Its Saturday night and we have been invited to see Waterford band Anna-Liese rock the socks off the ever so cosy Bosco’s Café in Kilkenny. Having not seen the band since last year I was curious as to their progress and development. Casually beginning their set with a new tune the four piece showcase their naturally affluent knack for sweet toned slick riffs and melodies leaving no doubt there is talent behind these lads. Mark Walsh (Guitar/Vocals) and Emmet Conefery (Guitar/Vocals) effortlessly glide from infectious crushing heavy riffs to creamy melty licks while Sean Carey’s ductile Bass, like putty holds each track with a flexible elastic bounce. Eddy Blake’s Drums venture from hushed tap-tap-tap to rapid skin-pounding attacks for various tracks. They take a little time to warm up fully to the assemblage but before long they are bantering back and forth, blasting through tunes from their EP ‘Chasing and Fading’. Walsh’s vocals and writing style tends to steer more to a country or traditional style which adds a little depth and unique quirk to the bands alternative rock genre while Conefery’s vocal style adds a funky groovy quality. Most of the set is made up of tracks from the EP with a sneaky smattering of some new tunes which sound extremely promising as they showcase positive substantial and even sophisticated growth in their writing style and musicianship. Throwing in some covers here and there the foursome land a slick rendition of Talking Heads ‘Psycho Killer’. The heavier tracks like ‘Green’ perhaps deserving a larger venue never the less Anna-Liese take it in their stride and fulfil their promise for “loud hits and sweet rhythm” all in the comfort of this intimate charming Café.

Anna-Liese will be playing a few gigs in February and March in pubs across Waterford, Kilkenny and Cork, with two big events coming up in Cork, The CIT Battle of the Bands and a gig on the 11th March in the Bru Bar and Hostel. They will be heading back to the studio before the summer to record another 5 track EP. So keep an eye out and head down to see these guys.
Stream Anna-Liese EP ‘Chasing and Fading’ below