Tag Archives: Whelan’s

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

Gorilla Troubadour ‘Tom Cruise Does all his own stunts’ single launch in Whelan’s Dublin

Funk flavoured sounds, hefty rich rhythms and lush guitar refrains fill the room for Gorilla Troubadour’s ‘Tom Cruise Does All His Own Stunts’ single launch in Whelan’s Dublin. I entered the venue as their second song ‘Hey Hey’ wafted around my ears. Its charming strut quality and swagger drenched bass groove walked me through the bopping crowd. The tasty guitar lines, tight presentation and punchy drums were a delightful welcome. These guys have a fun approach to their live show as banter with the crowd is plentiful. The band played through their set creating a soothing sense of mellowed out hysteria through the crowd. They build their tracks perfectly providing something for every music lover from swoony melodies, intricate guitar lines and lush wails to a sublime hip moving rhythmic section.These guys are tight. They smother their songs in a wispy smoke of darkness – ‘Ophelia’ in particular is one hair raising gem. For such a young band their sound is sophisticated and mature. There are no holes, no lapses, just solid rich tunes ready to mosh, wiggle and sway to. To get a band this tight with a sound this compelling is a special find but then for them to be great live as well- that’s pretty fantastic.

A few well known covers pepper the bands set list – a bass slicked rendition of Royal Blood’s ‘Figure It Out’ goes down particularly well with the crowd while a refreshing cover of Joy Division’s ‘Love Will Tear Us Apart‘ (which sees frontman Dylan Kearns take to the keys) also graces the set list. The band are all impressive performers, Dylan Kearns plays the frontman role well. His smiley persona comes across bubbly yet relaxed as he tackles the crowds song requests for ‘Esmeralda’.Eamon Ganley lead Guitarist has some shredding solo’s and boy does he execute them well, (perhaps playing up to the crowds enthusiasm) he strikes and wiggles with precision and panache while bassist James O’ Connor is immersed in his grooves as he majestically and nimbly swoops and glides through the bass lines. With a slightly deflated “confetti cannon” pop (more like a glorified party popper) the band introduce the most mesmerising artist to sing with them, Cat Doran. Her soulful vocals are hair raising, chilling and utterly enthralling as she ever so coolly blends with Kearns sweet falsetto.There is a mystical,enchanting yet haunting quality to her voice that lures and entices you into every note. Kearns’ vocals are pretty outstanding for ‘We Drove For Miles’ which was my favourite track of the night. This smoky gem features a sultry guitar solo, a spellbinding melody and oodles of passion.

‘Tom Cruise Does All His Own Stunts’ translates magnificently live. Drummer Eric Walsh puts on a gorilla mask and the track whacks into fruition. This track coils and uncoils itself ever so confidently live- it feels like it could be the work of a band with twice the experience.Walsh is quite the proficient drummer. He lays down their meaty foundation and executes it with a fluidity that is first rate, showcasing he can maneuver a pounding assault or a sweltering lighter tap-tap-tap with finesse and gusto. ‘The Apple Truck’ is the final track of the night and Kearns introduces this before he takes a memorable and lasting picture on his disposable camera – “your looking well” he glints at the crowd before they cruise into the sizzling track which once again shows the bands striking musical talent.

Gorilla Troubadour are definitely a band to keep an eye on. They have their heads screwed on. They know what they are doing, what works, what sounds good and then they turn that up a notch and make it theirs. The cool swagger with which they dispatch their meat-cleaver riffs, slick musicianship and catchy choruses is what makes these guys pretty special.


Alt Rock, Live Music, Live Music Review, New Music

Vernon Jane and Drivelight at SOMA Dublin stage Whelan’s

There’s nothing like some tasty tunes to get a Friday night buzzing and SOMA Indie Clubnight provided us with this in Whelan’s last weekend. Hosting a wild sticky show with two of Dublin’s finest up and coming bands Vernon Jane and Drivelight.

Indie Rock and Rollers Drivelight kicked things off blasting into their set after frontman Fionn Phelan calls the crowd closer to the stage by  playing a form of Mr. Wolf- he tells them to move 10 steps forward counting each step as they do so while drummer Ross Daly stretches his arms warming up for what’s to come. These guys are tight, confident performers and each guitar whine, lick and solo shrills as the groovy rooted foundation keeps the crowd bopping along. Phelan takes every opportunity to engage with the crowd moving as close to them as he can. They explode into each track fluidly ‘Obvious’ and ‘Lakeside Park’ feature fantastic drum rumbles and insane kinetic energy throughout. These guys have fun onstage glancing at one another with smiley faces while belting out infectious mosh ready tunes that have the crowd jumping. The funky flavoured ‘I Really Wanna Go’ translates magnificently well through the live setting. Phelan shows his true, pure Catholic devotion and knowledge as he dedicates  ‘One Horse Town’ to Pope John Paul before he is corrected and told the pope at the moment is Pope Francis. New single ‘Take Two’ was pretty special live as it traveled at a neck snapping speed infused with sublime bass lines and thrilling guitars crashing into a buoyant flexible drum beat- it’s one perfect for the sticky mosh pit and the band whacked it out with such refinement and slickness it left a sense of awe. These guys oozed swagger and brought some funky grooves and attitude driven tunes to Whelan’s which got the crowd all hyped up. Not even a broken guitar string could stop them from giving it their all and having a good time.

Vernon Jane descend onto the stage, all eight of them squeezed on stage, ready to rock. For their “last show for a while” they brought out the big guns. Two charismatic backing singers and a trumpet and saxophone player join the band on stage for a manic set that had the crowd in an insane frenzy. Singer/guitarist Emily Jane is mesmerising on stage- fierce and powerful she shouts and coos between slinky bass lines and shredding guitar solos which weave their way through punchy drums and brass blasts. The backing vocalists dance, swish their hair, coo and harmonise- blending perfectly while Jane exclaims and soulfully bellows over the crashing instrumentation. The crowd are wholly immersed in their boisterous sound moshing, pushing and smashing into each other at dangerous forces.New single ‘Paradise’ was particularly mind blowing as they blend their sweet luscious sounds with jazzy elements and acid soaked psychedelia. Steamy guitar whines and fluctuant bass grooves float over a swayable melody and delicate beginning before the track explodes into skull crushing rock heaviness. Bassist  Ricky Lahert climbs onto a table to the left of the stage to play, balancing on this unstable platform. Everything gets a bit erratic after ‘Paradise’. New, yet to be released track  ‘Push Me’ brings a whole new brand of craziness to Whelan’s. The crowd become more intense as they wiggle and dance mindlessly to the infectious grooves and honey like guitar tones before consuming the frenzy as the track gravitates to a more ear piercing rage. Bruises were plentiful as the crowd become more manic when the set fully develops. The moshing was like a tidal wave as the crowd crashed into the front of the stage some people spilling over onto the stage. There was an odd sense of comradery among the audience, they pushed each other onto the floor and then picked them up just to smash them to the ground again.Vernon Jane’s set is full of epic moments Jane joins the crowd for a bit of skull bashing moshing followed shortly by Lahert and of course the crowd go insane. These guys don’t write tunes to wallow in, they are tangible get up and jump, mosh and groove tunes brimming with attitude and fiery charisma and this makes for one hell of a show.

Both Drivelight and Vernon Jane are energetic, professional bands who put on a high powered dynamic show that leaves you in a dazed state of exhilaration. Two bands you must see live. 

 


Live Music, Live Music Review, New Music

Bicurious ‘I’m So Confused’ EP Launch In Whelan’s With Support From Griffo,Phazam Haze and Tribal Dance

A notable reminder that I had just witnessed a crazy show was the broken glasses and a beer-soaked coat which paved the way as I left the venue last Thursday night. Anyone who has seen Dublin Instrumental rock duo Bicurious live before would know their shows can get pretty intense and wild and the ‘I’m So Confused’ EP launch upstairs in Whelan’s last Thursday night was the definition of madness.

Once stamped in with the bands logo on our hands at the door we were settled into the new refurbished upstairs in Whelan’s by singer songwriter Griffo. His acoustic set was particularly warming as he belted out a jangly instrumental intro before flooding through with his raspy rooted vocal. Tinnitus symptoms weren’t going to slow him down. With his hood over his head he crooned and roared with a soulful intensity. “It’s more socially acceptable to drink and drive than to smoke now a days” he says before his sips his drink “I’m off the smokes”. There is no pomposity here it’s raw, pure and honest tunes.

Phazam Haze follow with their gritty muzzy sound. They hold a simple stance on stage as their guitars provide a headache inducing yet thrilling fuzzed-tone while the bass fluctuates from swinging grooves to thundering rumbles. The drums pummel through relentlessly creating a wall of sound that mind boggles your brain. Each track mercilessly blasts out their almost stoner rock tunes that slither, hop and bash creating the perfect frenzy for the crowd to go crazy to. Bassist and vocalist Alex Harvey skips and jitters on the spot in anticipation for the all-out mosh mania crescendos that travel at dizzying speeds. The sound is so intense, heavy and bombardingly fantastic you’re pretty much dazed and stoned on the music alone. They create a potent brew of meaty rock at its finest.

Dublin’s progressive post-punk/math rock three-piece Tribal Dance are the final warm up of the night. Their sound is gruesome beauty. They bludgeon, batter and assault while gliding through on the most luscious neck snapping basslines. This trio bring a mixed bag to their tracks cruising in sweet and melodic before electrocuting you with acid doused garage rock. Their set felt like having a rave in a huge tub of marshmallow- all gorgeous and enveloping, but with moments of fire and brimstone scalding you throughout and the crowd loved every minute. The crowd surged to the front moshing, pushing and swaying lapping up every moment, as the vocals scream and wail over the fluctuant upbeat rhythms, darkly hued sour riffs and thumping basslines. With these guys when the tunes are sweet and mellow its glorious and woozy and when they are heavy it’s a mind blowing, shredding onslaught.

Something crazy comes over the crowd as Bicurious take the stage. Maybe it’s the shift to green  lighting or the frenzy caused by the previous acts or their blaze of energy and hefty tunes but they inflame the mosh pit and create total anarchy. Gavin Purcell throws his hat off and their mighty Intro begins. The crowd instantly begin to jump turning the floor into a trampoline creating a ricochet effect which made you bounce while standing still. The duo melt the mosh pit into a blur of flailing limbs and tumbling bodies with the speed-riffing ‘Octagon’ and ‘Fake News’, which brings about massive cheers and the first riff sing along of the night. From the get-go members of the crowd are crowd surfing. Practically everyone has a go, sometimes two or three at a time. From the melodic sweet mellow melodies to the hefty thumping rhythms the crowd know every pulse and waver in the tracks. One small command from Taran Plouzané and the crowd descend to their knees ready for the massive instrumental blow up that brings heavy, manic moshing and pushing. Bicurious’ set never feels repetitive, nor less than electrifying to watch. As an instrumental band they keep their audience engaged with intricate, luscious riffs and sweet melodies while packing in a thrilling heavy dose of mosh ready ferocity. Plouzané stomps about the stage while Purcell throws his drumsticks into the air and gestures to the crowd to go wild. The crowd began circle pit moshing as people were flung about the floor, it was a sweaty spectacle for sure. Their as of yet unnamed ‘New Song’ which went down a treat, showcased a slight shift in the duo’s sound. Sounding like an acid drenched dance rave it made the crowd go nuts. With the green lighting it was definitely a dizzying savage bombardment to the senses. ‘Sleep’ brings about another blitz of hair swishing, sweat flicking moshing which surprisingly brought a nice whiff of sweet smelling shampoo my way not exactly the smell you’d expect, but a welcome one. The band bring  Mark Barry from Dicey up on stage for a monstrous cover of Rage Against the Machine’s ‘Bulls on Parade’. Experiencing a mic dilemma Barry belts out the track anyway with the crowd helping to amplify the vocal line. Naturally a Rage Against the Machine cover sparks total anarchy among the crowd making the faulty mic unnoticeable. Multiple crowd surfing, a torn down curtain and many spilt drinks later we come to the end of the duo’s magnificent set. Bicurious’ set was so furious and fast that their hour whizzed by in what seemed like 10 minutes. ‘Father’ closes their set resulting in the duo crowd surfing as the audience lift them high and proud, Purcell lays back fully horizontal, “like a boss” raised above the crowd. Plouzané joins him in what looks like a blissful state of ecstasy.

There is no question of the talent of this duo. Their tracks speak for themselves and with their masterful composition, knowledge of what people want to hear and the sheer energy they radiate these guys are definitely ones to go see live. It’s never stale and with the crowd they bring in, it’s always shell shocking.

 


Live Music, Live Music Review, New Music

MUNKY ‘7am’ Single Launch In Whelan’s Dublin With Support From Accidents In The Workplace

Last Friday night we headed to Whelan’s Dublin to check out Dublin disco grunge band MUNKY’s ‘7am’ sold out single launch. The band promised the event would be “like a birthday party of sorts but instead of cake and a bouncy castle it’s slices of pure fat, filthy funk and bouncy beats”. Though I would have loved a slice of cake what they had in store was much better.

Accidents In The Workplace kicked off the night with some funky tunes and peppy dancing. Lauren Murphy’s powerful vocals knock you for six from the first note of ‘All I Want‘. Her vocal command is masterful as she wiggles and dances without even a vocal quiver or shake. It’s on point, powerful and brimming with soul. Aaron Cooney and Sean Kenny stand firm, saxophone and trumpet raised as triumphant brass blasts fill out their infectious sound with warmth, depth and might. The grooves are body moving and the guitar lines sharp, thrilling and vibrant. These guys brought their party tunes packed with a sound that coaxes you to the dance floor and commands you to dance entrapped and mesmerised. They have fun on stage, smiley faces galore as they let the good vibes lure the crowd to dance and groove. Murphy is an expressive frontwoman and exudes oodles of sass and swagger as she hops and boogies on stage. Though their songs have a light fun exterior they pack a hefty punch behind them with gritty guitar lines and mighty drums. ‘Wake Up’ their most recent single translates magnificently live. It’s one designed to get those feet tapping. A Jamiroquai cover of ‘Just Dance’ and a funkadelic rendition of Spice Girls ‘Who Do You Think You Are’ gets the crowd singing along and bopping while a fallen earring and a story about “Patrick The Snake” keeps the banter brief and sweet, so the tunes can grease up the crowds hips and get them limber for MUNKY.

MUNKY take to the stage. Bassist Niall Donnelly and drummer Sam Russell jam and banter with the crowd while guitarist Conor Lawlor combats some technical issues. The crowd are eager, already singing the chorus to the unreleased track ‘Ms Communication’. Donnelly shouts the intro “you know why we’re hear you know why you’re here lets play some f*cking tunes” the crowd erupt as they pummel into ‘Facebook Friends’. Moshing is a plenty as the crowd push forward to the front. A sign held high saying “Play That Munky Music White Boyz” (which later in the night finds it home on stage) is waving floppily in time with the music. Donnelly and Russell playfully interact during the tracks as Donnelly, now well on his way to becoming a master showman hops, wiggles, falls to his knees and air drums dramatically. It’s a spectacle for sure and entertaining to watch. The tunes are massive and the crowd lap up every psychedelic distortion, hefty drum roll and elastic bass joggle. Zachary Stephenson pines, bellows and exclaims over the mic. Hair is everywhere both on stage and among the crowd as everyone throws themselves wholly into each magnifying track moshing frantically. Backing vocalists- the lovely trio Taylor Maslanka, Rebecca Geary and Edwina Van Kuyk wiggle and bop charmingly adding a bit off class to the chaotically fantastic mayhem on the floor. The crowd bellow back the lyrics adoringly almost proud of these four chaps on stage as they shred through our eardrums in the most fantastic assault to the senses. The band seem blown away by the crowd’s adoration and enthusiasm they didn’t appear to expect them to sing every word without fail. ‘7am’ has the moshers grooving to the slinky rhythm and singing along to the “do do do” lyrics. When the audience sing your guitar riffs and licks you know you are on to something good and that’s exactly what happened last Friday night. They sang guitar melodies, basslines and air drummed along with Russell as well as bellowing out the lyrics as if they narrated the lives of everyone in the room. They cheer and whoop the band like heroes returning from war before the thrilling rumbling intro to ‘Jam and Banana‘. MUNKY blend sweet luscious melodies with heavy skull bashing tunes effortlessly and the crowd worship each and every track- singing along to the sweet ‘I Can’t Quit’ just as zealously and passionately as ‘Hunter Gatherer Blues’ which was so loud I don’t think I could even hear Stephenson’s vocals above the crowd singing along. ‘Ms. Communication’ closes their set after the rowdy crowd yell for “one more tune!” Stephenson obliges on the condition that the crowd help him sing. ‘Ms. Communication’ kicks off and Stephenson doesn’t even have to sing the chorus. The crowd take over vigorously bellowing out the “we don’t wanna talk about it we just wanna get F*cked” lyric merrily. It was spectacular. The perfect end to a show which displayed a band that are destined for big things. Their larger than life persona and infectious tunes teamed with masterful musicianship and hard work makes these guys ones to watch for sure.