Tag Archives: Whelan’s

Indie, Live Music, Live Music Review, New Music

N.O.A.H. Live In Whelan’s With Support From Zeztra and Kingfisher

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A night of irresistible tunes and bellowed choruses resounded through Whelan’s last Thursday night all thanks to headliners, indie band N.O.A.H. Nothing, not even a bust snare drum could stop these guys from putting on a memorable show full of stadium-worthy energy and indie rock bravado.

But first, ready to warm up the crowd with their lush harmonies and sweet melodies was sister duo Zeztra. With charming personalities and tunes dripping in R&B tones, alternative pop and sincere lyrics, the duo were a joy to listen to. They set the mood beautifully from the very first song with their warm guitar, rich rhythms and balmy soundscapes while the sweet blend of their voices moved between captivating tones as they poured themselves into the songs. An enjoyable start to the night.

Limerick-based folk band Kingfisher followed. Taking a very casual approach to their set the band produced a wholesome rich sound that oozed infectious tones. With a hearty banjo adding a dash of traditional charm to the band’s tracks; Kingfisher had the crowd in the palm of their hands. They powered through their set encouraging the audience to sing along to their hooks and even had a couple waltzing to one of their tracks. Filled with warm basslines, some pretty slick guitar work and catchy melodies Kingfisher put on a fun set from start to finish.

The crowd erupted into a mass of dancing and singing as ‘Darkest Hour’ triumphantly introduced N.O.A.H. to the stage. This band are mesmerizing on stage and their sound is wonderful to experience in the live setting. Their set was filled with thrilling rhythms, soaring guitar and roaring bass grooves. N.O.A.H’s sound is impressive and the three-piece wasted no time in delighting the crowd’s ears. Ryan Hill is a charismatic frontman, he reached out to the crowd while singing, paraded up and down the stage and kept the fans enamoured by his radiant stage presence. The audience sang every word to the band’s tracks and danced as if their lives depended on it and, lucky for them N.O.A.H. had plenty of danceable genre-bending tunes to delight the audience’s ears with. The band’s set was a relentless onslaught of banging tunes with Ronan Hynes at the helm on drums pounding out slick and resounding grooves that perfectly complemented Adam Rooney’s superb laid-back bass.

These guys are professional. A small snare drum mishap sees them halt the show for a quick repair and a bit of fill-in banter before the band continued their energetic set. With the disco shimmer of ‘Stay Here’ and the heart-pounding anthem, ‘Shine’, the band proceeds to attack the show with as much enthusiasm as possible. 

N.O.A.H’s performance was absolutely brilliant and a whole lot of fun. The crowd lapped up the performance, singing every song, embracing their friends and dancing without a care in the world. N.O.A.H are a band that showcase a diverse sound, limitless talent and ambition. The trio display a deep understanding of their craft that many artists would be envious of and their live performance is a wonderful explosion of their talent and charm. 


Author: Danu

Indie, Live Music, Live Music Review, New Music

Badhands ‘Far Away’ Album Launch With Support From Anderson

How an artist chooses to portray their music within the live setting can add an exciting facet to their sound that allows listeners to experience the artist’s music in a whole new way. Such an experience occurred last Saturday when Daniel Fitzpatrick aka Badhands delivered a stunning performance of his new album ‘Far Away’ along with some of his beloved hits during his headline show at Whelan’s Dublin.

Support act Anderson took to the stage and assured the crowd saying “You never know I might be someone special. And you’ll never know if you’re not listening and you’ll never be able to say I was there. Trust me, inside info, you’re in the presence of someone f**king special” before delving into tender tunes that oozed elements of pop, country and indie. Anderson is the solo venture of Daniel Anderson, a charming musician who has the remarkable ability to hush the chattering of a crowd and enthral them with his witty banter and sweet melodies. “I’m here for Dan to celebrate his album launch just like you. I’d appreciate any applause you have saved up for him to share a bit with me and also attention if you could share a bit of that sh*t, always goes down well”. On the night Anderson’s songs and tongue in cheek humour went down a treat, especially the short and melodically lush ‘I’ll get back to you when I’ve Got Nothing Better To Do’ and ‘Cecilia’s Sister Medley’ which musically pays homage to Simon & Garfunkel’s ‘Cecilia’ and The Beatles ‘Get Back’ in the most spectacular way. It was a fun and light-hearted set with songs that not only showcased lush melodies and bright tones but lyrical substance as well. 

The resounding rhythmic stomp of ‘They Know You Better’ announced the beginning of Badhands‘ terrific set. With the full band behind him, the set was a sprawling raucous affair. Each song came to life and overflowed with vibrant kinetic energy within the live setting. The tender ‘When I Think About You’ and ‘Quiet and Still’ filled the venue with swoon-worthy tempos, sensual bass grooves, twinkling keys and hip-swaying rhythms. On the album these songs exude a more delicate persona, however, live, they became dynamic and expressive – a nice surprise for all present on the night.

The band onstage ( Chris Barry, Tom Cosgrave, Aoife Ruth, Ken Mooney, and David Tapley ) played their instruments with admirable finesse and perfectly complemented Daniel Fitzpatrick’s warm vocal delivery through heartfelt melodies and rich musicianship filled with thrilling guitar riffs, rhythmic drum manoeuvres and wonderful violin embellishments. The crowd lapped up the energy, some embraced and sang as they swayed to songs from the artist’s EP project ‘Oceans’, (which was inspired by the unique nature of each of the world’s five oceans).

Badhands put on a show to remember, and an unexpected encore delivered a memorable moment for the audience. Daniel Fitzpatrick returned to the stage with violinist Aoife Ruth after chants for “one more tune” to perform a time-stopping performance that left the crowd in awe. It was a magical end to a night of exquisite music. Looking forward to seeing Badhands live again soon.


Author: Danu

Indie, indie rock, Live Music, Live Music Review, New Music

Emily 7 Live At Whelan’s With Support From KLDD and Curtisy

Whelan’s plummeted headfirst into an energetic maelstrom last night as Dublin indie rock band Emily 7 took to the stage for their eagerly anticipated headline show. The crowd and band were hungrier than ever for this performance as the show was two years in waiting due to covid. 

Against a backdrop of helium balloons spelling Emily 7, the two support acts KLDD and Curtisy tackled the task of warming up the crowd. Sleek sounding, tight and exuding an impressive nonchalant stage presence, four-piece KLDD had the crowd eating out of the palm of their hands. Comprised of Kilian Callegari on bass, Liam Bennati on drums, David Bradford on lead and Davy O’Toole on vocals and rhythm the band blend moody indie rock with grunge hues and glimmers of punk-pop to create a dynamic sound filled with vigour. The crowd bopped, cheered and some even fangirled over this budding band’s sound. With driving basslines, a fantastic rapid drum assault and some pretty slick guitar work there was plenty of talent on stage – an impressive performance from the four-piece.

Filled with some pretty sleek hip hop backing tracks, Curtisy‘s set followed. Curtisy’s loose performance style, fun attitude on stage and wandering wordplay made for an intriguing listening experience. With raps drifting between topics of girls, drinking and social insights; the artist’s swaggered rhymes and repetitive “yeah, yeah” phrase lingered in many of the crowd’s heads for the rest of the night. Curtisy is fleshing out his style and refining his sound, it will be interesting to see what the hip hop artist does next.

‘Put ’em Under Pressure’ triumphantly introduced Emily 7. The crowd bellowed “Olé Olé Olé Olé, Olé Olé” while clapping and cheering as the band took to the stage. It was a whirlwind of antics, frantic post-punk and sweaty moshing from the get-go. Whelan’s shaked beneath our feet as the cheeky resounding sound of ‘Stephanie’ caused a dance frenzy from the crowd. Filled with thrilling rhythms, soaring wails on guitar and roaring bass grooves the band’s sound is impressive and the four-piece wasted no time in delighting the crowd’s ears with a constant glorious onslaught of instrumentally riveting tunes.

Kyle Bellew and Daniel Clarke are charismatic frontmen who share lead vocals. They exuded a charming persona throughout the set while subtly fighting off the entangled helium balloons behind them. Scott Bellew’s charismatic drumming was a joy to witness and perfectly complemented Brandon Carrig’s superb laid back bass. It was fun chaos all around that was rapturously well-received by the audience. This was particularly evident when the band played ‘Oh Me, Oh My’; the crowd bellowed back the catchy lyrics with such vigour and enthusiasm that made it a memorable moment on the night.

Like all good shows, a broken instrument or two is the norm and a kick drum malfunction,- “we f*cked the kick drum” saw the band styling out the brisk repair with a sleek instrumental jam. The four-piece were comfortable on stage and a broken instrument hiccup was nothing to these guys, within seconds they were back, filling the venue with more blazing tunes.

Emily 7 are a must see live act. They delivered a fantastic live show with an intense conviction that few bands can muster. There are exciting things to come from this band, and I for one am looking forward to it.


Author: Danu

Alt Rock, Event News, Indie, New Music

Event News – Freak Control Live At Whelans Midnight Hour

Freak Control Live At Whelans Midnight Hour 

Friday 21st February At 11.30pm

Freak Control are a fresh Dublin based dance rock duo consisting of Paulus Maximus on Bass VI / Vocals / Synth Pedals & Dietrich Blitzer on Drums.Influenced by the likes of The Chemical Brothers, The Prodigy, 70’s Funk & 60’s Psychedelia, Freak Control have their own original style and flavour which they add to the mix as only they can do. 

This band has a raw, gritty sound that invades your brain and runs rampant like a crazed maniac until you succumb to the frenzy. Robust and whiplash-inducing – their acid soaked sound is pretty infectious and not for the faint-hearted but is sure to guarantee one heck of a live show. 

Freak Control have just released their new video for upcoming single ‘Alien Fear’ check it out below 


Author : Danu

Indie, Live Music, Live Music Review, New Music

Donal Quinn Live With Support From The Collective At Whelan’s Dublin

January has a reputation for being a dull, cold and uninteresting month however Whelans refused to allow it to dampen their punters mood. With Donal Quinn playing Whelan’s Midnight hour with support from The Collective and The Bowie Ball night featuring tribute act Heroes From Mars to wander into after… they made sure we forgot all our January blues.  

Dublin five piece The Collective kick started the show. The band embrace the task of warming up the crowd with ease. Their pop sprinkled indie tunes which are saturated in sun-kissed tones had a warm and glorious effect on our ears as their honeyed melodies melt upon the effervescent instrumental backdrop.  Even with their bassist Cian Moran missing, the band had the crowd in the palm of their hands from the get go. Their cheeky banter and wonderful indie tunes had the crowd dancing and bopping happily. For a young band about to do their leaving cert they certainly have a charismatic and charming stage presence.Guitarist/vocalists Daniel Clarke and Taylor Byrne constantly engaged with the crowd creating a friendly and fun atmosphere “we want you to sing along even if you think its shite..sing along”. One woman in particular spiraled round the dance floor to every tune hopping, wiggling and twirling to their infectious tunes. They allow her to name one of their songs before they played it so i guess now it’s called “ love your face”.

With songs laced in tasty guitar melodies, groove infested drums and chiming keys the band sprinkle some joyous radiance into the venue. Their tracks are catchy from the unforgettable ‘’la la la la “ of ‘Forgettable’ to the sweet melodies in ‘Friends’ and ‘Love On The Streets’ – they have a solid set list. With quirky guitar moves, slick sweet licks and a charismatic presence the band keep everyone on their toes. Ogylle Salvador lays down the body moving beat while Stefan Isbanda tackles the keys to complete their vibrant vigorous sound. This bands musical talent and youthful energetic sound make them ones to keep an eye on . 

Donal Quinn strolls on stage. His chilled presence slices through the  wild atmosphere created by The Collective. He saunters off the stage to rally the crowd to the front, the crowd happily move forward in anticipation as Quinn begins ‘Do You Like Spicy Food?… ‘. This rapid number re-induces the hyper crowd as they bop along and whoop to his cheeky lyrics. He is alone on stage with just his acoustic guitar which should feel cold and isolating however his presence exudes warmth. He commands the stage..the crowd is enamored by Quinn’s vocal prowess especially for the “ the roof, the roof, the roof is on fire” lyric. Quinn chats between songs and tune ups while galloping through his set list. Dressed all in black there isn’t much fuss.. just good tunes. ‘Twat’, ‘3am’ (which Quinn’s integrates James’ ‘Sit Down’ into the crescendo) and a slick cover of ‘That’s Entertainment’ by The Jam and Arctic Monkeys’ ‘When The Sun Goes Down’ cause subtle swaying and bopping among the crowd as his rasped Drogheda-twanged tonality warms the tracks vibrant melodies. A quirky anecdote about his hair being ruined by rain and wind while filming the video for ‘ Bubble’ has the crowd chuckling as he charms them into the second half of his performance.

Quinn puts oodles of passion and emotion into his tracks and it sometimes translates into, an eyes closed performance, however his emotive and passionate lyrics enthrall the hearts of the audience. A quick exchange of info about his brand of guitar ( it’s a Martin ) and a crowd members Harry Potter scarf lead the way into a sleek medley of Oasis ‘Wonderwall’ and ‘Golden Touch’ by Razorlight. It’s a precise, well executed, enjoyable performance and a fantastic end to a night filled with talented Irish artists

Quinn presents his sublime tunes in an acoustic setting with ease and panache. In a live setting his music takes on a new dimension and aesthetic, becoming more intimate and personal. It was a fantastic Friday night in Whelans. Keep an eye on both Donal Quinn and The Collective. They have great potential and give us an indisputable reason to support Irish artists. 


Author : Danu

Check Out Some More Images From The Night Below

A Chat With, Indie, Interviews, New Music, Video Interviews

A Chat With : Cassia

We sat down to have a chat with Lou Cotteril, Rob Ellis and Jacob Leff from Cassia before their sold out show in Whelan’s Dublin. We talked about their debut album ‘Replica’ , the trail of breadcrumbs left within their lyrics, those colourful shirts Rob has been known to wear and much more.

Watch the interview below


Author : Danu

Indie, indie rock, Live Music, Live Music Review, New Music

Cassia Live In Whelan’s Dublin

Macclesfield trio Cassia performed their debut Dublin headline show in Whelan’s last night.The last stop on their UK and European tour the trio gave it their all. They must have been absolutely shattered, in fact when I spoke to them beforehand they admitted they were tired. However the band were not going to let that stop them and like a ball of radiant energy the trio –  illuminated Whelan’s. 

Support on the night came from Irish singer/songwriter Jack Joyce.Unfortunately I missed his set however I looked him up on spotify after the show and he has some delightful, heartfelt tracks.With intriguing track titles like The Darth Vader of Teenage Romance’ and ‘Grumpy Boots’ his home grown tunes sparkle with a quirky sense of humour and passion to create something truly special. 

Cassia strolled onstage and launched into show opener ‘Loosen Up’ as the crowd bounced and bopped along. One thing that is immediately noticeable is their tunes are more punchy and dynamic within the live setting.Jacob Leff’s nimble drumming provides an Afro -esque beat. Immersed in his drumming he occasionally looks at the crowd to smile between the rapid ebullient foundation he creates.It’s his rich drumming that coaxes the crowds hips to wiggle and shimmy. Rob Ellis coos the catchy lyrics between beckoning sing-alongs and sublime slinky calypso guitar lines. To see this guy execute those smooth rippling riffs and licks with such precision is quite mesmerising. ‘Weekender’, ‘Under The Sun’ and ‘Small Spaces’ create a fun and chilled atmosphere as the band become a wonderful catalyst to an enjoyable night. With flashing lights that dazzle through the heavy instrumental breaks the trio display their proficient and clean performance with a dash of edgy pizzazz glimmering throughout. The band don’t mess about too much on stage they don’t need crazy gimmicks or dramatic poses they perform with a chilled persona that puts the audience at ease. ‘Replica’ is particularly a joy to watch. The band are bathed in gold hued lighting as they present the balmy tropical tune with a glint in their eyes. It’s rare for a band to have such a soothing yet fun effect on the atmosphere of a room; however their smiling faces and the infectious tunes they produced elevated the venue lifting it into a world created entirely by the band. Lou Cotterill was a hit with the fans as some of them giggled in shyness at a glance from him as he wiggled while laying down those deep-rooted bass grooves. ‘Get Up Tight’ and ‘Out Of Her Mind’ have the crowd singing and cheering but its ‘100 Times Over ‘ that causes one of the most energetic reactions of the night. Some of the crowd mimicked the actions to the “get up sit down “ lyrics while ‘Moana’ sparks Hawaiian hula-type dancing. The band announce that they are coming to their final two songs and the crowd moan and complain shouting “one more song”. Ellis tries to explain they will play two more so naturally the crowd demand five more. It’s a haggling ordeal that results in the band playing one extra track for the encore – their fantastic cover of Martin Solveig and Dragonette’s ‘Hello’ . 

There is no denying these guys are talented. With depth through their lyrics and sublime sweet harmonies blended throughout Cassia deliver a show of pure refined indie goodness.The audience left the venue beaming and singing lyrics from the songs. It was a joy to witness and for such a young band to have this effect on a crowd is wonderful.


Author : Danu

Check out some more images from the show below

Indie, Live Music, Live Music Review, New Music

Brand New Friend Live Show With Support From Felonies At Whelan’s Dublin

When your ears are ringing after a show it’s either one of two things –  one, your ears hurt from unbearable noise that you wish to forget as soon as your hearing returns, or two, they are buzzing from one intoxicating, loud and invigorating show of fantastic music. Lucky for me I experienced the latter on Wednesday night. Castlerock’s Brand New Friend were headlining Whelan’s upstairs venue with support from Felonies.

Wicklow band Felonies kicked off the night commanding the stage with their blistering alternative punk rock. It’s a band of singers as Aaron Meagher, Andrew Connaughton, Ryan Mortell and Tom Brady all take a turn on vocals. Hair flailing over their faces they blast into ‘Berlin Blues’, ‘Welcome’ and ‘Small Town Syndrome’. They have an intriguing stage presence. Aaron Meagher ventures close to the edge of the stage laughing and engaging with the crowd while Tom Brady thumps his chest vigorously before the band steam roll into ‘S.A.P’. Shrilling guitars pierce through our skulls as the masterful drumming keeps the crowd bouncing. These guys have the crowd in the palm of their hands. Their fun approach radiates charm and swagger-filled persona as they shred through slick guitar solos and mosh smacked wall of sound. Extremely energetic and intricate Felonies meld raw acute punk and infectious indie rock with some pop sensibilities. They perform with magnetic adrenaline that creates frenzy among the audience. These guys are ones to go see live. Their presence alone is pretty mesmerising but those tunes are sure to frazzle your brain and leave you dazed, exhilarated and craving for more.

Brand New Friend take to the stage with a new addition to the band, Lauren and Taylor Johnson’s younger brother Logan Johnson. Overwhelmed with the attendance the band are in good form and ready to rock. They burst straight into their exuberant youthful wall of sound as the crowd joyously bops and bounces along. Lauren and Taylor Johnson’s vocals blend and contrast superbly as they smile at each other. These guys are having fun on stage and that radiates throughout the room. Their humble yet confident stage presence is charming and quite refreshing. Though their sound is tight, refined and professional Brand New Friend are not pompous or arrogant Taylor sweetly and regularly thanks the crowd for their attendance he shouts “This is F*cking mental… genuinely don’t know what to say…thank you so much for being here this is ridiculous.. We didn’t expect this… this is class “. They hop and jump about the stage encouraging the crowd to go wild. Luke Harris’ drumming rumbles through the venue. The floor creaks from people jumping and moshing as Harris’ flexible roll and rumbles pound through their bodies. The band dedicate songs to members of the audience such as ‘Settle Down’ “ this ones for Eoghan ”. The sweet keys jingle and glisten between their vibrant wall of sound creating refreshing little melodies to blissfully lilt along to. Their tunes hold an air of nostalgia with emo hues and punk foundations against an indie rock backdrop. From mass sing-alongs, a lot of excited swearing (from Taylor ) and people from the crowd shouting “we love you!” to a cheeky Blondie intro to the ‘Maria’- esque start of track ‘Girl’ these guys don’t take themselves too seriously and it makes their live shows more enjoyable. Aaron Milligan wrestles those playful guitar lines with a cheeky grin while newest member Logan Johnson fits in perfectly singing every line enthusiastically as he creates that all important bass groove with confidence and prowess. They are a tidy band brimming with fun and exhilarating tunes.The happiness is infectious and the kinetic and elated atmosphere impossible to fight off. Everyone was dancing, moshing and enjoying themselves helping each other so no one hurt themselves throughout the mania. It’s the promotion of fun, the innocence and sheer charm of this band that is utterly compelling and their skill and talent is the icing on the cake. 

Felonies and Brand New Friend are two spirited bands with powerful commanding tunes and both bands are enthralling to watch live. I highly recommend going to their live shows. You won’t regret it.


Author : Danu

Indie, indie rock, Live Music, Live Music Review, New Music

Mini Mansions Live At Whelan’s Dublin With Support From Sons Of Raphael

“Loud generous and mysterious” is what LA’s Mini Mansions promised for their show last night in Whelan’s Dublin and the trio plus guest drummer Jon Theodore (Queens Of The Stone Age) didn’t disappoint. Blushed cheeks and giggles came from the queue of fans waiting to enter the venue as they talked about Theodore’s appearance (he has that effect on people), their favourite Mini Mansion’s song, many fans saying it was ” impossible to choose just one song as they are all just brilliant” and who was the coolest member of the band. The Mini Mansion’s trio have made a big impact on the indie scene. Their charm causing many (both male and female fans alike ) to gush “I love them” as they stand in anticipation for the show to start. There is a change in the air… Mini Mansions have returned to Dublin more confident and proficient than ever, ready to take the venue by storm.

But first, London duo Sons Of Raphael swagger on stage to warm up the crowd. Ambitious, relentless and fierce these guys exude energy as they prance about, spring-boarding from one song to the next with little breath between. Their energy and charisma pours onto the stage as they douse their shrilling guitar refrains and melodies in distortion and reverb. They fill out their sound with a backing track played on a reel-to-reel tape player behind them creating the most unique and thrilling listening experience. The two brothers, comprised of Loral and Ronnel Raphael bash into and ricochet off each other as they bounce about the stage. At first the crowd are bewildered by what their eyes behold until the band showcase their raw psychedelic tunes with incredible enthusiasm and chaotic control. ‘Rio’ kicks the mania off, the razor sharp guitar lacerating through the thick air with refined precision while the quirky sharp vocals yelp and coo through the retro melodies. The tracks travel full throttle as the crowd bop and mosh between entranced sways for tracks like ‘A Nation Of Bloodsuckers’. There is something quite mesmerising about this young band and with their drive, blistering tunes and eccentric stage presence they are ones to keep an eye on.

The crowd stand in dimmed lighting awaiting their exalted trio to arrive while still recuperating from the trance-like daze they were under just moments before, courtesy of Sons Of Raphael. Suddenly they hear the blazing intro and psychedelic whirl of ‘This Bullet’ before the sweet tone of Tyler Parkford’s voice sparks whoops and cheers from the crowd. The band tease the audience allowing them to only hear them before calmly walking on stage to play it out in true, fierce Mini Mansions manner. With Theodore behind the drum kit the band is unstoppable. The tracks take a new lease of life, blossoming under the strong drum foundation allowing the immaculate guitar flurries, athletic key progression and elastic bass to flourish beautifully on stage. Michael Shuman no longer shackled behind a cocktail drum kit spins, kicks and prances about the stage showcasing his compelling front man persona in all its glory. He interacts with the crowd venturing to the edge of the stage as they gaze upon him enthralled. ‘Death Is A Girl’, ‘Creeps’ and  ‘Midnight In Tokyo’ all have the crowd eating deliriously out of the palm of the bands hands as the trio exude and seep swagger into the venue. Zach Dawes is exceptionally light on his feet, as he flutters and almost pirouettes about the stage with refined elegance and grandeur while executing some pretty snazzy guitar poses. The trio treat us to a cheeky listen to a new track ‘I’m In Love’ as a member of the crowd shouts “thank you”. This thumping dynamic track bounces upon a nectarous melody and has the crowd excited for what’s to come on their upcoming album ‘Guy Walks Into A Bar’ on July 26th.Their sound translates superbly live and the band appear comfortable and suave – executing their rich sound as chiming keys twinkle between sharp guitar shards and fuzzed bass flirtations seamlessly. They keep their fans hyper with tracks like ‘Monk’. To the crowd’s shock Parkford takes on Alison Mosshart’s part for the steamy single ‘Hey Lover’. His sweet falsetto blending perfectly as always with Shuman’s smoky deep whispers. Beloved ‘Any Emotions’ and ‘Vertigo’ go down a treat with the crowd as they bellow back the lyrics singing the riffs and keyboard melodies .

Many tasty guitar embellishments, delicious melodies and sugar soaked bass lines later – which has fans crowd surfing and a rogue fan standing on the stage (for some reason he just looks back at the crowd and does nothing else) the band come to their final track ‘Bad Things (That Make You Feel Good)’. This fizzing shimmy-ready infectious gem is exhilarating live. The gritty guitar riff slices boldly through the track while the driving beat, fuzzed bass and dynamic keys create the perfect backdrop to lose your mind to and lets not forget the clap along feature – who wouldn’t love that.

The crowd plead for one more song chanting “Olé, Olé, Olé” until the band return for their triumphant encore of ‘Freakout ‘, ‘Honey I’m Home‘ and ‘Mirror Mountain‘ which sees the trio and audience go absolutely nuts. Shuman and Dawes flaunt about the stage kicking and spiraling. Dawes even bends his back in some sort of an impressive contortion as Shuman ventures into the moshing crowd while onstage Parkford goes all crazy ”Phantom Of The Opera” on us. They always deliver a brain fermenting finale to their shows and last night didn’t disappoint.

Mini Mansion’s are the crème de la crème, there is no band like them and their talent, sheer skill and magnetic aura is astonishing. However, there was something different about the band last night, a glint in their eyes and a different confidence and suaveness than before that I can only hope means these melody-connoisseurs have big things to come. Perhaps the release of the new album ‘Guy Walks Into A Bar’ will reveal more.

Mini Mansions
Mini Mansions
Mini Mansions
Mini Mansions
Mini Mansions
Sons Of Raphael