The Goo 1
JUNE-JULY 2022 GEORGIA LYNCH NEWDAD Whelans Main
Stage THIS FELT SPECIAL Walking into the main room at Whelans, there’s a real sense of kinship in the air.. The smell of Cool Water blue and sweat permeates the space as The Wha open, bringing a breath of fresh air to the venue on this chilly night. Donning suits and ties, mullets and colourful polka dot vests, The Wha’s surf drums, electric bends and shrieking feedback beckons the crowd to stand to attention and the crowd comply without any protest. GARRY BAYLON ROSA NUTTY Whelan’s Upstairs SOFT MELODIC VOCALS, HAUNTING AT TIMES Returning to the stage tonight for the first time since 2017 - after a self-imposed songwriting hiatus - Rosa Nutty performed her upcoming debut album ‘World Still Blue’ in full, sequentially. A brave move but on tonight’s evidence it was a good decision and the hiatus was time well spent, as Rosa presented an album full of well written, well crafted songs, sung and per-formed confidently by Rosa and the JESS VIOLA BIG SLEEP The Sound House DYNAMIC INDIE, FAST PACED AND UPBEAT For the final leg of their Irish nationwide tour, Big Sleep arrived at the Sound House, in the heart of Dublin. The duo, Rónán Conolly and Matteo Poli, were accompanied with Airn Gray on bass and Naira La Funte Clarke on guitar to give more life and layers to their show and it didn’t disappoint. The band performed singles such as ‘Paint on Cars’, ‘Between the Trees’ and most notably ‘Tutti Frutti’ which went down a treat tonight as the audience sang the words back to a grateful band. Their music is dynamic Indie, fast paced and upbeat, which juxtaposes perfectly with Conolly’s smooth and mellow voice and it’s extremely catchy. One of the highlights was a special guest appearance from Cooks But We’re Chef’s trumpeter Jesse Russell who performed on the band’s latest single ‘In My Head’, giving the song a nice bit of pizzazz. Big Sleep’s performance was so well executed that every single song sounded identical to their pre-recorded tracks, however, the camaraderie of the duo - who have known each other since secondary school - is a massive attraction and one that makes the band well worth checking out. PAGE 19 band. With a minimalist instrumental approach, soft melodic vocals, haunting at times, and thought-provoking lyrics that touch on the subjects of love, loss, loneliness and climate control, Rosa has managed to create her own unique sound, which captivated the attentive and appreciative audience. The album’s title song, ‘World Still Blue’ - inspired by earth’s unchanging image to orbiting astronauts, despite whatever may be happening in the world - was a notable highlight. When the album was completed, Rosa finished off her set with a beautiful rendition of Kevin Morby’s ‘U.S. Mail’ and two more new songs that are not on her new album, showing that the future is bright for this Dublin singer/songwriter. ‘World Still Blue’ is due for release in October, check it out. If Talking Heads and Arctic Monkeys had an unholy surfer child it would be The Wha. We approve. The stage is soaked in blue lights as NewDad arrives on stage to raucous applause. This is their last show in Ireland before they move to London and what a send off this is. The chemistry on stage is palpable; cheers in every pause as Julie sings her dream pop apathetic lullabies to a fervent crowd who burst with pride for a band about to embark on the journey of a lifetime. The gig is a triumph; the band’s dreamy, shoegaze tunes are knowingly mouthed by an audience that have signed up for the long haul. After the encore, Julie’s tour manager brings out a bottle of champagne, which is passed around to all the band and then amongst the crowd, bubbles filling the noses of the masses. This felt special.