte Romhat Go Leir”. “Is Mise Paul McCartney in case you didn’t know that” he joked.   After All My Loving and Got To Get You Into My Life he got tongue tied. “It’s good to back, be, Dublin in. That was a new one, this is an old one” he continued to contradict himself by introducing Letting Go.    Highway and Let Me Roll It were next as he paid tribute to Jimi Hendrix with the foxy lady ending (telling us that “Jimi was a very humble man. "'Do you think they’ll like me?' Jimi used to ask).   Over he went to the piano for The Long And Winding Road, Nineteen Hundred And Eighty Five and Let 'Em In.   He spoke about recent gigs in Mexico where they got their cigarette lighters out and click in time to the music. “It was amazing, it’s the only place they do that, but then they are all smokers” he added. He stayed at the Piano for My Love.   Before I’m Looking Through You he had a bit of a false start, before getting it right. “I thought we were going to do another song, which we are now” he joked. “It proves this is live” he added.   He told us that he brought that song back into the set during a gig in the Kiev, and thinking that the crowd were cheering on the mention of Ukraine, he soon discovered that the Irish had started a verse of “Happy Birthday To You” which (his 68th birthday was just days away at the time of the gig)”.    While the rest of the band took a break, Paul stood alone on stage and gave us Blackbird, his tribute to John (Here Today) and had the ukulele for Dance Tonight’ which had everyone singing along.   “There’s a guy who’s been holding up a sign here at the front of the stage, so this one is for you – Simon” was his intro to Mrs. Vandebilt. He continued to comment on the sign after Eleanor Rigby. “When you’re up here on stage and you’re trying to read all the posters but you’re trying to remember the lyrics, the chords and basically everything you’re suppose to, but you still try to read them, and there’s one guy up here at the front who has a sign saying AFTER THE SHOW I’M GOING TO BANG THIS CHICK, so I had to read that one” he laughed.   Something, Sing The Changes, and Band On the Run followed, before he spoke again. “There’s a bit in the middle of this next song that you can join in if you want, if not……(as we lip read the other two words) for the intro of Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da. Back In The U.S.S.R. and I’ve Got A Feeling were next.   “You’re probably wondering why we keep changing guitars? We’re just showing off. We have them so we might as well use them. This is the actual guitar that was used on this next 60s song” was his intro to Paperback Writer.   A Day In The Life and the segway into Give Peace A Chance was one of the night's many highlights. By now he had moved into top gear, and continued with ‘Let It Be’ and the pyrotechnic Live And Let Die with its special effects lifted right out of a James Bond movie.   During Hey Jude the rain started to fall lightly, but it didn’t dampen the spirits as Paul got both the men and women separately singing the chorus before the band left the stage for the first time. The encore consisted of Daytripper, Lady Madonna and Get Back but just when the fans thought it was over, there was a second encore.   Yesterday was beautifully sung, and then a rocking version of Helter Skelter with the rollercoaster backdrop to make us all dizzy. “There comes a time when we have to go home” he said (which brought consistent boos from the crowd). “It’s around the same time that you’ve got to go home” he promptly added. He thanked his band and crew and fittingly finished with Sgt Peppers Reprise and The End.   Two hours and 45 minutes after walking on stage, Macca had once again proved his love for the Irish fans with a spell-binding show that proved that, fast approaching his 68th birthday next week, he’s showing no sign of easing up.   Tonight he certainly gave something back to the Irish.   Mick Lynch  More ... Mick Lynch Wed, 16 Jun 2010 02:00:00 GMT f1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:97 https://www.cluas.com/indie-music/Home/ID/98/Joanna-Newsom-live-in-Paris#Comments 0 https://www.cluas.com/indie-music/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/RssComments.aspx?TabID=36&ModuleID=728&ArticleID=98 https://www.cluas.com:443/indie-music/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/Tracking/Trackback.aspx?ArticleID=98&PortalID=0&TabID=36 https://www.cluas.com/indie-music/Home/ID/98/Joanna-Newsom-live-in-Paris Joanna Newsom (live in La Villette, Paris, 31 May 2010) Review Snapshot: An excellent album takes flight as a sensational live show. With careful arrangements, the indie harpist and her band deliver a dramatic and stirring performance with all the force of a full orchestra. The Cluas Verdict? 9 out of 10 Full Review: "Kate Bush," says someone behind us, trying to describe tonight's star before she appears on stage. It's an understandable comparison, given that both ladies write idiosyncratic songs which they then sing in an arabesque upper register. But it would be more interesting and accurate to compare Joanna Newsom with Owen Pallett, appearing at the same venue the following night as part of an imaginative 'Villette Sonique' series of shows. Ostensibly indie acts, both singers make sweeping, ambitious music beyond categorisation, flavoured by diverse influences like show tunes and American folk - yet their songs retain the joyful simplicity of great pop. And Newsom, like Pallett, has released a fantastic album in 2010. Given that it's an 18-track, three-disc collection, 'Have One On Me' makes up most of tonight's set. And if you think the record is great, wait 'til you hear these songs live. With great skill and judgement, Newsom has transformed the album's discreet arrangements into dramatic interventions. Like a mercurial striker who only gets two touches but scores both times, her five-piece backing band can sit out most of a song before contributing a careful yet crucial part. The trombone part of 'Good Intentions Paving Company', the highlight of tonight's show, is transformed into a sensational solo by Andrew Strain. And drummer Neal Morgan rarely does anything as mundane as keep time or set the beat - but he'll suddenly burst in with a percussion fill that almost crosses from rhythm to melody. In this way, a small band plays with the power and scope of an orchestra. This suits songs like '81' and 'Ribbon Bows', built like symphonies with stirring movements that resolve themselves by returning to an original theme. The sense of drama is overpowering. Meanwhile, her in the grey gingham dress is in girlish, giggly form. "You guys are a good looking crowd!" she quips. "What are you all doing after the show?" Hopping between harp and piano, Newsom shows dazzling virtuosity on both instruments. And after a recent operation on her vocal cords, Newsom's voice has lost its most divisive squeaks and shrills. 'Peach Plum Pear' (one of the few oldies she plays tonight) sounds softer and more heartfelt. Tonight's show, filling a two-thousand-seater hall, offers a fascinating glimpse of a singer on the threshold of crossing from small-scale indie heroine to real-deal star. Years from now she'll be a reference point herself as we try to comprehend some other young innovator. Aidan Curran More ... Aidan Curran Sun, 06 Jun 2010 02:00:00 GMT f1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:98 https://www.cluas.com/indie-music/Home/ID/99/Josh-Ritter-live-in-Dublin#Comments 0 https://www.cluas.com/indie-music/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/RssComments.aspx?TabID=36&ModuleID=728&ArticleID=99 https://www.cluas.com:443/indie-music/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/Tracking/Trackback.aspx?ArticleID=99&PortalID=0&TabID=36 https://www.cluas.com/indie-music/Home/ID/99/Josh-Ritter-live-in-Dublin Josh Ritter (live in Grand Canal Theatre, Dublin) Review Snapshot: Josh Ritter played to a packed Grand Canal Theatre last night. A night of funny, yet entirely irrelevant stories, a suspected bouncing disorder, a whole lot of tweed, and great music. One to remember. The Cluas Verdict? 7.5 out of 10 Full Review: Having known very little about Ritter and his music before the gig, his first impression on me was positive: he was bouncy, enthusiastic, and not at all bored by performing to yet another packed venue. His smile was one that said he couldn’t be happier, or more amazed, that he was making a living out of this. Joined onstage by his Royal City Band, Ritter launched himself into 'Southern Pacifica' from the new album “So Runs the World Away”, bouncing around like a toddler on ecstasy. His energy made him instantly likeable. He was however let down by the intensity of the amplification at the beginning which meant we lost the sharpness to his vocals, but this slowly ironed itself out as the night progressed.   What I loved so much about the set list was the mixture of utter rock and roll (giving Ritter the chance to snap a drumstick or two) and raw beauty and emotion that songs like “Wait for Love” and “Lantern” convey.   When his band suddenly walked off stage and the lights dimmed, we were treated to just Josh. He stepped away from the mic and moved towards the crowd. What followed was an acoustic performance of “Lark” that made the hairs on my neck stand up. His voice flowed over the crowds and balconies, entirely unamplified. He took pleasure in leaving us hanging on his every note and it was, for want of a lesser cliché, magical.   Another treat of the evening was “Curse”, a song that has gained some recent radio play. This was where the band really came into their own and I found myself more focused on their movements and contributions than on Josh, who submitted himself to a dream-like state of mind throughout.   When a band returns for its encore, we are often given one song and sent on our merry way; but not with these guys. Opening with an almost untouched version of the classic Moon River, we also heard the amazing “Wait for Love” where we saw the band (and what appeared to be the entire stage-crew) embrace on stage while drinking pints.   It would be wrong of me not to mention the venue as a key player in the night. The Grand Canal Theatre is truly huge. Sitting in row five, even I felt intimidated by the crowd if I turned around. The magnitude of the venue was not lost on little Josh, who spoke of how “there are too many balconies to remember what I have to say”. Despite being mainly designed for ballots and orchestras, Josh and his crew filled and lifted this place. Elaine Peppard More ... Elaine Peppard Fri, 30 Apr 2010 02:00:00 GMT f1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:99 https://www.cluas.com/indie-music/Home/ID/100/Pilotlight-live-in-Dublin#Comments 0 https://www.cluas.com/indie-music/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/RssComments.aspx?TabID=36&ModuleID=728&ArticleID=100 https://www.cluas.com:443/indie-music/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/Tracking/Trackback.aspx?ArticleID=100&PortalID=0&TabID=36 https://www.cluas.com/indie-music/Home/ID/100/Pilotlight-live-in-Dublin Pilotlight (Live in the Button Factory, Dublin) Review Snapshot: Pilotlight have a unique sound. Understated and expressive on the record, they are powerful and overstated live. The Cluas Verdict? 8 out of 10 Full Review: Pilotlight, a band from Dublin, launched their debut album entitled “The Post-War Musical” in The Button Factory on Feb 13th last. The four piece band has been based in London since 2008. They were in a jovial and excited mood. Not surprising as they’ve worked on this record for nine years, finally managing to put it together in a studio in France, under the guidance of producer Karl Odlum. The band began their set at nine-ish, belting out opener “All Purpose Underneath” and first single “Pulling on Doors that say Push”, which was the most radio friendly song I heard all night, containing some wonderful vocal harmonies and lead guitar work. This gig represented a first chance to showcase the album live to family, friends and fans alike. And the group seemed to relish the occasion. Beautifully heavy songs like “They had names” and “Bite your nails” passionately played and gratefully appreciated by the sizeable, though sometimes strangely lethargic crowd. The album has received widespread praise, but I did feel that some of its more measured tones in songs like “Health and Safety” and “Afraid of Heights” were lost in crossing over to such an exuberant and enthusiastic live performance.   Not to worry. During the entire set, a projected video of a decaying Dublin provided an interesting, thought provoking backdrop and added to the music’s ethereal feel. Album highlight, a dynamic tune called “South” was wonderfully performed, before the show was brought to a close with an inspiring number, “The Shortest Route to Happiness is a Straight Line”.   Overall, the album launch lived up to expectations. Pilotlight have a unique sound.   Donal Armstrong More ... Host Account Wed, 31 Mar 2010 02:00:00 GMT f1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:100 https://www.cluas.com/indie-music/Home/ID/101/Mumford-and-Sons-Live-in-Dublin#Comments 0 https://www.cluas.com/indie-music/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/RssComments.aspx?TabID=36&ModuleID=728&ArticleID=101 https://www.cluas.com:443/indie-music/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/Tracking/Trackback.aspx?ArticleID=101&PortalID=0&TabID=36 https://www.cluas.com/indie-music/Home/ID/101/Mumford-and-Sons-Live-in-Dublin Mumford and Sons (Live in The Academy, Dublin) Review Snapshot: From an excessive three warm up acts and technical problems to egotistical roadies, my trip to see Mumford and Sons was not the folksy, joyful event the band’s image suggests. I was already indifferent to these fake folksy wannabe’s and the gig moved it from indifference to dislike.  The Cluas Verdict? 4/10 Full Review: I arrived at The Academy on Middle Abbey Street at about 7:50. When I reached the top floor where the band would play I heard the sounds of a sleepy American boy whining into his microphone and moaning on guitar. It might sound harsh but really, you’d agree. The following warm up act was so dull I have actually forgotten them. The warm up show didn’t really kick off until Oh Emperor, a folk/rock band hailing from Waterford. Though it was hard to find originality in their Muse/Jeff Buckley influenced work, they were charming and could really handle their instruments. My issue was this; each warm up act had supplied their own set. This meant that after every group finished, the stage was dismantled and reassembled, all taking 15/20 minutes each. People were antsy, we were warmed up an hour ago, bring on the band. When they did finally arrive at 9:15, they certainly played with a raucous energy I’ve only seen in children. Boy do they make you get up and shout. They opened with the beautiful “Sigh No More”, Marcus Mumford’s unstrained vocals rising high above the basking crowd. And the audience of folksy wannabe’s joined in the rousing chorus “Love will not betray you, dismay or enslave you, it will set you free.” Their boisterous energy isn’t all they have going for and they proved this with the stirring “White Blank Page”. Emotion filled the ring when the chorus began. “But tell me now, where was my fault In loving you with my whole heart Oh tell me now, where was my fault In loving you with my whole heart” One more complaint about the whole event was how much they wanted to talk, and how little they wanted to sing. They asked the crowd how their Patrick’s Day had been no less than three times, and told us in many different ways where they had been and what they got up to, and how people waited outside to buy a ticket and told them they had been sold out for months. I found their egos; they’re accents and their general style too annoying to watch live and only marginally less to watch in video. Though they play with serious energy and really know how to get the crowd going, the overall experience was messy and the three warm up acts led to far too much standing around or heading to the bar. The venue itself, which doubles as a nightclub, felt far too clunky. Maybe buy the album, don’t buy the concert ticket. Elaine Peppard More ... Elaine Peppard Sun, 28 Mar 2010 02:00:00 GMT f1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:101 https://www.cluas.com/indie-music/Home/ID/102/C-O-D-E-S-live-in-the-Academy-Dublin#Comments 0 https://www.cluas.com/indie-music/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/RssComments.aspx?TabID=36&ModuleID=728&ArticleID=102 https://www.cluas.com:443/indie-music/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/Tracking/Trackback.aspx?ArticleID=102&PortalID=0&TabID=36 https://www.cluas.com/indie-music/Home/ID/102/C-O-D-E-S-live-in-the-Academy-Dublin C O D E S (live in the Academy, Dublin) Review Snapshot:  C O D E S show once again why they are one of Ireland's best, if not best, live acts. The Cluas Verdict? 9 out of 10 Full Review:  Hearing that one of your favourite bands have split is a lot like being told by the vet that your dog has to be put down.  You realise that there must be a very good reason behind it, but you still don't want to accept it.  On hearing late last year that the Future Kings of Spain had abdicated their right to ascend the throne, I was devastated.  Never again would I be able to shout 'Play Meanest Sound!' during a set.  However, the blow was softened somewhat with the emergence of The Black Triangle, a band consisting of ex-members of the Future Kings of Spain (Karl Hussey and Bryan McMahon) and Bambi (Dan Barry). Now, while I'm still not sure whether their name refers to a particularly vehement branch of lesbian feminism or not (I doubt it), I am sure, from tonight's performance, that the three-piece are capable of producing a blend of angular rock consisting of the sharp, jagged guitar work and low-down-dirty drum and bass rhythms that define the scene. Songs such as You Know It's Wrong, The Black Triangle and Daybreak show a maturity and cohesiveness beyond their two gigs as a three-piece.  The Kings may be dead, but long live The Black Triangle. It says quite a bit about the upward trajectory of C O D E S that they could get a band like Delays to merely play support.  However, it becomes clear pretty quickly that, unlike the opening act, the Southampton band are very much an act whose best days are behind them. It's not for the want of trying mind.  The band, particularly lead singer Greg Gilbert, give it their all. Unfortunately, it is only bus journey favourite Long Time Coming that generates more than a polite response. The same can't be said for the audience reaction to C O D E S.  After being treated to a light show that, while undoubtedly spectacular, will do nothing to cease those dogged MUSE comparisons, the band surprise everybody by launching in to a new song rather than their traditional set openers Malfunctions and This is Goodbye.  As a live act, C O D E S adopt the form of a multi-limbed, multi-dimensional, multi-sensory behemoth, capable of transporting its audience light years from the Abbey Street building they entered just a few hours previously.  Tracks like Cities, Trees Dream in Algebra and You are Here are particularly well received but for me, I could die a happy man after hearing tonight's rendition of Starry Eyed. There is no denying that C O D E S have their detractors, indier than thou types who consider their sound 'too mainstream'.  There are none of those here tonight though, probably at home listening to an obscure Icelandic folk band whose Mahican language debut album contains one song consisting entirely of the sound of three sheep relaxing in a sauna. That might be me being facetious but it becomes very tiresome hearing/reading people trying to out indie each other and so when a band like C O D E S comes along and produce songs and a live show as powerful and as fun - yeah, I used the f-word - as this one, it's great to be a part of it. I've said it before and I'll say it again, C O D E S are a band destined to fill stadiums.  Tonight they took one step closer.   Steve O'Rourke More ... Steven O'Rourke Thu, 11 Mar 2010 02:00:00 GMT f1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:102 https://www.cluas.com/indie-music/Home/ID/103/Midlake-live-in-Dublin#Comments 0 https://www.cluas.com/indie-music/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/RssComments.aspx?TabID=36&ModuleID=728&ArticleID=103 https://www.cluas.com:443/indie-music/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/Tracking/Trackback.aspx?ArticleID=103&PortalID=0&TabID=36 https://www.cluas.com/indie-music/Home/ID/103/Midlake-live-in-Dublin Midlake (live in Vicar Street, Dublin) Review Snapshot: Everything from the way the instruments sounded to the almost perfect set list, it was a night to remember.  Vicar Street was the perfect venue for this walking anachronism. Bigger than their previous Dublin venue (the Village) but not so big that it made us feel like strangers to them. Midlake: another act for concert lovers to add to the list of bands who are great live. The Cluas Verdict? 9 out of 10 Full Review: The opening act, Texan woman Sarah Jaffe, was the perfect warm-up for the main act. Her tones smooth and inviting, the drums a harsh and exciting contrast. The crowd of mainly students in grungy jumpers was only just beginning to form.  Shortly after her set Midlake ambled on. Unassuming, shy, even awkward, there was a real sense that the crowd’s welcome was unexpected. Their previous Dublin gig drew a much smaller crowd (which guitarist and vocalist Eric Pulidio joked about, saying “I’m glad to see you brought some friends this time”). Vocalist Tim Smith slowly led us into ‘Winter Dies’ from the new album, followed by the whispering opening of ‘Small Mountain’ on flutes. The flutes, in fact, were out in force. Something welcomed with open arms. The set list included just the right amount from Van Occupanter. Each track however, sounded new. Gone were the gentle intros on bass and snare, enter the screaming, electric guitar and forceful beats of the drum. ‘Bandits’ kicked in with fervor. They had led us down their path and now we were theirs. ‘Young Bride’ followed but then came the highlight ‘Roscoe’. Played with terrifying passion, it was as if they had forgotten we were there. We now felt less like concert-goers and more like the fly-on-the-wall at a personal Midlake jam session-play off, even.  The last song of their main set, ‘Head Home’, was a treat. When they left the stage it was clear the crowd were going nowhere.  Their encore was perhaps the most exciting event of the night. Not just because we knew we’d be in for something special, but because for the first time we saw boy-like excitement light up their faces. Playing a delicious and romantic version of ‘Branches’, the band members looked at one another with a smile of contentment. Lead singer Tim Smith stood back at one point and surveyed his band-mates, proud and in awe. They had not expected a crowd like this in Dublin. Perhaps they feared it would be a repeat of last time. They did not let us down, but we didn’t let them down either.  Elaine Peppard More ... Elaine Peppard Tue, 16 Feb 2010 02:00:00 GMT f1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:103 https://www.cluas.com/indie-music/Home/ID/104/Cluster-live-In-Dublin#Comments 0 https://www.cluas.com/indie-music/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/RssComments.aspx?TabID=36&ModuleID=728&ArticleID=104 https://www.cluas.com:443/indie-music/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/Tracking/Trackback.aspx?ArticleID=104&PortalID=0&TabID=36 https://www.cluas.com/indie-music/Home/ID/104/Cluster-live-In-Dublin Cluster (live in The Village, Dublin) Review Snapshot: So-called “pioneers of ambient music” fail to light fires at Dublin venue, The Village, but perform a convincing showcase for the latest “relaxing bathing tunes” CD collection. The Cluas Verdict? 4/10 Full Review: Cluster are a German electronic/experimental group which are often referred to as the “pioneers of ambient music”. When preparing to see them perform live, this tag is likely to raise your expectations. Which will be significantly lowered once the duo (Hans-Joachim Roedelius and Dieter Moebius) begin playing their less than exhilarating set list. It would be unfair to strip the group of their “pioneer” status, as they have clearly influenced bands that have helped to shape music in the last 15+ years such as Air and Röyksopp. However their live performance left a lot to be desired when they played Dublin's The Village on Saturday, 6th of February. Cluster played a mix of what some might call “classic” songs, from their older albums such as “Für Luise” and some tracks off their most recent works. In a live performance the music was unmoving, but it was clear that in other situations, it would have its benefits. “Bath Music” one reveller called it in a mumbled conversation by the bar. The room remained virtually still under the command of the duo's almost intimidating soft and arty music, as was it clearly divided into those who had an interest in German ambient music, and those who came for the experience. Those with a vested interest nodded approvingly at Cluster’s performance, those who were unused to this kind of gig experience stared, bemused at the ageing pioneers, or made confused faces to their companions. Unfortunately, there is little to say on the group's performance, as is generally expected from an electronic group, there was little or no interaction with the crowd and interaction with each other was also at a bare minimum. It was far from a thrilling experience for any gig-goers, no emotion, no hairs standing on end, and no stories to tell afterwards. All the essential elements of a worthwhile gig. From song to song the music was good, if a little samey, although in a reasonably filled room, it did not make much of live performance. Instead of feeling like you were at a gig in one of Dublin's more prestigious venues, it felt as though you were sitting in a shamelessly trendy nightclub with a shamelessly repetitive soundtrack playing in the background. Perhaps it would have been a better idea to spend the €20 on a Cluster album, and have a relaxing night in a bubble bath instead. Claire Kane More ... Claire Kane Sun, 07 Feb 2010 02:00:00 GMT f1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:104 https://www.cluas.com/indie-music/Home/ID/105/Way-to-Blue--The-Songs-of-Nick-Drake-live-in-London#Comments 0 https://www.cluas.com/indie-music/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/RssComments.aspx?TabID=36&ModuleID=728&ArticleID=105 https://www.cluas.com:443/indie-music/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/Tracking/Trackback.aspx?ArticleID=105&PortalID=0&TabID=36 https://www.cluas.com/indie-music/Home/ID/105/Way-to-Blue--The-Songs-of-Nick-Drake-live-in-London Way to Blue - The Songs of Nick Drake (live in the Barbican Theatre, London) Review Snapshot: Curated by Joe Boyd, various musicians gather to pay tribute to Drakes unique songwriting. The Cluas Verdict? 7 out of 10 Full Review: Way to Blue has just completed a three date tour of the UK, featuring a five-piece house band and seven-piece string section. The Barbican theatre was sold out on Saturday night with the show taking on the same format as the Leonard Cohen tribute a few years ago – everyone takes a turn, one or two songs each, and then collaborations at the end. The singers featured on the show were chosen to display the versatility in Drake’s material. Robyn Hitchcock performs “Parasite” with electric guitar, Vashti Bunyan turns “Which Will” into a jaunty baroque string led piece, Lisa Hannigan transforms “Black Eyed Dog” into an upbeat stomper and pianist Zoe Rahman gave “One of These Things First” the jazz instrumental treatment, which worked really well, sounding a little like something from Vince Guaraldi’s Charlie Brown soundtrack. One of the highlights of the night was an unannounced guest, who turned out to be Harper Simon. I’d never heard of this guy before but it didn’t take long to connect the dots and realize he was the son of Paul. Apart from having a similar guitar and vocal technique, he was short and stout like his old man. He did a beautiful version of “From The Morning” that made you imagine what could have happened if Simon had teamed up with Drake rather than Garfunkel. Another highlight was tribute show darling Teddy Thompson who performed “River Man” and “Poor Boy”, aided by four of his co star female singers for the chorus. Songs like these, played with full band in a large theatre gives you even more of an appreciation for Drake’s song writing. He didn’t simply write songs which could then be tarted up with a band. He had an ear for hooks and was more than capable of writing songs for large rooms, given the right direction. But as we know, his talent as a songwriter was not matched as a performer. Vashti Bunyan seemed swamped in her performance on the night; her voice, soft and breathless, could not rise above the house band, despite them playing as muted as possible. As a result, the focal point of the performance failed to make an impression. This may well have been the case with Drake as well, had he undertaken an ambitious tour. The low point of the night belonged to Scott Mathews. A popular draw with the crowd, but he showed the least sensitivity to Drakes material. Performing “Day Is Done”, at times the song veered too much into Rick Astley territory. Some singers rely too much on the “Whoa Bodyform!” moment. The showed ended with a beautiful performance of “Voice from the Mountain” with everyone returning to the stage and then finally Joe Boyd, the curator of the show, paying tribute to Drake, Robert Kirby (Drakes string arranger who passed away recently) and Kate McGarrigle. Plenty of cameras in the theatre on the night, expect a possible DVD release in the future. Peter Teehan More ... Peter Teehan Sun, 24 Jan 2010 02:00:00 GMT f1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:105 https://www.cluas.com/indie-music/Home/ID/106/Peter-Doherty-live-in-Dublin#Comments 0 https://www.cluas.com/indie-music/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/RssComments.aspx?TabID=36&ModuleID=728&ArticleID=106 https://www.cluas.com:443/indie-music/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/Tracking/Trackback.aspx?ArticleID=106&PortalID=0&TabID=36 https://www.cluas.com/indie-music/Home/ID/106/Peter-Doherty-live-in-Dublin Pete Doherty (live in The Academy, Dublin) Review Snapshot: I didn’t expect him to show up. Nor indeed did I expect him to show up with two ballerinas in tow. But show up he did. He was on form too. The Cluas Verdict? 9/10 Full Review: Pete Doherty packed The Academy last night, along with fellow Babyshambles member Adam Ficek, otherwise known as Roses Kings Castles, who was supporting. After an enjoyable albeit low key warm-up courtesy of Mr. Ficek, the Reverend Doherty kicked off around nine-ish. The crowd religiously belted out the opening numbers, which included ‘The ha ha wall’, ‘Kilamangiro’ & ‘Don’t look back into the sun’. Next was ‘Arcadia’, a popular tune from Doherty’s latest solo effort ‘Grace/Wastelands’, released last March. Those bizarre ballerinas I mentioned drifted in and out of the entire set. But I don’t think anyone paid any attention to them. I didn’t. Most of the audience were transfixed and delighted with Doherty’s fluid, energetic performance. ‘Beg, steal or borrow’, ‘New love grows on trees’ and ‘Time for Heroes’ where next up. The energy level amongst the crowd did not drop for a moment. Pete occasionally sat on his stool, flanked by two amps, wiping off sweat with a scarf discarded by some adoring fan. He ploughed on happily, by playing ‘In love with a feeling’ and Libertines’ crowd pleaser ‘Can’t stand me now’, strutting around the stage, occasionally pausing to stalk the front row. Then the house lights went up. A hush went through the venue as the music stopped. Pete walked up to the mic; ‘Just stepping out for a fag’ he quipped, ‘back in a mo’. Roars and roars of ecstatic appreciation immediately followed. The Academy was way beyond what can be described as hot last night. He returned to round off his show playing ‘F*ck forever’, that one throwing the crowd over the cliff edge with excitement, ‘Delivery’ and a slightly altered version of ‘Down in Albion’. The English cities mentioned in that song were replaced with Irish ones. That drew the set too a close. All in all a very entertaining gig. I had hoped too include some criticism, but the performance was faultless. It's good too see that when Pete can keep himself out of the red-tops for a few months and busy himself with music, things come back together quickly. He isn’t a spent force. In fact, if he keeps playing like he is now, he’s in real danger of getting even better. Donal Armstrong Note from Editor: Corrections made to some song titles after some errors were pointed out in the comments below. More ... Host Account Thu, 21 Jan 2010 02:00:00 GMT f1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:106 https://www.cluas.com/indie-music/Home/ID/107/Somadrone-and-Twinkranes-live-in-Dublin#Comments 0 https://www.cluas.com/indie-music/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/RssComments.aspx?TabID=36&ModuleID=728&ArticleID=107 https://www.cluas.com:443/indie-music/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/Tracking/Trackback.aspx?ArticleID=107&PortalID=0&TabID=36 https://www.cluas.com/indie-music/Home/ID/107/Somadrone-and-Twinkranes-live-in-Dublin Somadrone and Twinkranes (live in Mill Street Studios, Dublin) Review Snapshot: Twinkranes fused frenetic drumming and looped bass, while Somadrone saturated the studios with a luminosity of noise, discord and ambient musings. A night I won't be forgetting any time soon. The Cluas Verdict? 8.5 out of 10 Full Review: I like beards. When I walked around Mill Street Studios last night, I noticed it held a bearded-population of roughly 62.5%. This was going to be a good night. And what a venue. Stooping in through a small stable door, we were greeted by a candle-lit walkway leading into the two rooms of the studios. This clandestine venue made me feel special – while everyone else was dancing to The Prodigy, I was sipping a can of Preszky and sitting in front of a white petal net. There were couches and fairy lights and a lamp that looked like it was made out of coconut and mushrooms. This was the perfect setting for experimental rockers Twinkranes, who began decisively with a blend of electronica and a strong math-rock feel. Their use of organ reminded me of the 60s, which made me think of Andy Warhol and it was then that I realised how the group would have been the perfect accompaniment for a Warhol party. This is a band that works hard. The drummer was frantic and his intense stare of concentration was spellbinding. What a machine. ‘The Charmer’ was the standout track that resonated throughout the studio. Modern, exhilarating, and laced with moments of pleasant disease. Somadrone took to the stage and at this stage the atmosphere in the studios had intensified. Expectations were fulfilled as Neil et al showered the venue with otherworldly sounds that ranged from controlled and tempered to explosive and chaotic. This musical project has been compared to Brian Eno and rightly so, but the association is only skin-deep. Somadrone draws from a wide range of influences, each giving it an energy that is incisive, varied and fervent. The only criticism I have of this wonderfully unique event is that sections of Somadrone’s set would have been better suited to a bit of a sit down, or even a lie down. Granted, at that stage the cans were taking effect. But when I listen to Fuzzing Away to a Whisper’s second CD, Let’s Depart, I am usually relaxing rather than head-nodding. Next time, I’ll look for the couch. I was once told, ‘A man with a beard has something to hide.’ Well maybe, just maybe, he is hiding the talents of Somadrone’s Neil O’Connor, who created a glowing atmosphere that evolved into a deafening climax. Fin. Niamh Madden More ... Niamh Madden Sat, 19 Dec 2009 20:47:00 GMT f1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:107 https://www.cluas.com/indie-music/Home/ID/108/The-Antlers-Cymbals-Eat-Guitars-live-in-Paris#Comments 0 https://www.cluas.com/indie-music/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/RssComments.aspx?TabID=36&ModuleID=728&ArticleID=108 https://www.cluas.com:443/indie-music/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/Tracking/Trackback.aspx?ArticleID=108&PortalID=0&TabID=36 https://www.cluas.com/indie-music/Home/ID/108/The-Antlers-Cymbals-Eat-Guitars-live-in-Paris The Antlers, Cymbals Eat Guitars (live at the Nouveau Casino, Paris) Review Snapshot: Two loud doses of U.S. alt-rock, which may be surprising for some fans of 'Hospice'. But at high volume and with lots of reverberating bass, The Antlers reveal even more of the emotions that inspired that fabulous album. Cymbals Eat Guitars, at war with your eardrums, are an uncomplicated pleasure. The Cluas Verdict? 9 out of 10 Full Review: Every band on tour will stop in Paris - but alternative rock and pop have a relatively small audience in the French capital. So tonight two great American bands, Cymbals Eat Guitars and The Antlers, are playing on the same bill in a small venue in the hip Oberkampf district at only 15 euro a ticket. And still the place isn't even two-thirds full. (It was a similar story for another cracking double bill, DM Stith and The Acorn, that we reviewed for you back in May.) Tonight's show is part of the Custom series organised by French culture magazine Les Inrockuptibles, so it's only politic to have a local band kick off proceedings. However, Liquid Architecture are a low-rate plod-rock band trying too hard to be electro-funky like The Gossip. We needn't dwell on them. Visually, with their check shirts and woollen hats, Cymbals Eat Guitars recall early '90s slacker rock and grunge. Guitar, bass and drums are all wielded as blunt instruments and Joseph D'Agostino seems to finish most songs by shredding his voice. Fortunately, CEG have melody and personality running through them like veins of colour in a block of marble. D'Agostino, when not tearing his vocal cords into strips of bacon, has a warmth to his voice on the quieter moments of songs like 'And The Hazy Sea'. And on 'Wind Phoenix' bassist Matthew Whipple is almost jaunty. Cymbals Eat Guitars are a likeable bunch of lads who show that indie rock can be charming, thoughtful and tuneful. But they're still bloody loud, which is always great. The Antlers have a more cerebral appeal - as the house lights dim we hear several impatient 'SHHH!'-ers at work. 'Hospice', one of the year's best albums, carefully conjures up nightmarish visions and spectral sounds. How would Peter Silberman (right) and his band replicate live such mercurial and introspective music? First impressions are worrying - The Antlers are as loud as Cymbals Eat Guitars. For a band with no bassist, they have an overwhelming level of bass in the sound mix tonight; opener 'Kettering' rumbles like a juggernaut over a bridge and Silberman's voice is almost drowned out. However, this might be part of the plan. 'Hospice' captures the sickening helplessness and frustration we feel when a loved one is in hospital - and tonight's show is a release of those emotions. That low, rumbling sound swirls across the room like dark stormclouds gathering, while Michael Lerner's frequent and careful use of his splash cymbals gives a nervous fizz to our synapses. Silberman's voice is too low in the mix for us to make out his words, but his taut vocal melodies are sufficient to tell his story. He never forces or exaggerates the sentiment of his lyrics; his delivery is emotionally honest and recognisably human. The narrator of 'Hospice' is an ordinary person who must endure something traumatic yet banal - we will all face the same situation at some point in our lives. So too, by analogy, the tumultuous music contrasts with the heartfelt vocals: here is the dramatic force of songs like 'Bear', 'Two' and 'Sylvia'. (For this show The Antlers play a short, seven-song set, all from the current album but leaving out the Prologue, Epilogue and 'Shiva'.) Tonight's live performance of tracks from 'Hospice' complements their recorded versions and brings something new to our appreciation of them. The Antlers have created something of enduring beauty, humanity and artistic value. Aidan Curran More ... Aidan Curran Sun, 29 Nov 2009 02:11:00 GMT f1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:108 https://www.cluas.com/indie-music/Home/ID/109/Fleetwood-Mac-live-in-Dublin#Comments 0 https://www.cluas.com/indie-music/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/RssComments.aspx?TabID=36&ModuleID=728&ArticleID=109 https://www.cluas.com:443/indie-music/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/Tracking/Trackback.aspx?ArticleID=109&PortalID=0&TabID=36 https://www.cluas.com/indie-music/Home/ID/109/Fleetwood-Mac-live-in-Dublin Fleetwood Mac (live in the O2, Dublin) Review Snapshot: A band that has been on the go for over 40 years, albeit with changes in personnel along the way. While the band may be deteriorating, the music stands the test of time, even without the absent Christine McVie. The Cluas Verdict? 8 out of 10 Full Review: Opening with 'Monday Morning' from the pre-Rumours days, it was 'The Chain' and 'Dreams' that got the O2 Arena in a frenzy from the start. "Dublin, you're beautiful, why don't we get this party started" shouted Nicks, before Buckingham and Nicks took it in turns to sing, giving us 'I Know I'm Not Wrong', 'Gypsy', 'Go Insane' and 'Rhiannon' in the early part of the show. Nicks spoke about forming a band in 1965, "a hard rock San Francisco Band" she proclaimed. "We learnt our trade supporting Jimi Hendrix and Janice Joplin. We want to put our experience back into a song, back to the gypsies that we were" was how she introduced the aforementioned Gypsy. Lindsey then told us about the recording of Rumours "it's not a bad little album" he joked, going on to tell us about all the friction in the band at that time and how they all poured their hearts out into the songs. "Fleetwood Mac has had a very complicated history but we said we'd have fun”. He goes on to say that "seen as we don't have a new album to promote yet, let's do all the songs we love and I hope you like them too. This is the first song we recorded for Rumours" was his intro to the brilliant 'Second Hand News'. He gave it his all on 'Tusk' shouting and chanting his way all over the stage, before taking a short breather while Nicks delivered 'Sara', after which she gave Buckingham a big hug as they embraced. Introducing 'Big Love' Lindsey explained that "this was the first single from Tango In The Night, and it was an important song for me as it described the person I was at that time, when it was written in 1987" he said profoundly. Nicks returned, wearing a red dress and said "this song is dedicated to you [the fans], because everyone needs a song like this” before delivering 'Landslide' with just Lindsey on acoustic guitar. If that performance was brilliant, Buckingham exceeded it on 'Never Goin Back Again' with a slowed down version of the Rumours classic on acoustic guitar and dominant vocals. Stevie discussed the rehearsals for the tour adding "when we met up on January 5th this year, to start rehearsing for this tour we wanted to do a song that we hadn't performed before. We like to call this I Have Always Been a Storm" she added, while Mick came to the front of the stage to perform the percussion accompaniment. 'Say You Love Me' and 'Gold Dust Woman' were next, with Stevie now wearing a gold coloured shawl and single black glove for the latter, while Lindsey stayed behind the scenes on this one. 'Oh Well' was truly fantastic. The sound in the o2 Arena was brilliant for the concert, but it shone through on this number as the three lads gave it everything. Another elaborate guitar solo from Buckingham followed on 'I'm So Afraid', while Nicks (now wearing a white shawl and black dress) done her infamous dance during 'Stand Back' and they closed with 'Go Your Own Way'. The encore comprised of 'World Turning' which put Mick Fleetwood in the spotlight for 10 minutes, and they finished the night with 'Don't Stop' which got everybody on their feet. You couldn't fault this performance on any level, but this is the Lindsey Buckingham band, and the rest are really only here for the ride. Without him they are nothing, and while Mick and John might share the bands name, it's Buckingham's Palace. Mick Lynch More ... Mick Lynch Tue, 17 Nov 2009 18:16:00 GMT f1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:109 https://www.cluas.com/indie-music/Home/ID/110/Day-Two-Hard-Working-Class-Heroes-2009#Comments 0 https://www.cluas.com/indie-music/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/RssComments.aspx?TabID=36&ModuleID=728&ArticleID=110 https://www.cluas.com:443/indie-music/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/Tracking/Trackback.aspx?ArticleID=110&PortalID=0&TabID=36 https://www.cluas.com/indie-music/Home/ID/110/Day-Two-Hard-Working-Class-Heroes-2009 Oliver Cole, Escape Act & Others (live in Temple Bar, Dublin) Review Snapshot:  Day two of Hard Working Class Heroes involved quite a bit of venue shifting but was all the better for it.  The Cluas Verdict? 8.5 out of 10 Full Review: Thankfully, my leg felt a great deal better and so venue-hopping was not going to be as much of a problem as it was on Day One of Hard Working Class Heroes 2009.   Oliver Cole - The Button Factory Oliver Cole certainly knows how to write a tune.  Tonight, Cole's set consists of songs taken from his yet to be released debut solo LP such as Little Bad Dream, A Drug Song and, the title track, We Albatri.  His ear for melody is second to none and it would be impossible to watch an Oliver Cole gig without wanting to sing-a-long and tap your foot.  That being said,  it was such a shame that Cole was on so early as his stage presence and interaction with the crowd is much more suited to later in the night.  Indeed, it's almost worth checking out Cole the next time you can just to hear the story behind We Albatri. Escape Act - 4 Dame Lane 2009 has been a bit of a revelation for me in terms of bands from Northern Ireland.  And So I Watch You From Afar and General Fiasco both blew me away at Oxegen but it was Belfast's Escape Act that started the trend earlier in the year with their excellent debut album, Loosely Based on Fiction.  Tonight's set, in the gorgeous surroundings of 4 Dame Lane (why aren't more gigs held here?), consists of a mixture of tracks from that record and the band's sophomore LP, to be released in 2010.  Of the newer tracks, Salt in Your Eye is my favourite but it's interesting to hear how the band have grown organically into their new sound without losing the qualities that caught my attention in the first place. C!ties - Twister Pepper There was a lot of firsts involved in this particular set.  My first time venturing to the Northside during HWCH 2009, my first time in Twisted Pepper and my first time to see/hear C!ties.  The instrumental 3 piece, from Ennis, look about 12 but don't let that fool you.  Despite the number of gigs I go to, I've always thought that people who wear ear plugs to gigs just don't have the aural fortitude that I do.  Tonight, I wish I had ear plugs.  Perhaps it is the venue's small size, but C!ties are possibly the loudest band I've heard live.  I could literally feel the sound waves emanating from the speakers.  Behind the wall of sound and veil of chaos; C!ties are a band fully in possession of any number of finely crafted songs.  Definitely a band to watch out for. The Poormouth - Think Tank I had intended on waiting around Twisted Pepper for The Holy Roman Army, but it took them so long to set up that, when they finally started, I couldn't forgive them for how poor they sounded.  Maybe soundcheck the mic in future, yeah? Anyway, as luck would have it, I was told that The Poormouth in Think Tank might be worth checking out.  They certainly were; the band's blend of lo-fi melodic rock was the perfect way to counter the sonic onslaught of C!ties.  There's more than a hint of Bright Eyes, Neil Young and Smog about what The Poormouth do but, as influences go, they're not bad reference points by which to chart your musical journey.  Indeed, The Poormouth prove to be the perfect way to end the evening.  Steve O'Rourke It should be noted that I also saw Cutaways and Fionn Regan this evening but not enough of either to give a fair review. More ... Steven O'Rourke Sun, 18 Oct 2009 02:00:00 GMT f1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:110 https://www.cluas.com/indie-music/Home/ID/111/Hard-Working-Class-Heroes-2009-Day-1#Comments 0 https://www.cluas.com/indie-music/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/RssComments.aspx?TabID=36&ModuleID=728&ArticleID=111 https://www.cluas.com:443/indie-music/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/Tracking/Trackback.aspx?ArticleID=111&PortalID=0&TabID=36 https://www.cluas.com/indie-music/Home/ID/111/Hard-Working-Class-Heroes-2009-Day-1 Villagers, The Ambience Affair & Others (HWCH, live in Temple Bar, Dublin) Review Snapshot:   The Cluas Verdict? 8.5 out of 10 Full Review: While my intention had been to make my way between various venues during the first day of Hard Working Class Heroes 2009, a strained muscle (one week before my first marathon) meant that I was restricted in my endeavours.  It was clear early on that the place to be was Andrew's Lane which featured three of the four bands I really wanted to see tonight anyway.  While it was disappointing not to be able to see Dark Room Notes' set in The Button Factory, the intensity of Subplots and the raw talent of both The Ambience Affair and Villagers more than made up for it. Subplots There was quite a chatty crowd in place as Subplots took to the stage in Andrew's Lane.  The band's record, Nightcycles, is one of my favourites this year.  However, I was worried that their carefully crafted songs might struggle to make an impact in a live arena.  Not for the first time, I was wrong.  Indeed, such was the level of intensity in their performance that those same songs I described earlier this year as being not 'instantly accessible' stood tall and screamed for both your attention and adulation.  Despite this, there was a nagging sense that the band would have benefited from a later time-slot, when the audience might not have been more interested in discussing making blind dates through Facebook, but that is hardly their fault. Dead Flags I can appreciate pop music as much as the next person.  I also appreciate comedy.  Why then, did I find this band so objectionable?  Perhaps it was because every song, from Too Much Love to Give through to Let's Start A Fire seemed to contain nothing but thinly veiled sexual innuendo; single entendres were the order of the day.  One song, the aforementioned Let's Start A Fire was actually irritatingly catchy but so too is Take That's (a band probably never mentioned on CLUAS before now) Patience, that doesn't mean I'd be rushing out to see them live either.  If Dead Flags want lessons on being a comedy band, they could do worse than check out the new(ish) Flight of the Conchord's DVD. The Ambience Affair Ever since I saw this two-piece playing Road Records at the launch of HWCH 2009, I was desperate to see them live again.  I wasn't disappointed.  Jamie Clarke and Marc Gallagher build sonic walls on stage that bands three times their size could only dream of.  For those of you not familiar with The Ambience Affair, Clarke builds songs with endless looping of both his acoustic guitar and vocals while Gallagher (a contender for Ireland's best drummer) provides the heartbeat for their musical behemoth.  Songs such as Fragile Things and the newly written Lost at the Start could not fail but to absorb the audience who, by this stage, seemed much more appreciative of the fact that there was a band on stage. Villagers It was pretty clear from 20 minutes before they came on stage that Villagers were the band to see at this year's Hard Working Class Heroes.  If the pressure of being hotly tipped by almost every musical publication in the country is weighing on Conor O'Brien and his band mate's shoulders, they're doing a very good job of hiding it.  Indeed, the former Immediate frontman appears to be completely at home in front of his enraptured audience; wielding his guitar like some emotional shotgun, taking musical pot shots at the souls of his faithful. Given the contrasting power and delicacy of O'Brien's voice, it can be all too easy to overlook the important contribution of his fellow Villagers.  Their role is crucial here, providing the flesh to O'Brien's lyrical bones.  Stand-out for me tonight is Home with its multi-part vocal harmonies and red raw lyrics.  For once, believe the hype. Steve O'Rourke More ... Steven O'Rourke Sat, 17 Oct 2009 13:57:00 GMT f1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:111 https://www.cluas.com/indie-music/Home/ID/112/Joshua-Radin-live-in-Dublin#Comments 0 https://www.cluas.com/indie-music/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/RssComments.aspx?TabID=36&ModuleID=728&ArticleID=112 https://www.cluas.com:443/indie-music/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/Tracking/Trackback.aspx?ArticleID=112&PortalID=0&TabID=36 https://www.cluas.com/indie-music/Home/ID/112/Joshua-Radin-live-in-Dublin Joshua Radin (live in The Academy, Dublin) Review Snapshot: It was always going to be interesting to see if Radin’s quiet yet absorbing melodies along with his whispery vocals could translate well to the stage. Unexpectedly but brilliantly, it transcended into an appreciated and intimate gig as you could hope to see, in a criminally underrated venue.  The Cluas Verdict? 9 out of 10 Full Review: Like many others, I discovered Joshua Radin’s music playing in the background of the more touching scenes in the TV show Scrubs. (Hey, good music can be found anywhere, right?) And good music is exactly what I found; some say the answer to Elliott Smith’s sad departure in 2003. But Radin is a breath of fresh air on his own with an addictive folk ethic on debut album “We Were Here” which is now improved by a pop-rock element on his more recent release “Simple Times”. It was quite a happy coincidence recently getting hooked on his music to discover only a couple of weeks later he’s playing in the Academy.   As “Simple Times” demonstrated a surge in Radin’s confidence, it’s fitting that he looks thrilled to be here, playing with vigor and opening with “One of Those Days”, the opening track to his latest offering. That’s soon followed by new material not due for release till next year, (unfortunately). Obvious highlights include “Closer” and “Winter” along with “Brand New Day”.  As so many of his songs would suggest but never quite confirm, Radin is a storyteller and every song is preceded by a story, the crowd charmed no doubt by his tale of playing in Doyle’s pub on Fleet Street some years ago. Quite often, Radin’s whispered, wistful vocals so commonplace on his records remain just that playing live but he has an audience to appreciate it, some being told to shut up while he’s playing when all they were doing was ordering a drink! To prove the point, he compared the audience to a New York audience, who are never quiet during a performance, but he enjoyed the attention so much, he had his band unplug all the instruments and descend into the middle of the crowd for a song. No electrics, no mics, and the crowd never missed a beat. Radin’s influence by Dylan also plays a part as the show goes on as new material and “Free of Me” are played with a more upbeat tempo and acoustic ring before finishing off with the entire band semi-circling 2 microphones, jamming and loving it.  Those of you don’t know should get to know Radin’s music, its delicious melodies, catchy finger-picking and unassuming lyrics are enough to capture the imagination of any serious music lover. To witness this performance in front of such an appreciative audience (not to mention the staggeringly cheap ticket price of €17) in such an intimate setting was nothing short of a thrill.   An immersive, intimate and above all else, essential gig.  Jimmy Murphy More ... Host Account Sat, 17 Oct 2009 02:00:00 GMT f1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:112 https://www.cluas.com/indie-music/Home/ID/113/The-Frank-and-Walters-An-Brog-Cork#Comments 0 https://www.cluas.com/indie-music/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/RssComments.aspx?TabID=36&ModuleID=728&ArticleID=113 https://www.cluas.com:443/indie-music/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/Tracking/Trackback.aspx?ArticleID=113&PortalID=0&TabID=36 https://www.cluas.com/indie-music/Home/ID/113/The-Frank-and-Walters-An-Brog-Cork Review Snapshot: Cork's finest take to the stage in their home city and quite literally blow the pants off the punters and the roof off the venue...not sure if that's legal, but it's mighty craic! Full Review: Well, what a night! Murphy’s! Magic! The Mrank and Malters! Everything began with an M! Remember M for Michael later on! In a hothouse sauna renamed The Brog for the night, the Murphy’s Nice ‘n Nasty season continued with “Cork’s favourite sons” (© The Frank and Walters) allowing us to enter their world. Indeed, even in their 20th year, the Franks have never seemed as relevant to the masses who are force-fed Lady Gaga, Peter Andre and the Continuity Wolfe Tones (or whoever they are this week)! Take a string quartet, 2 original Franks, a new Frank and part-time Frank, lashings of free Murphy’s and music, sweat Fred West would have worked up. Mix it all together with a touch of madness. Ta-da! A night to remember, that’s for sure! Divided into two parts, "Nice" and then "Nasty showcased the Franks at their best – Engaging! Edgy! Entertaining! Extravagant! Excellent! The 4 lassies that made up the Murphy’s Quarter (string quartet) provided superb support to the reworking of seven of the Franks' most appropriate songs for the night. For those who attended last year’s Speigel tent celebration of the Grand Parade album, this was second helpings with Landslide, Little Dolls, Russian Ship and How Can I Exist all being reproduced to a staggering high quality. The evening kicked off with Miles and Miles and it was great to see the lead single from A Renewed Interest In Happiness being well received. Throw in the obligatory After All, the reaction of the crowd (and look on the Quartet’s faces) was classic as the anthemic choruses raised the roof! The Nice element ended with This Is Not A Song and as I queued at the bar, it was clear the crowd was in good fettle for the next half of the performance. Again, the punters went in full voice here and took the interval to have a healthy cigarette and kebab at the 4* Istanbul restaurant. The "Nasty" session kicked off to the sound of THE best version of Fast Anthony the reviewer has heard – bar one. The one fault with the prior "Nice" set was the sound on the left of the stage was poor; methinks down to trying to keep 15 microphones in check. The second half sound never waved as Cian Corbett gave a rasta/indie keyboard effect to the speeded up Tony Cochrane. Fashion Crisis and Country Boy followed, both book ending the 20 great Franks year so far. With Darren Mullin standing in for Kevin P who was attending a wedding (calm down girls, not his own) in Italy, we knew Fight would be on the set list – and so it was! A rip-snorting animal which couldn’t be tamed was unleaded and the explosiveness of Mullin’s geetar playing mean we tripped over nicely into Colours and Indian Ocean, further proof of the greatness of the Grand Parade album. A special song then made its way onto the list and the sound of Underground completed Flood’s engineering from all those years ago – who remembers the video for this one???!!! The last song could only be Time To Say Goodnight. There is only one song to end with Len Cremin remarked – and I agree. Again with pounding sticks-works from Drum Keating and Paul giving it all, we knew the evening was nearly at a close. The shout went up "we are... we are... we are the Frank and Walters..." as the band returned for a well deserved encore. What could it be? Remember at the start? Yep, it was Michael and with the man whom this song was written about being in the audience, I can assure you that Paul, Ash, Cian and Darren brought down the house with a fantastic version of the classic!! We Care!! So, the DJ came on and we all carried on. A great night. Lots of regular Franks with folk coming from as far away as Manchester, London and Limerick for the concert. One fan dressed head to toe in Franks gear summed it up, "it’s before payday, I borrowed a tenner from my ma, I am going to have 10 free pints of Murphy’s this evening, I am here with 400 friends and tonight I got to see my favourite band free! Where else would you get that?" I don’t know either but it would have to be special … so f**king special! After note: Geelong beat St Kilda to win the Australian Football League Final, and Michael and I made our ways into the sunlight sometime on Saturday morning! We care Michael, we care! Dan Foley More ... Host Account Tue, 29 Sep 2009 00:32:00 GMT f1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:113 https://www.cluas.com/indie-music/Home/ID/114/Day-Three-Cois-Fharraige#Comments 0 https://www.cluas.com/indie-music/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/RssComments.aspx?TabID=36&ModuleID=728&ArticleID=114 https://www.cluas.com:443/indie-music/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/Tracking/Trackback.aspx?ArticleID=114&PortalID=0&TabID=36 https://www.cluas.com/indie-music/Home/ID/114/Day-Three-Cois-Fharraige Live in Kilkee, Co. Clare, 13th September 2009 Review Snapshot: Due to a tyre puncture on the way back from a surf session in neighbouring Doonbeg, yours truly was unavoidably delayed en route to the evening festivities in Kilkee, arriving in the Big Top just in time to see Stereo MCs walk on stage. Whew! The Cluas Verdict? 9 out of 10 Full Review: Stereo MCs: Looking around at the young wans who were waving their hands in the air to dance anthems such as ‘Black Gold’ and ‘Step it Up’ it was sobering to realise that a good proportion of them probably weren’t born when Stereo MCs released their first album. Once again the crisp, clean and loud sound mix that was a hallmark of this year’s festival proved a boon to the groovy tunes of a group who mix infectious beats with upfront, if stripped down, political statements. The only question was, why schedule them on the Sunday, when so many attendees were heading home for work on the Monday morning, instead of the Saturday night when they would have elevated an already party hearty crowd? Nonetheless, if you stayed around for them, you got yours. The Zutons: In a nutshell, I loved this band, delivering a razor sharp performance, The Zutons ‘s unique sound nonetheless managed to channel elements of bands as diverse as the The Beatles and The E Street Band. Their note perfect, steam train rock and roll was the perfect end to what was a weekend of great music in a setting that has so much to offer, provided you don’t keep your arse parked on the grass with a pint in your hand. Yes, the Zutons duly played hits such as, ‘Valerie’, ‘Why Won’t You Give Me Your Love?’ and, as a finale, a storming version of, ‘You Will You Won’t’, but to be honest the whole set was a highlight and, yes, Abi Harding was looking particularly fine in a red dress, but it was great to hear four great musicians just go out there and play their socks off, get the crowd involved and turn the Big Top into the sort of party that Bruce Springsteen rhapsodises about. Transcedent. Rev Jules More ... Rev Jules Tue, 15 Sep 2009 13:52:00 GMT f1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:114 https://www.cluas.com/indie-music/Home/ID/115/Cois-Fharraige-2009-Day-Two-live-in-Clare#Comments 0 https://www.cluas.com/indie-music/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/RssComments.aspx?TabID=36&ModuleID=728&ArticleID=115 https://www.cluas.com:443/indie-music/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/Tracking/Trackback.aspx?ArticleID=115&PortalID=0&TabID=36 https://www.cluas.com/indie-music/Home/ID/115/Cois-Fharraige-2009-Day-Two-live-in-Clare Cois Fharraige Day Two (live in Kilkee, Co. Clare) Review Snapshot: There were thousands of people walking around Kilkee on Saturday sporting the latest in surf fashion but in the water at Lahinch, Spanish Point and Doonbeg you could count the surfers on two hands. Meanwhile back at the festival, The Hold Steady, Noah and The Whale and Newton Faulkner served up some savage musical entertainment The Cluas Verdict? 9 out of 10 Full Review: The Hold Steady Looking like the cast of Seinfeld decided to form a band, the anxious nerd rock of The Hold Steady proved the perfect antidote to the mellow sunlit vibes that have blessed the festival thus far, with ‘Stay Positive’ being a crowd highlight. The band’s hard chugging sound and neuroses laced lyrics were an unusual counterpoint to a festival that, thus far, has aimed for a balance between very serious rock and music that you can drink to. If you are the sort of person who curses the sunshine and stays indoors with a book by Albert Camus then this may just be your kind of band. Noah & The Whale The opportunity to see Noah and The Whale perform live versions of tracks from their new album, ‘The First Days of Spring’ which the Sunday Times has described as a ‘masterpiece’, was a bona fide must see for this reviewer but for anyone expecting a game of throw the inflatable chair around the crowd to ‘Five Years Time’ then this set would have been a bit of a surprise. The band walked onstage with the confident gait that musicians adopt when they realise they may have produced an album to match ‘Astral Weeks’ or ‘Transformer’ and then, dour to the point of uncommunicative, proceeded to play the highlights of, ‘The First Days of Spring’, their only nod to their audience being to tell us their name. Given the emotional punch and musical delicacy of Noah and The Whale’s music, I’m not sure the party atmosphere of the Big Top at Kilkee was the best forum to for this performance, the audience only engaging with them to sing along with their hit single ‘Five Years Time [Sun, Sun, Sun], but for this reviewer at least ‘Blue Skies’ was a highlight and I can imagine people who spent the day drinking down by the beach later claiming that they were here for this gig, tough if you weren’t. Newton Faulkner Based on the love shown to the dreadlocked Faulkner when he appeared on stage, it looks like the Irish are going to do for him what they have previously done for Chris Rea, David Gray and Josh Ritter. Mixing new tracks from his new, as yet unreleased album ‘Rebuilt by Humans’, with favourites from his hit debut ‘Hand built by Robots’, Faulkner was clearly playing to a crowd that knew and loved his work. Supporting himself with a variety of unusual musical instruments such as a cassette tape player and a keyboard that he played with his feet, Faulkner’s guitar style owes more to Bobby McFerrin and Stanley Jordan then it does the standard white bloke with an acoustic guitar. It is also fortunate that Faulkner is an excellent showman, whipping the crowd up at one point with a routine in which he asked them to imagine themselves as a crew of pirates suffering from rabies, on a ship headed to shore, to confront their arch enemies the barbarian hordes.  Having said that, Faulkner’s self penned material to date does not match the quality of his brilliant reworking of Massive Attack’s ‘Teardrop’ which affords him the perfect vehicle to showcase his musical abilities. Rev Jules More ... Rev Jules Sun, 13 Sep 2009 15:44:00 GMT f1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:115 https://www.cluas.com/indie-music/Home/ID/116/Cois-Fhrarraige-Day-One-live-in-Kilkee#Comments 0 https://www.cluas.com/indie-music/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/RssComments.aspx?TabID=36&ModuleID=728&ArticleID=116 https://www.cluas.com:443/indie-music/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/Tracking/Trackback.aspx?ArticleID=116&PortalID=0&TabID=36 https://www.cluas.com/indie-music/Home/ID/116/Cois-Fhrarraige-Day-One-live-in-Kilkee Day One of Cois Fharraige (live in Kilkee, Co. Clare) Review Snapshot: A beautiful sunny day ended with a blistering set by epic rockers Doves, grooves from Laura Izibor and post punk larking around courtesy of The Blizzards). The Cluas Verdict? 9 out of 10 Full Review: Laura Izibor Presently touring with a crack American band, Izibor delivered a pumping set of beefed up versions of the highlights of her debut album. The live setting and the crisp, clear sound gave added power to crowd favourites, ‘From My heart To Yours’, ‘Carousel’ and ‘Yes, I’ll be Your Baby’, but it was a stonking version of ‘Shine’, transformed from a feel good summer tune to a grooving, funky anthem that best demonstrated Izibor’s ability to transfer her mellow, laid back soul into a live arena. The Blizzards Coming on stage bathed in purple light and accompanied by moody background music, the cheeky chappies of The Blizzards wasted no time in getting the party started right. Mixing tracks such ‘Silence is Violence’ and ‘Postcards’ [dedicated to the memory of those who lost their lives on 9/11] with a thumping cover version of ‘Black & Gold’, a tribute to The Specials and a sneaky riff on Michael Jackson’s ‘Beat It’, The Blizzards delivered a set that buoyed up the party attitude of the crowd without betraying their Ska/Punk roots. Doves I had never seen this band live before and was unprepared for the relentless, pounding sonic assault that they delivered. Indeed, so overpowering was their music that two songs in I realised that the thumping in my chest was not caused by my own heart but by the waves of sound coming from the speakers. In a nutshell, with live favourites including ‘Snowden’ and ‘The Last Broadcast’, Doves make music akin to a giant beating a whale to death with a tree trunk in a canyon. What an utterly glorious epic racket.  An encore that climaxed with the band all playing percussion instruments together left me staggering out into the crisp, cold night feeling dazed, confused and exhilarated. Rev Jules More ... Rev Jules Sat, 12 Sep 2009 18:20:00 GMT f1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:116 https://www.cluas.com/indie-music/Home/ID/117/Glasgowbury-2009-Eagles-Rock-Co-Derry#Comments 0 https://www.cluas.com/indie-music/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/RssComments.aspx?TabID=36&ModuleID=728&ArticleID=117 https://www.cluas.com:443/indie-music/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/Tracking/Trackback.aspx?ArticleID=117&PortalID=0&TabID=36 https://www.cluas.com/indie-music/Home/ID/117/Glasgowbury-2009-Eagles-Rock-Co-Derry Glasgowbury 2009, live in Derry Review snapshot: Two thousand five hundred music fans with a liking for mountainous flora and fauna descend upon Eagles Rock for another feast of ceol agus craic. Full review: Mud, sticky mud, deep mud, all very brown, and, well, everywhere. Well, it's Ireland, it's summertime, what you gonna do? Put the head down and stick two wet fingers up to it. Early Saturday, the sky's blue, the birds chirping, signs for a dry day were good. Fast forward a few hours, tents erected, first beer started and Zeus decided to fart on us. Well, macks and wellies packed, up yours Zeus As the festival site dried out on Sunday morning, the 2500 (the first sell out) weary troopers left Eagles Rock a bit battered and the worse for wear, but happy of heart. Glasgowbury 09, the tenth festival was again, an unmitigated success. Over 60 bands played throughout the Saturday on 4 stages. The best of the North’s burgeoning talent, along with some new pretenders, mixed with a smidgen of oldin’ goldies, including the only Irishman to play the original Woodstock, 'Sir' Henry McCullough (take a bow sir) wowed the muddy masses. And lest we forget, local dance heroes, the Deep Fried Funk ensemble provided a few late night beats and the Innishowen Gospel choir along side The Beat Initiative, the North’s carnival arts collective bringing a bit of culture to the proceedings. As with most folk and festivals, the best laid plans and itinerarys often get slightly altered, or in this case completely reworked as a few sociable beers were shared with old and new acquaintances in the very picturesque campsite. We eventually did make it into the festival proper; we were greeted with the dirty rock tones of Derry's Skruff. A whirlwind set of fine riffs and sky punching rock beats got the day off to a good start. Skruff stable-mates, Here Comes the Landed Gentry took on the baton with an hour of wondrous grunt fueled rock and hillbilly blues. HCTLG have been become a bit of an institution in the north of the island and it isn’t hard to see why, the tunes, the energy, the peerless front man, Marty Doherty, aka Mort Van Cleef Dortenson and their inimitable rapport with the crowd. HCTLG will be playing Dublin's 'Hard Working Class Heroes' festival in October, go check, you won’t be disappointed. General Fiasco have been touring extensively of late and on the back of a storming set at Oxegen, took to the main stage and showed the masses just why they have been touted for great things. They are as tight as they are confident and assured with a set of blistering pop infused rock in their youthful armoury. And So I Watch You From Afar as this year’s headliners finished off the night, and the festival, in style. As the night sky embraced Eagles Rock, Ireland's answer to Explosions in the Sky took to the main stage with a sonic array of building instrumental rock tunes. Nobody does loud-quiet-loud quite like these guys, and the crowd react, oh how the crowd react. This gig had everything, the tunes, a stage invasion, even some vocals (!), all lapped up by a few thousand smiling, and spoiled Irish folk... Legendary. Roll on 2010. Sig Doherty More ... Sig Doherty Fri, 11 Sep 2009 10:52:00 GMT f1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:117 https://www.cluas.com/indie-music/Home/ID/118/Grizzly-Bear-Telepathe-Bill-Callahan-live-in-St-Malo#Comments 0 https://www.cluas.com/indie-music/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/RssComments.aspx?TabID=36&ModuleID=728&ArticleID=118 https://www.cluas.com:443/indie-music/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/Tracking/Trackback.aspx?ArticleID=118&PortalID=0&TabID=36 https://www.cluas.com/indie-music/Home/ID/118/Grizzly-Bear-Telepathe-Bill-Callahan-live-in-St-Malo Grizzly Bear, Telepathe, Andrew Bird and Bill Callahan (live at la Route du Rock, St Malo, France) Review Snapshot: Telepathe's cracking NY electro gets lost in a large theatre; all hail Bill Callahan; neither Andrew Bird nor Grizzly Bear have a good game. The Cluas Verdict? 7 out of 10 Full Review: So far we've focused on the main festival venue at the old fort a few miles outside St Malo. But there's also a second site - a hall on the seafront back in town. We decide, then, to start day three of La Route du Rock by checking it out. This isn't just a whim or for the sake of variety; we want to see Telepathe. For the festival, the Palais du Grand Large has been rather crassly renamed after a well-known mobile phone manufacturer. It's a large, plush, modern theatre that has headphone sockets and volume knobs in the armrests. Telepathe's gear is set up compactly in the middle of the vast stage, like a small car parked on the Wembley pitch. The usher brings everyone to a seat - there'll be no dancing or young people's antics today. Despite the slightly incongruous venue this New York pair, Busy and Melissa, are just as exciting live as on record. Telepathe exude spiky personality and robotic sang froid at the same time - for instance, they sing in unison rather than harmony and on 'Sinister Militia' Busy drums live in accompaniment to the machine beats. And in contrast to rigid Euro electro, their music has the same eclectic looseness and openness as other North American dance acts like Dan Deacon and Tiga. In a proper music venue with a dancefloor and no seats, Telepathe must be fantastic live. Now for the classic festival dilemma: if we stay here to see Gang Gang Dance we probably won't make it back out to the old fort in time to see Bill Callahan. Though we've never followed the erstwhile Smog/(Smog) closely, we've been persuaded to see him. Gang Gang Dance get the elbow, then, and we hop on the shuttle to the main stage. And we did good: Callahan is a revelation to us. Once you get over the usual perception of Callahan as dour and monotonous, you find that his songs are tuneful and poetic and really beautiful. His dark, soft croon is quite melodic, charged with feeling and even sexy on 'Diamond Dancer', which he starts with a bluesy solo and keeps up a slinky Stones riff throughout. His songs aren't necessarily sad but have a bruised romanticism that can't fail to move you: in particular, 'Too Many Birds' and 'Eid Ma Clack Shaw' have a gruff, world-weary tenderness to them. Callahan's band features a violinist and cellist who supply succinct and graceful accompaniment. And the drummer is a funny guy: he keeps the setlist on a piece of paper folded in his shirt pocket and must take it out to check that 'The Wind And The Dove' is next. He calmly gives Callahan the nod; we're good to go. Lengthy retuning between several songs is the only black mark against Callahan today - he wastes at least five minutes in total and has to chop a song off his intended playlist so as to finish on time. This was the saddest thing for us, in fact. After Callahan, our two other chosen acts seem to pale a little. Andrew Bird, for example, feels whimsical and forced. There's a stuffed toy and kitsch two-horned gramophone on a speaker stack at the back, like some indie equivalent of the old farm contraptions and roadsigns to Dingle that are meant to give character to plastic Irish bars abroad. But this is essential gear: at various points during Bird's set, the two-horned beast spins. Dressed in denim and sporting stubble, Bird belies the foppishness usually attributed to him. He switches energetically between violin and guitar, sings forcefully and even his whistling seems functional rather than faddish. Unfortunately, he doesn't play 'Plasticities', perhaps his best-known song, but newer songs like 'Fitz And The Dizzy Spells' are still greeted warmly. However, Bird has little charisma or stage presence. And because of this his songs, with their elaborate melodies and thesaurus-chewing wordplay, feel more like intellectual exercise than heartfelt expression. Tonight his material gives the fleeting pleasure of a witty quip rather than the enduring insight of Callahan's poeticism. (Bird offers a sprightly version of 'Cold Blooded Old Times' tonight.) Andrew Bird is likeable and his songs are entertaining, but live he reveals his limitations. On to tonight's big name, Grizzly Bear (above right). And we must report that we find them disappointing too - more drizzly than grizzly. This isn't just the Bill Callahan after-effect again - the band don't attempt to replicate the dense, multi-layered swirl of 'Veckatimest' but merely omit the more abstract parts to leave a sparse, disjointed sound that never catches fire. 'Two Weeks', for instance, is tonight carried mainly by Daniel Rossen's electric piano and loses most of the vocal harmonies. Ed Droste's soaring voice is also a notable highlight but for much of the set Grizzly Bear come across as a muso Beach Boys. 'Southern Point', with Rossen's sun-drenched folk-pop guitar picking, is an exception and one of the rare times tonight when this band are engaging or evocative. It doesn't help the band, of course, that this festival crowd is subdued and slightly underwhelmed, perhaps disappointed that they can't dance to Grizzly Bear. A more attentive audience of dedicated fans would surely help create a better atmosphere. Still, we suspect that their upcoming Dublin show will be stolen by their support act, Saturday's star turn here in St Malo. Those of you who prefer Department Of Eagles may have a point. Aidan Curran More ... Aidan Curran Mon, 17 Aug 2009 17:05:00 GMT f1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:118 https://www.cluas.com/indie-music/Home/ID/119/St-Vincent-Papercuts-Camera-Obscura-live-in-St-Malo#Comments 0 https://www.cluas.com/indie-music/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/RssComments.aspx?TabID=36&ModuleID=728&ArticleID=119 https://www.cluas.com:443/indie-music/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/Tracking/Trackback.aspx?ArticleID=119&PortalID=0&TabID=36 https://www.cluas.com/indie-music/Home/ID/119/St-Vincent-Papercuts-Camera-Obscura-live-in-St-Malo St Vincent, Papercuts and Camera Obscura (live at La Route du Rock, St Malo, France) Review Snapshot: A sensational performance from Annie Clark is the highlight of day two and perhaps eventually the entire festival. Papercuts shore up their alt-folk sound for maximum festival effect, while Camera Obscura are sheer pop fun. The Cluas Verdict? 9 out of 10 Full Review: The second day of La Route du Rock promised more subtle charms than last night's sonic thunderstorm. While headliners My Bloody Valentine eventually left many people cold, today the festival's first real star appeared. More of that later. First, though, we were impressed by San Franciscan Jason Quever and his band Papercuts. If you like the haziness of their album, 'You Can Have What You Want', you may be surprised to hear them live. On record their songs are alt-folk shuffles but tonight they have a sturdier indie-rock shape to them - the pulsing bass of 'Future Primitive', for instance, is complemented by tight riffing and a chilly synth. But Quever's voice still has a faraway dreaminess that blurs those clear lines. Perhaps they rock up for outdoor festivals and alt-folk down in more intimate venues. No rocking up for Camera Obscura, as indie-pop as you can get without still being in Belle And Sebastian. We understand that their recent Dublin show was somewhat spoiled by Traceyanne Campbell's touch of 'flu, but tonight everyone seems in full health - their set is so jaunty and tuneful that the otherwise sedate Saint Malo crowd starts bouncing around. (Jason Quever had remarked during Papercuts' set on how quiet the crowd were. For her part, Campbell observes how "non-paralytic" the French crowd are compared to beer-frenzied UK festival-goers.) The Scots band's live trumpet gives off a summery vibe - and a fizz of excitement passes though the crowd on the organ intro to 'Lloyd, I'm Ready To Be Heartbroken', still their best song and a definite crowd favourite here. But that fizz is nothing compared to the electrifying effect of St Vincent. Annie Clark's performance is thrilling, the talk of the festival site for the rest of the evening. Alone on stage with an electric guitar and a drum machine beside her on a table, Clark (right) stands behind a hanging black cloth that comes up to her knees. This cloth hides what we believe are pedals but may well be something far more complex and sinister - as her shredded guitar chords fade out 'Your Lips Are Red', she ducks down out of view behind the cloth and produces strange noises. You expect an assistant to whip away the cloth and reveal the singer levitating or sawn in two. Clark is a fantastic guitarist. Drenched in reverb and effects, her sound is nonetheless piercingly direct and her playing is sparse and intense, with each note carefully chosen and clearly heard. Whether claw-picking a mix of bass and high notes, as on 'Marry Me', or tearing out the savage opening riff of 'Your Lips Are Red', Clark adds tension to songs that are already fraught with drama. By stripping her sound down to a tightly-wound electric guitar, she has recast her songs and found new ways to reveal their magic. 'Marrow', on record sounding like a Hollywood musical waking up hungover on Timbaland's couch, is tonight wiry and funky like Talking Heads or early Prince. And her voice conveys the same directness and intensity - by not showboating or emoting, she adds sincerity and believability to the drama of her songs, as if she were an innocent bystander caught up in extraordinary turmoil. The 'actor' of her new album's title is not Clark herself but her music, which can flit in a second from doe-eyed romantic yearning to frenzied romantic despair, even within one song: 'The Strangers' starts gently but suddenly explodes like a supernova. 'Marry Me', by now an old favourite of St Vincent fans, gets the biggest crowd reaction. With deft timing Clark delivers its killer couplet: "We'll do what Mary and Joseph did / But without the kid". As it happens, there's a district of Saint Malo called Saint Vincent. Tonight's visiting fans could be forgiven for assuming the place has only just been renamed in honour of Annie Clark. She's that good. Aidan Curran More ... Aidan Curran Sun, 16 Aug 2009 13:03:00 GMT f1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:119 https://www.cluas.com/indie-music/Home/ID/120/My-Bloody-Valentine-Deerhunter-Tortoise-live-in-St-Malo#Comments 0 https://www.cluas.com/indie-music/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/RssComments.aspx?TabID=36&ModuleID=728&ArticleID=120 https://www.cluas.com:443/indie-music/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/Tracking/Trackback.aspx?ArticleID=120&PortalID=0&TabID=36 https://www.cluas.com/indie-music/Home/ID/120/My-Bloody-Valentine-Deerhunter-Tortoise-live-in-St-Malo My Bloody Valentine, Deerhunter and Tortoise (live at La Route du Rock, St Malo, France) Review Snapshot: Three cult acts share an impressive bill on the Breton coast. The excellent Deerhunter continue the fine tradition of VU and Sonic Youth alt-rock. Tortoise get loud and funky but once or twice go over the head of the more party-minded festival-goers. And MBV leave mixed feelings; while impressive in many respects the whole thing feels a little stale and there's so much more to their music than bludgeoning noise. The Cluas Verdict? 8 out of 10 Full Review: The first day of La Route du Rock, and everyone is preoccupied by noise. The nearby village of Chateauneuf-de-Ille-et-Vilaine has been warned about the aural assault they can expect around midnight, and residents there are scowling slightly at any blow-ins collaborating with the forces of sonic blitzkrieg. On the festival site, there's a scramble for earplugs. And in the media zone all talk is of today being dedicated to 'noisy pop', the name that French rock fans give to the genre of shoegazing. One French journalist has even been gazing at Bradford Cox's shoes and socks, and during the pre-show press conference he criticises the sartorial tastes of Deerhunter's leader. "Only in France", Cox sighs. Despite their singer suffering from jetlag and lack of sleep, this evening Deerhunter are enthralling. For all the talk of MBV's influence on them, they're closer to good ol' U.S garage rock with a touch of Sonic Youth, though this could be because Cox in shades and pudding-bowl haircut looks like a ganglier Thurston Moore. The Velvet Underground are another obvious reference point - Deerhunter's rhythm section is tight and minimal, sometimes funky but more times steady and driving, especially in 'Nothing Ever Happened' where Cox adorns Josh Fauver's driving bassline with squally, angular riffs. But like tonight's headliners, Deerhunter's charm is in their subtle sense of melody, especially in tracks from 'Microcastle'. Their upcoming Dublin show on 23 August is the current CLUAS Gig of the Fortnight: you should be there. On first listen, the cerebral sounds of Tortoise appear to be out of place in this squall-fest. But while those Beach Boys-style xylophone parts sound sedate and tasteful, otherwise Tortoise (post-)rock. And they can be loud and sexy too: those funky basslines and breakbeat drums satisfy those punters who didn't come here to reflect on jazzy progressions. But perhaps the band misjudge the crowd slightly: at one point they expect us to clap along to a fairly complex time signature, 13/12 or something like that. One or two people try it but only last a bar or two. While Tortoise are impressive, by now everyone just seems to be hanging around for the main act. Earplugs in, then, for My Bloody Valentine. Kick-off is delayed by about ten minutes due to sound problems, and when Kevin Shields comes on he first does a quick "one-two" mic check - a rather redundant gesture, seeing as we won't be hearing much of his singing tonight. The problems continue: Shields and Colm Ó Cíosóig seem to screw up the intro to 'When You Sleep' between them and must start again. Onstage, MBV feel like two different bands stitched together. You have a drummer and bassist who put in enormous virtuosity and energy: Ó Cíosóig grimaces and flails while Debbie Googe stands side on with feet apart and bass on hip. The pair of them are sensational. Meanwhile, the two up front are anti-rockstars. Shields comes across as a Graham Coxon-esque shy guitar-obsessed teen but Bilinda Butcher is the stereotypical shoegazer, even if she stares straight out over the crowd all night and seems constantly on the verge of tears. Shields exudes an awkward charm but Butcher is a charisma-free black hole. Also, both guitarists seem to work less than their colleagues: the two just jangle chords while the more ambient synths and effects are on playback. Let's face it: My Bloody Valentine in 2009 are a heritage act. The festival programme features an old photo of them, and fortysomething guys in the crowd try to revisit their youth by moshing as much as their bellies and ailing backs allow. But even they realise that they're trying too hard - many people in the crowd are visibly bored and slightly disillusioned. For one thing, MBV records are fantastic for their subtle melodies and dreamy romanticism, so by reducing everything to brute noise the band are deliberately downgrading what many people love about them. (Of course, having to wear earplugs doesn't help in appreciating the music.) Also, without new material the show feels slightly cynical, especially since many people here tonight have surely already seen the band elsewhere on their reunion tour. Yes, the 'holocaust' section of 'You Made Me Realise' is impressive but, given all the hype about it, when it finally arrives it feels as perfunctionary as when a one-hit wonder finally plays the one hit. Again, the emphasis on being the loudest feels like a hollow victory when so many of MBV's qualities are being subordinated to the decibel counter. You should see My Bloody Valentine live, but it's best to think of them as a separate entity from My Bloody Valentine on record. A corporate entity, if one were to be cynical. Aidan Curran More ... Aidan Curran Sat, 15 Aug 2009 15:39:00 GMT f1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:120 https://www.cluas.com/indie-music/Home/ID/121/The-Pains-Of-Being-Pure-At-Heart-live-in-Vancouver#Comments 0 https://www.cluas.com/indie-music/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/RssComments.aspx?TabID=36&ModuleID=728&ArticleID=121 https://www.cluas.com:443/indie-music/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/Tracking/Trackback.aspx?ArticleID=121&PortalID=0&TabID=36 https://www.cluas.com/indie-music/Home/ID/121/The-Pains-Of-Being-Pure-At-Heart-live-in-Vancouver The Pains Of Being Pure At Heart (live in The Biltmore Cabaret, Vancouver) Review Snapshot: The Pains Of Being Pure At Heart put on a great show, marred only slightly by some odd song choices. The fun noise pop of the album translated excellently to their live show. Their debut is still one of my most highly recommended albums of the year thus far, and they did not disappoint in concert. The Cluas Verdict? 8 out of 10 Full Review: In a rather regal basement in an old hotel on the outskirts of downtown Vancouver, The Pains Of Being Pure At Heart delighted and exhilarated the near-capacity crowd with their brand of indie pop. The ceilings are low and the bar sells cans. There are rugs on the floor and stag heads on the wall. The venue holds the atmosphere perfectly. The band took to the stage at eleven to greet their audience, already primed by the excellent Girls. They opened, oddly, on a track off their lesser known debut EP, leaving the crowd rather subdued until they rolled into the opening drum beat of ‘Young Adult Friction’. In an instant the crowd went wild. This frenzy rarely dampened throughout the show   The band has many of the ingredients required for a successful indie band. They hail from New York. They have an Asian girl on keyboards, a hot guitarist sporting a grungy Nirvana t-shirt and floppy hair-do and a slightly nerdy bassist. They played naturally and with great verve, with each member having more than enough presence to be capable of holding a stage by themselves. ‘This Love Is F*cking Right’ and ‘Come Saturday’ receive the rapturous reaction as expected. Judging by the response of the audience in the Biltmore Cabaret, I would expect to see their eponymous debut album reaching the higher ranks of end of year lists.   Pains also treated the crowd to new tracks that they have written for a forthcoming EP. They follow much of the same style as the previous releases, but when it sounds so glorious, I am not complaining one bit.   The show did suffer from some odd setlist selections. Both ‘Contender’ and ‘Hey Paul’ were glaring omissions, and ending on the relatively subdued ‘Teenager In Love’ was an odd decision. Nevertheless, these mistakes are bred from inexperience. What I witnessed that night was a young band with the world at its feet; a band with bags of potential and songs to soundtrack many summers ahead. Garret Cleland More ... Garret Cleland Tue, 11 Aug 2009 04:29:00 GMT f1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:121 https://www.cluas.com/indie-music/Home/ID/122/Castlepalooza-2009-Day-2-live-at-Charleville-Castle-Tullamore#Comments 0 https://www.cluas.com/indie-music/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/RssComments.aspx?TabID=36&ModuleID=728&ArticleID=122 https://www.cluas.com:443/indie-music/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/Tracking/Trackback.aspx?ArticleID=122&PortalID=0&TabID=36 https://www.cluas.com/indie-music/Home/ID/122/Castlepalooza-2009-Day-2-live-at-Charleville-Castle-Tullamore Day Two of Castlepalooza 2009 Review Snapshot: The expected rain finally hit Castlepalooza on Sunday, though it did little to dampen spirits that were still high from the day before, while the second day saw some of the best performances of the weekend. The Cluas Verdict? 7 out of 10 Full Review: The Hot Sprockets, mostly dull though they were, had one gift: the ability to make the crowd forget that the rain had begun. Having paid far too much attention to the style and music of early Kings of Leon (the hairy days), they are nevertheless one of the few bands in Ireland at the moment whose main ethos is good naturedness and fun, making their show pretty enjoyable if not groundbreaking. In fact, they probably couldn’t be more different from the band that followed in the HMV tent: the quite frankly bizarre Patrick Kelleher and His Cold Dead Hands. Dark, strange, and accompanied by a table of electronic instruments and gadgets – and an accordion – Patrick Kelleher and his band give the impression of people who have spent too much time together in a small room with little contact with the outside world. That doesn’t make them any less brilliant, his strange gothic-tinged music beautiful. Sandwiched between Kelleher and Le Galaxie were the 202s, another band who made use of electronic backing tracks, though unlike Skibunny, they at least had the ability to capitalise on them. The 202’s are all catchy songs and varying sounds, and one to keep an eye on. Le Galaxie, as ever, proved themselves one of the strongest live forces doing the Dublin circuit at the moment. Their sound may be all power, created by discrete layers, but their strength really lies in their ability to interact with the crowd, at once terrifying the people in the front row by practically jumping on top of them and involving those at the back. The combined energy of any of the bands on Castlepalooza’s first day was nothing compared with the buzz from the crowd in the HMV tent for those 40 minutes. The Chapters...well, the Chapters were alright, it's difficult to say much more than that. Inexplicably, the songs on their album, released earlier this year, are already beginning to sound dated, but unlike most acts over the weekend, the majority of their audience at least knew the songs. Robotnik, also on the Main Stage, proved to be my final act of the night, and though followed by Channel One and Noise Control, made a fantastic closing act. Though visibly nervous and unused to the imposed distance between himself and the audience, Chris Morrin quickly warmed to the situation, immersing himself in his usual antics and bizarre stage behaviour, including pelting the audience with bread during a version of Pat the Baker. To merely say Robotnik is quirky is to sell short his ability to entertain, entrance and of course create great music, strange though it might be. Anna Murray More ... Anna Murray Tue, 04 Aug 2009 15:32:00 GMT f1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:122 https://www.cluas.com/indie-music/Home/ID/123/Castlepalooza-2009-Day-1-live-in-Charleville-Castle-Tullamore#Comments 0 https://www.cluas.com/indie-music/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/RssComments.aspx?TabID=36&ModuleID=728&ArticleID=123 https://www.cluas.com:443/indie-music/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/Tracking/Trackback.aspx?ArticleID=123&PortalID=0&TabID=36 https://www.cluas.com/indie-music/Home/ID/123/Castlepalooza-2009-Day-1-live-in-Charleville-Castle-Tullamore Day One of Castlepalooza 2009 Review Snapshot: The first day of this boutique festival was a mixed bag, a kind of rollercoaster tour of today's Irish indie. Altogether a great night, with just one or two low points. The Cluas Verdict? 7 out of 10 Full Review: This reviewer has always had a kind of love/hate relationship with Castlepalooza: though in all honesty, it’s not the fault of the festival. The first year it was my cheap, leaking tent and 14 hours of heavy rain; this year, the tent situation was circumvented by booking a very un-rock’n’roll B&B, it was the stomach upset, seemingly mild food poisoning from eating a dodgy chicken burger at the festival, which led to me shuffling off early on Sunday back to said B&B. It’s hard to criticise a festival as selfless as this one. With a conspicuous lack of big corporate sponsorship (with the exception of HMV and Metro, whose presence were still unobtrusive), the whole weekend is run by volunteers and all to raise money for the restoration of the beautiful castle at which it is held. Not only that, but with the majority of all acts at the festival Irish, the organisers showed themselves to be dedicated to Irish music. On the other hand it is a boutique festival, and though eco-shops, workshops and a spa are a unique idea for inclusion in a festival, this one has begun already to descend into cheap gimmickry. I finally reached Charleville Castle in time to catch Holy Roman Army at the HMV stage. Disappointingly for such a hotly-tipped band, they completely failed to make any kind of impression beyond leaving you vaguely questioning the point of having the sax just doubling the synth through most of their final songs. The Ambience Affair however, made a far greater impression by playing one of their best gigs so far. Some problems with sound and some beside-stage carpentry meant a delayed start, but The Ambience Affair simply and utterly absorbed the attention of the audience. A musician who has the layered structure of rock down to a fine art, Jamie Clarke’s guitar loops and samples really do create an inimitable ambience, part Final Fantasy, part small-club band. Staying in the HMV tent after such an uplifting experience was perhaps ill-advised. The introduction promised an affair that was ‘the most deborched…and lecherous’… really The Rocky Horror Picture Show Live was nothing but embarrassing, for the people involved and everybody watching. Cue quick exit to the main stage and Angel Pier, a band with a lot of promise but a disappointing lack of stage presence. They are nonetheless a considerably stronger force than even one year ago, Angel Pier have a melody-driven pop-rock mix which is clearly still maturing. Dark Room Notes, long a favourite of Cluas, didn’t disappoint. Even though their singer looked more trendy banker than rock god, the band is one of the few who can create an album-perfect sound without compromising live energy: energy is what DRN is all about, and while We Love You Dark Matter was one of the best releases of the year, they have definitively proven that their electro-indie was meant for the stage. Similarly, next band Super Extra Bonus Party simply live for performance. SEBP, though fallen quiet since their initial splash on the scene a few years ago, have a sound that is surprisingly refined and immaculately honed for the stage: club beats vie with heavy distortion and thumping rock basslines. In fact, SEBP would easily have qualified for putting on the best show of the weekend, were one - if not two-fifths - of the band being incredibly annoying onstage at all times (headbanging and generally cavorting in what just seemed a very contrived way). From here, day one of Castlepalooza began to go downhill, starting with a steep dip: Skibunny. With a complete absence of a personality of any kind, the kind of lyrics that most people stop writing at age 14, some simply quite poor music and some cringey on-stage interaction, the duo’s only redeeming feature was their halfway-decent backing tracks. Never again. It was hard to fault the headlining David Kitt’s performance, but easy to fault the choice of line-up that led to his slot. As always he proved himself a brilliant musician and songwriter, assisted by Somadrone’s Neil O’Conner and playing some mean geetar. But as the build-up of heavy beats through Dark Room Notes, Super Extra Bonus Party and Project Jenny Project Jan made way for subtle grooves, loud aggression for nuance, and the crowd’s gentle inebriation for all-out pissed, Kitt simply failed to hold sway with most. Anna Murray More ... Anna Murray Tue, 04 Aug 2009 15:09:00 GMT f1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:123 https://www.cluas.com/indie-music/Home/ID/124/U2-live-in-Dublin#Comments 0 https://www.cluas.com/indie-music/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/RssComments.aspx?TabID=36&ModuleID=728&ArticleID=124 https://www.cluas.com:443/indie-music/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/Tracking/Trackback.aspx?ArticleID=124&PortalID=0&TabID=36 https://www.cluas.com/indie-music/Home/ID/124/U2-live-in-Dublin U2 live in Croke Park, Dublin Review Snapshot: Well what's more fun than 80,000 people chanting anthems in Ireland's sporting Mecca on a summer's evening? A lot if you read the papers this week. Despite worries about the stage not being fully utilised, the prospect of preaching from "St Bono's Book of Glib", and an album still seeking its place in the wider public's consciousness; it was a blistering performance musically, if a little short. U2 seized the day and won out in the end.  The Cluas Verdict? 7.5 out of 10 Full Review: Are U2 the biggest and best band in the world? Are they a corporate entity living on past glory? Or are they an incredible group of perennial live performers who don't know when to quit trying to be relevant and just enjoy the show? The answer is probably a little of each of the above. This reviewer doesn't believe the much written garbage from certain elements of the Irish media who slate the latest offering as useless. No Line on the Horizon is not without its merits and contains a number of tunes that could live comfortably with any of their contemporaries.  The crowd are predictably various in age. It makes for an interesting atmosphere. There is a large multinational presence with flags from all corners in the crowd. U2 are global, like no other. The first thing that struck this reviewer was the impressive stage structure. The gargantuan orange fingers of the "Claw" jutted out of different points in the crowd.  Unfortunately the second thing that struck me was the empty grey concrete stand of the Hill behind the stage. Despite what others may say, it did take away from the aesthetics and visual impact of the stage structure, especially if you had a pitch vantage.  Dublin's four most famous living people take to the stage at 8.50. "Breathe" kicks off the night. It's an energetic and curious opener. The song itself is average on the record, but as with U2, live it gets a new lease of life. Plus, Bono's voice is in great nick. The title track from the new record follows. From a personal point of view, this should have been a single from the record. It's in the chorus of "No Line..." that the crowd starts to buzz. Admittedly there isn't very much "singing along", indicating the intentions of the crowd to hear the choice cuts from the U2 songbook.  "Get on your Boots" while probably not one of the bands strongest hits, gets a boost live. People are jumping. Its meandering guitar riff and thumping rhythm get the capacity crowd going. "Magnificent" is up next and as widely perceived as the highest point on the new record it goes down a storm. It's clear the band are extremely well rehearsed and there are no hitches. Bono's voice comes to the fore and there is a sense of purpose in his voice. "I was born to sing for you" he says and the fans believe it.  U2 have never been a band to shirk from selling their wares, and have the guts to try new things. Hence the opening four tracks coming from the Luke-warm received (critically) new album. It's sort of ironic that the next track "Beautiful Day" is the song that brought the band back in from the half empty stadiums of the POP tour. Its infectious melody lifts the spirits of everyone there and it is indeed, beautiful!  "This song is dedicated to Sinead O Connor", Bono says as the Edge lays the opening wah wah lick of "Mysterious Ways". The entire stadium goes nuts. Taken from the band's richest phase creatively it reminds everyone of why U2 are history makers.  Bono even serenades a young Chilean fan who asks cheekily where he lives…."It's in Kiliney, speak to the missus, she's very understanding" he says to laughter and cheers. "I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For" begins and falls into "Stand By Me". The atmosphere is beginning to peak. It's an 80,000 plus karaoke session. "Angel of Harlem" with a hint of Michael Jackson's "Don't Stop T'il You Get Enough" continues the mass sing along. "In A Little While", a gem from "All You Cant Leave Behind" rings out. It's a beautiful little tune and it leads into the loudest screams of the night. "The Unforgettable Fire" burns a hole in the night sky. It's a poignant moment for many older members of the crowd. It's impressive stuff. Bono is in full flight. The ramps at the sides of the stage are used to full effect. "City of Blinding Lights" and "Vertigo" follow with a bongo ridden remix of "I'll Go Crazy If I Don't Go Crazy Tonight".   The stadium was electric. "Sunday Bloody Sunday" is rung out to the visuals of protests in Iran. The fans go wild. It's a wonderful song and the most popular one of the night so far. Bono ad libs "Rock The Kasbah" through the end of the song which gives it added punch. And that's when it happened. One hour and twenty minutes in, and Rock Star Bono took a breather for a cigar and a rum and coke while St. Bono emerged. Every charity this side of Rio was sound, checked. A video played showing Burmese democratically elected leader Aung San Suu Kyi who is under house arrest. The cause is admirable, and it's well meaning on U2's part. However getting people to walk around a stage at a rock'n'roll show they paid a lot of money to see, wearing masks is outrageous and crass. It got worse. St Bono wouldn't leave it at that. The "One" organisation got its dues. And then a recorded message from Desmond Tutu (no I didn't think he was in U2 either) followed. It's part of U2's fabric and this reviewer appreciates that, but flogging your charity at people during a rock'n'roll show is crass, inappropriate, and nearly ruined an otherwise impeccable performance.  "Walk On" and "MLK" followed, and St Bono took a hike. Good riddance. Rock Star Bono was back. "Where the Streets Have No Name" rejuvenated the deflated crowd. The bass line still sends shivers up and down this reviewer's spine. "One" illuminates the sky and it's a rock n roll love in. All is good and beautiful.  The band came back on for the encore. An old school mike was lowered to Rock Star Bono. He dragged on it, swung on it and paraded the showmanship and vocals that made him cool back in 1992. Oh and "Ultra Violet" was the tune! For this reviewer, this would have been a fine point to leave off on. "With or Without You" had to be played for the die hard fans though. And respect is due for the purpose and sincerity the band managed to convey during it too.  However "Moment of Surrender" while certainly one of the highlights of the band's latest offering, was most definitely the pin in the balloon for many. As the stretching vocals reached climax in the chorus, folks began to think about where they were off to for a jar. Like I said, U2 were never ones to shirk from selling their new wares. Still, the vocals were flaweless and the band sounded tight and very polished. The stage show was immense. U2 continue to be the world leaders in live show performances, but Bono is doing his best to spoil this for the rest of the band with his peddling of personal agendas ahead of doing what he does best. Kevin Coleman More ... Kevin Coleman Mon, 27 Jul 2009 09:07:00 GMT f1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:124 https://www.cluas.com/indie-music/Home/ID/125/Bruce-Springsteen-live-in-Dublin#Comments 0 https://www.cluas.com/indie-music/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/RssComments.aspx?TabID=36&ModuleID=728&ArticleID=125 https://www.cluas.com:443/indie-music/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/Tracking/Trackback.aspx?ArticleID=125&PortalID=0&TabID=36 https://www.cluas.com/indie-music/Home/ID/125/Bruce-Springsteen-live-in-Dublin Bruce Springsteen (live in the RDS, Dublin) Review Snapshot: A rain soaked, recession obsessed city is lit up by the thundering guitar of an American hero. Bruce was in town last weekend for a two night stint at the RDS. Working on a Dream, the latest offering by the Boss has done the business commercially, and there is more than a few stand out tunes to sing along to. Inevitably it's the old favourites, belted out by the show-stopping, jet-flying, limousine-riding E-Street band that folks come to see. And even in the grey & damp confines of the RDS, Bruce lit up the sky for 3 hours 20 minutes.   The Cluas Verdict? 9 out of 10 Full Review: I must confess the first time I was fortunate enough to see Bruce Springsteen live was as late as 2005 in the Point. It was the tour supporting the collection of Pete Seeger songs he recorded that year. It was excellent stuff too; pure blue grass with a tint of rock and roll and a collection of flawlessly talented, if varied, musicians. I must have been alone in my personal satisfaction as in the gents, grunting lads of a certain age were growling "Where's Born to Run?", and "I paid for Jungleland, what's this shite?" It was then that it dawned on me. Bruce's albums sell well, even the new releases. But when it comes to Bruce live, people buy tickets, regardless of what album or cover collection he is supporting. It's a sort of religion. It was last year I began to understand this when I saw the E-Street band for the first time. So, with tickets obtained at the last minute, we went along to "The Boss". As usual, no support act. 8pm on the button, "No Surrender" is played to screams, chants of 'Bruuuuce!' and whistles of appreciation. Straight into "Badlands" and the entire stadium feels like it's moving. As I said before, it's sort of like a religious celebration. The crowd is a mixed bag as to be expected with a FOUR decade spanning career. "Lucky Day", "Outlaw Pete" and "WorkinG on a Dream" follow from the new record. The place is still buzzing. Remarkable, especially considering he is playing some of the "new stuff". But like his live shows, The Boss' new stuff is still pushes the right buttons for many. A surprising rendition of "Proud Mary" leads into the 9/11 inspired "Waiting on a Sunny Day". Strangely the song takes on a temporary literal meaning in the recession gripped misery that is the modern Irish summer. Bruce then sound checks some famous Dublin spots. Burdocks & O'Donohues were amongst them. Two and a half hours in and "Born to Run" tears strips off the night sky. It's difficult to believe as he bounces around the stage like a teenager that this is a 59 year old man performing.   The encore as with the show I had attended last year was a frenzied, screaming, dancing manic affair. “Dancing in the Dark”, “Jungleland”, “Glory days” really blew the top off the place and the entire stadium was dancing, jumping and screaming. It was pandemonium.  A surprise cover of “Twist and Shout” meant Bruce and the lads could be subject to a fine for rolling past the council curfew. Never mind Bruce, I’m sure there are many who would be more than willing to chip in and cover whatever fine will be handed out! Kevin Coleman More ... Kevin Coleman Fri, 24 Jul 2009 14:18:00 GMT f1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:125 https://www.cluas.com/indie-music/Home/ID/126/The-Decemberists-live-in-Vancouver#Comments 0 https://www.cluas.com/indie-music/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/RssComments.aspx?TabID=36&ModuleID=728&ArticleID=126 https://www.cluas.com:443/indie-music/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/Tracking/Trackback.aspx?ArticleID=126&PortalID=0&TabID=36 https://www.cluas.com/indie-music/Home/ID/126/The-Decemberists-live-in-Vancouver The Decemberists (live in The Vogue Theatre, Vancouver) Review Snapshot: The Decemberists are an unusual band. They have a knack for integrating theatre into their music in a way that many bands attempt to, but few actually accomplish with the same gusto as the Portland outfit. Far too often this merging of ideas tends to take away from one or the other and more often than not it is the music that suffers. The audience that packed into The Vogue Theatre in downtown Vancouver last night, however, were treated to a feast of over the top storytelling and live music. The Cluas Verdict? 8.5 out of 10 Full Review: An anticipative crowd queued outside the arena in the unforgiving Canadian sunshine for a good two hours before being admitted. The Vogue is an intimate venue and perfect for a band as interactive as The Decemberists and was comprised of a ground floor and balcony, both of which were seated. In relation to Irish venues it was only slightly bigger than the Academy, but boasted better sound and easy access to the bar.  The headline act appeared to attract a fairly motley bunch. A number of people nestled quietly into their chairs with a good book, some casually played Nintendo DS, whilst others sat decked head to toe in Decemberists inspired clothes (the Winter Queen was in attendance, sporting a crown fashioned from leaves) and waited patiently for the show.  Up first were support act Blind Pilot who played a short set to a surprisingly receptive response. They were proficient players, but none of their songs were out of the ordinary. My cousin commented that it was music you would listen to on a train going somewhere you didn’t really want to go. Comparisons were immediately struck with Damien Rice, though Blind Pilot certainly lacked a Blowers Daughter or Volcano.  The Decemberists quickly followed and their opening set was comprised of their latest album, The Hazards of Love. The album was done as a story and the tale was re-told live for about an hour, pretty much non stop, with the exception of brief pauses for sips of wine or the changing of tambourines. It did however drag along at times, and just as I was about to borrow a DS from the girl in front of me for a quick game of Pokemon, the set ended and they retreated for an intermission.  Those who had raced to the front of the stage retreated to their seats and took out the bookmarks. There really is nothing quite like getting a good read of Twilight in while your waiting for your favourite artfully theatrical alternative indie band to resume. The band’s second set contained tracks from earlier albums, including the hits O Valencia and We Both Go Down Together. It was frantic and made all the more enjoyable by lead singer Colin Meloy’s witty crowd banter. 16 Military Wives was arguably the best received song of the night, particularly when Meloy divided the room and assigned each section with singing duties.  The show finished with an entertaining re-enactment of the founding of Vancouver, which involved band members entering the crowd and standing on drums, pretending to be Native Americans and Norwegian sailors. All in all it was an unforgettable performance by one of the great theatrical acts around today. Kevin Boyle More ... Kevin Boyle Fri, 24 Jul 2009 11:29:00 GMT f1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:126 https://www.cluas.com/indie-music/Home/ID/127/Oxegen-2009-Day-Three-live-in-Punchestown-Kildare#Comments 0 https://www.cluas.com/indie-music/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/RssComments.aspx?TabID=36&ModuleID=728&ArticleID=127 https://www.cluas.com:443/indie-music/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/Tracking/Trackback.aspx?ArticleID=127&PortalID=0&TabID=36 https://www.cluas.com/indie-music/Home/ID/127/Oxegen-2009-Day-Three-live-in-Punchestown-Kildare Day Three of Oxegen 2009   Review Snapshot: While I didn't get to see as many bands as I would have liked to on Day Three of Oxegen 2009, those that I did see continued to impress.  From a purely musical point of view, Oxegen 2009 ended on a high with one performance in particular standing out. The CLUAS Verdict? 8.5 out of 10   Full Review: Rarely Seen Above Ground (Red Bull Music Academy) On paper, going to see a drummer play along to a backing track doesn't sound too appealing.  It certainly doesn't help when that drummer arrives on stage over 20 minutes late.  However, when the drummer in question is Jeremy Hickey, better known as Choice Music Prize nominee Rarely Seen Above Ground, you know it's well worth the wait.  Hickey is a very talented multi-instrumentalist and his performance is accompanied by a screen showing a virtual band who are, in reality, all Hickey.  What is rarely mentioned about RSAG is the quality of Hickey's vocals.  All in all, it shouldn't work as well as it does, but fans of Organic Sampler really have to see RSAG live to appreciate the level of talent here.    White Lies (The O2 Stage) White Lies are not a band I'd generally pay much attention to but, seeing as I was hovering around The O2 Stage, I thought I might as well stay and have a listen.  Opening with A Place to Hide, what surprised me most was the quality of Harry McVeigh's vocals, comparable with Paul Banks of Interpol.  As expected, To Lose my Life and Farewell to the Fairground provoked the best reception from a sizeable crowd.  While there is nothing particularly exciting about White Lies, their performance was more than competent and I can think of worse ways of spending 30 minutes on a wet Sunday afternoon.   Foals (Heineken Green Spheres) There are probably few things more fun in music than seeing a musician, who is clearly off his face, putting in an incredible performance when all the time you're wondering how he's even able to stand.  Such was the case with Yannis Philippakis whose foray into the crowd, and the vacant look on his face as he walked by me, was one of the highlights of my weekend.  Unsurprisingly, Foal's set consisted almost exclusively of tracks from Antidotes but the band's lack of a meaningful discography didn't stop them putting in a great performance.  The crowd responded in kind and really got into the set in a way that only Republic of Loose had managed (of the bands I'd seen) at Oxegen 2009.   Jason Mraz (Heineken Green Spheres) After Foals' set finished, I had intended to go and watch The Specials but a massive downpour meant that I stayed in the relative dryness of the Green Spheres tent.  However, two songs in (one of which was an instrumental cover of Andy Williams' Music to Watch Girls By) and I'd had enough.  This is, I'm afraid, music that teenage girls (and, in fairness, my friend Joanna, who really should know better) probably consider to be 'fab' and Mraz himself is probably 'like, OMG, so good' but, no, it's not for me.  As I made my way to the IMRO tent (easier said than done considering the mud) I heard Ghost Town, which sounded great and made me wish I had braved the rain earlier.   Wintersleep (IMRO New Sound Stage) If I'm honest, the only reason I went to see Wintersleep is because I wanted to secure a good spot for Villagers who would follow them on the IMRO Stage.  However, I was surprised by how good the band actually were.  Fair enough, the lyrics to The Archaeologist, might be a bit odd (Belly of a whale???) but they are a very tight unit and, as word of their performance spread, they got the IMRO tent dancing.  The highlight of a relatively short set (only 2 minutes longer than their soundcheck) was the exceptional Weighty Ghost, a song whose chorus is still running around my head this morning.   Villagers (IMRO New Sound Stage) Some time ago, in perhaps my first opinion piece for CLUAS, I wrote that I believed The Immediate were more than the sum of their parts and that their break-up could lead to bigger and better things.  It's not often that I get to say this, but I was right.  Conor O'Brien is, and I don't use this word too often, special.  There isn't another songwriter in Ireland today who can provoke the same emotional response in me as O'Brien and his Villagers can.  This was, undoubtedly, the act I was most excited about seeing at Oxegen 2009. Indeed, in conversation with fellow CLUAS writer Jan Ni Fhlanagain I stated that if I was any more excited I'd have to cover my lap with my coat.  Of course, I wasn't that excited but when Villagers arrived on stage and launched into Down, Under the Sea, the hairs on the back of my neck stood on end.  This was the defining performance of Oxegen 2009 for me, culminating in the epic Pieces and the first chants of 'One more tune' I'd heard all weekend.  It was a privilege to be there.   Dark Room Notes (IMRO New Sound Stage) Dark Room Notes, with their edgy blend of keyboard driven indie, are an exceptionally gifted band.  They have in their arsenal an array of songs that most bands would cut off their left ear for.  It's a pity then that their set clashed with Nine Inch Nails, Manic Street Preachers and The Killers.  Still, they managed to wow those of us that did make the effort to brave the conditions of the IMRO tent (think World War 1 trench with less death and more Abrakebabra packaging) with a set consisting exclusively of tracks from their fine debut, We Love You Dark Matter.   Shake, Shake My Ceiling and Broken Nail were the standouts for me in a great performance, what a shame that more people weren't there to witness (see what I did there?) it though.   Steve O'Rourke Check out Steven's reviews Oxegen 2009 Day 1 and Oxegen 2009 Day 2. More ... Steven O'Rourke Mon, 13 Jul 2009 10:21:00 GMT f1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:127 https://www.cluas.com/indie-music/Home/ID/128/Day-Two-Oxegen-2009-live-in-Punchestown-Co-Kildare#Comments 0 https://www.cluas.com/indie-music/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/RssComments.aspx?TabID=36&ModuleID=728&ArticleID=128 https://www.cluas.com:443/indie-music/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/Tracking/Trackback.aspx?ArticleID=128&PortalID=0&TabID=36 https://www.cluas.com/indie-music/Home/ID/128/Day-Two-Oxegen-2009-live-in-Punchestown-Co-Kildare Review of Day Two of Oxegen 2009 Review Snapshot: Day Two of Oxegen 2009 was all about rain, rock and roll.  Despite the weather, or maybe because of it, the majority of acts seemed to up their game and reward their audiences with performances that defied the best efforts of the elements to ruin everyone's day. The Cluas Verdict? 9 out of 10   Full Review: Red Light Company (The O2 Stage) They might be more than a little obsessed with Broken Social Scene but Red Light Company appear to have perfected the art of daytime festival performance.  Think Feeder.  Considering the impending weather the crowd were in good spirits and were rewarded with rousing renditions of Scheme Eugene (name check Broken Social Scene) and Arts & Crafts (Broken Social Scene Label).  Perhaps a little too sameish for my liking but still, not a bad start to day two.   General Fiasco (IMRO New Sound Stage) Having arrived in the IMRO New Sound Stage to see Angel Pier, I was told that they had swapped slots with Northern Irish band, General Fiasco.  Initially, I was disappointed as Angel Pier had been one of the bands I really wanted to see.  However, General Fiasco soon proved themselves to be more than capable replacements.  Any band that can manage to sound as melodic as Vampire Weekend and as edgy as Therapy? are going to do well.  Definitely a band I will be checking out again. Eagles of Death Metal (The O2 Stage) While it might not be full on cock rock, Eagles of Death Metal come close.  There are some good tunes in there (Cherry Cola being my particular favourite) but EODM appear to be a band that are more intent on entertaining than on showcasing their own songs.  A cover of Stuck in the Middle with You had the audience dancing in the rain.  Jesse Hughes is a charismatic frontman and constantly thanked the audience for braving the rain just for them.  I'm not sure why but I was expecting Spinal Tap, turns out Eagles of Death Metal offer so much more. Regina Spektor (Heineken Green Spheres) And now for something completely different.  I'm very much a casual follower of Regina Spektor's career, indeed it was my wife that suggested we watch the Russian born American.  Not for the first time, she made the right call.  There was a lot of fun in this performance and, despite the awful ground conditions in the tent, Spektor had the majority of the audience dancing to her melodic brand of anti-folk.  Eet, On The Radio and Us going down particularly well.  TV on the Radio (Heineken Green Spheres) After a brief foray into the backstage area to interview C O D E S for their Oxegen diary, I made my way back to the Heineken Green Spheres tent to catch what appeared to be everybody's 'must see band' of the weekend.  This meant there was a good mixture of fan boys and casual observers in the tent when the band launched into Golden Age.  Musically, the performance was well above par but as energetic and vibrant as it was, it would have been so much better if I had been able to hear anything other than muffled vocals.  Sometimes soundmen have a lot to answer for. Director (IMRO New Sound Stage) By the time I got in to the IMRO tent the ground was as muddy inside as out.  This led to the security guys having to restrict the amount of people who could enter.  The folks outside mightn't think so, but this was certainly the right decision.  As for the gig itself, Director were excellent.  Diving head first into Play Pretend the band got better and better as the gig went on, culminating in a brilliant version of Reconnect.  The first of my trilogy of Irish bands had gotten off to a great start. C O D E S (IMRO New Sound Stage) Fresh from penning a deal with EMI, C O D E S managed to draw a great crowd, despite the fact they were clashing with The Pet Shop Boys.  Previewing tracks from their forthcoming debut record; This is Goodbye, Cities and the sing-along Algebra were my favourites.  I've written before that this band have a sound that are destined for greatness and, once more, they've proven themselves more than capable of living up to those lofty ambitions. And So I Watch You From Afar (IMRO New Sound Stage) I have a feeling that the quality of music coming from north of the border will play a huge part in my overview of Oxegen 2009 (to be published on Wednesday July 15). And So I Watch You From Afar will almost certainly feature.  This was one of my favourite performances ever, not just this weekend.  It's my job to try and put into words what I see and hear before me but with ASIWYFA that is easier said than done.  It is heavy instrumental rock, well that's what it says on the label.  It is so much more than that though.  There is melody here that simultaneously makes your hair stand on end and punches you in the face.  If it ain't broke, break it and The Voiceless (dedicated to 'the quiet one in The Pet Shop Boys) were my favourites but only because they were the only tracks I knew beforehand.  However, I have a feeling I'm about to become a lot more familiar with the rest of And So I Watch You From Afar's catalogue. Steve O'Rourke Check out Steven's reviews of Oxegen 2009 Day 1 and Oxegen 2009 Day 3. More ... Steven O'Rourke Sun, 12 Jul 2009 10:50:00 GMT f1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:128