The Goo 1
DEC '25 to U2’s Beautiful Day. Properly sold out,
a fact juxtaposed with a tale from singer Rachel where, on their only other visit to Dublin, they played to a single person, an American called Alex. ‘Born 2’ begins their set in earnest. A standout from their phenomenal It’s a Beautiful Place album, the metal double kick at the crescendo has the place bouncing from the off. ‘Barley’ and ‘Life Signs’ are perfect examples of their sound. Rachael mixes a deadpan staccato vocal delivery with other effect-assisted efforts, while Nate (guitar) plays abrasive riffs. They’re spectacular and lapped up by the crowd. ‘Do You Not Believe In God?’ is a beautiful pause for thought on the album. Rachel takes the opportunity to tell us what’s on her mind. “It feels nice to not be in the U.S. right now because it’s a faschist state and they’re kidnapping people daily…and across the seas, they’re just fucking killing everyone, and I hate it.” The cacophony and rumble of ‘True Life’ stirs our internal organs. ‘Quotations’ looping quality has me thinking of MBV. ‘It’s A Beautiful Place’ and ‘Blood On The Dollar’ show their accessible side before ‘Playing Classics’ and encore ‘Track Five’ transport us into a club setting. Telekura - Opium - David Carr Those who read my We’ve Only Just Begun review will know Dublin’s telekura went home with my Best In Show award, and appearances in between have meant a growing following. Tonight they were playing their biggest gig to date, providing complimentary support to Nation of Language. The fact that so many got in early suggested word about them has gotten out. Deceptively sweet, their opener ‘clown’ shows there’s some power in singer Rachel’s lungs and some bite in the band. The latest single ‘spirit twin’ was given an airing and soared just as high live as it does at home. Rachel confirms “this next song is called ‘girls’ but it’s really written for boys”, with lines like “Who’ll teach them what’s right; They just know how to talk and they know to fight” it’s aimed squarely at parents too. In between songs, you can tell how excited they are, bubbling up, “like really excited”. Composure restores for ‘maybe’ which is always a set banker. It’s got a massive sound with a touch of the psych and big synths of early Tame Impala. It really highlights the potential of this band. ‘eboy’ is a new one on me and a new closer and might prove a sing-a-long anthem when the crowd catches on. They also have a few more tracks in their back pocket which will allow them to expand as the almost certain demand takes hold. Ger Eaton - National Concert Hall - Stephen Stone Things you need to know first. Ger Eaton, one of Ireland’s finest and most stalwart musicians who’s played with EVERYONE and then his 20 year relationship goes all tits up (no acrimony, just regret) and he writes the ‘Season Changes’ album about what that was like for him. It’s a majestic record. It shouldn’t be up-lifting and life-affirming but it manages to be. Think pastoral XTC, Moody Blues, Scott Walker, people said ‘Zombies’ too, (the band not George Romero) and I can’t hear that but whatever you’re having yourself. But how do you do it live? Well, you do it at the National Concert Hall with his regular muso compardres (Duncan Maitland) AND an 11-piece fucking orchestra. The NCH works for this kind of lark. HUGE CRESCENDOS of sound one minute and the next second you can hear a pin drop. Eaton himself has a ‘presence’ on a live stage. He’s stylish in a bohemian sort of a way and, let’s face it, attractive. He’s also commanding. (At one point he STOPS the ensemble and says, “Let’s just try to start that one again, is that okay?”) Turns out it is. Songs like ‘Phoenix (Reborn)’, ‘Hollow’ and (obviously) ‘Season Changes’ fill the room and he includes, as on the record, little musical ‘nods’ that make the whole work jigsaw together. It’s emotional. It ISN’T entirely ‘Rock ‘n Roll’ but somehow all the better for that? The whole thing is frankly marvellous. Honestly, it was more like theatre than a ‘Rock ‘n Roll’ gig, maaaan. I have (and I’ve been doing this for years) seldom seen a music/theatre show so PERFECTLY crafted and delivered. I was moved. Turnstile + High Vis + Gurriers - 3 Arena - Niall McCabe Gurriers went on stage bright and early and did their very best to engage the crowd. Their next 2 gigs are sold out nights in the Button Factory as the post punks brought their mullets and noise to the audience. They took to the big stage with great ease and got people singing along to ‘Approachable’ which was a highlight of the night. London based High Vis took to the stage next. Again they approach it with a pomp and confidence and it feels like their hardcore baggy sound belongs here. Vocalist Graham Sayle sneers the lyrics out and talks about class while the music dips into the baggy sound of the 90’s. In less than 30 minutes it was over. We wondered what hit us and hoped we would be hit again. Turnstile then took to the stage and instantly you felt you were in the presence of something magical. I’m old, so I’ve seen loads of bands. Beastie Boys, Smiths, Gorilla Biscuits, Youth of Today are all blended here. The crowd is ready to explode, the band plays it all as tight as an undersized pair of skinny jeans. The packed venue had bodies heaving and moving everywhere. It was not your usual circle pit up the front and breathing space near the back. This was thronged everywhere bar the bar. Halfway through I tried to turn and get some space but everywhere I moved was equally packed with people smiling, singing and jumping up and down. I eventually squirmed to the bar at the back and looked on marvelling at how some people playing fast music could become so popular. Onwards and upwards only for these. 29