2022 - the year of the dan: chapter 27

Chapter 27

Sinéad O’Brien in Cyprus Avenue was a proper event. As in a sense of occasion. Anticipation. All indications were that the Limerick woman is a true performer. All indications would be right.

Her fascinating debut album Time bend and break the bower sounds great in the flesh. Insistent vocal poetry backed with sharp guitar work and thrilling post punk beats.

Some might say she’s not a singer. More of an intoner. I might not disagree but really the point for me is when lyrics are of this quality and intrigue, and matched with sounds this sympathetic, it’s all good. In fairness it took me a little while to connect with her sound and it won’t be to everyone’s taste.

What we can all agree on is that she is a compelling presence onstage, prowling around her own private catwalk, sounding a bit like PJ Harvey possessed by Gertrude Stein (that can only be a good thing).

The songs all sound fantastic. Holy country. Like culture. There are good things coming. All sounding like iconic cultural landmarks already. Although coming across at times as unreachable onstage, she was nothing but approachable at the merch stand afterwards. A star for sure.

I Dreamed I Dream opened the show and displayed their own hints of star quality. Again that song. I played the bass. Brilliant.

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