The Goo 1
Live Reviews own! You’d give him a hug! The voice
is pure molasses. The music is simply film soundtrack compatible. The lyric is... Let me quote? “You fucked me just to fix me?” or “I wish that I could lose this aching heart in time for you....” Shit, he also sings about mountains and the sea and fucking rivers... (That crowd do....) But it’s more than that? He ties it up, he means it... And THE GUITAR sounds like something Mark Knopfler might do if Paramount Films had paid him a lot of money!) But mainly it’s just him up there on his own-io... Playing songs he hopes we’ll get and understand and feel. He’s very cute. We did, Mister Hodd. We really did. Well worth the love. Given and accepted. Returned, even. Stiff Little Fingers - The Academy - Betty Stuart Enter the mighty SLF at The Academy…. From the first chord, the place was jumping, bodies colliding, grins plastered on faces, beer flying through the air. It felt like stepping back to a time when punk was raw, urgent, and alive. Jake Burns walked out with that signature no nonsense presence. No theatrics, just stories, politics, and sharp riffs. His voice still carries that grit and growl that defined a generation, 30 snarling through “Alternative Ulster” and “Tin Soldiers” like they were written yesterday. And honestly? They could’ve been. The pit never stopped, the floor was slick with sweat, and every chorus became a rallying cry. Ian McCallum’s guitar work tore through the room, and the rhythm section pounded with a ferocity that kept everyone jumping.. Burns took a breather to introduce “My Dark Places”, an empathetic and honest narrative on mental health. They closed with “Suspect Device”, and if you weren’t hoarse and bruised by the end, were you even there? No nostalgia act here, SLF still play like their lives depend on it. Special mention to Cherym who came out swinging. Tight, scrappy, full of attitude, they warmed up the crowd, getting the moshers moving early, slicing through the air with riffs and sweat. Credit to them for setting the stage for what came next. Punk AF! Wunderhorse - Collins Barracks - Eli Mcguire Of all the acts that played Wider Than Pictures this year, none captivated the youth more than the UK’s latest serving of rock folklore. The lineup on the day was a curation that really exemplified the future trajectory of guitar bands. Cardinals played first, doing what no band has done before and create music that connects fans of The Jesus and Mary Chain as well as The Frank and Walters. Next up was Shame, whose hardened experience of extensive touring was on full display as they delivered a show that would rival any arena rock band through sheer physicality and charisma alone. The Wunderhorse we saw on display in Collins Barracks is certainly different to the one who opened for Fontaines D.C in Vicar Street in 2022, or sold out the main room of Workmans in 2023. They are far more ready to smash a guitar on stage, wear oversized sunglasses, and jump around on stage like they’re in a photoshoot for a thrasher magazine cover. There was a recent run of gigs prior to their Dublin show which showed the band visibly fuming on stage(see their performance at Main Square Festival this year for reference), but the band we got were considerably more mellow compared to this. This did not stop the crowd from bringing a considerable amount of energy, which culminated in a few people begging for missing shoes after the penultimate song of the night, ‘rain’. A definite night to remember for all involved.