The Underground of Happiness

Punk funk are the words. Wonderful sparse drum beats with offbeat clicks and rimshot. Sympathetic creative bass playing. Songs like Asking for it. Bored of men. Period sex. Nice guys. State of the nation monologues. Looking like they belong up there but still having a laugh in the process. Plus a very cool comment about the (excellent) support band I Dreamed I Dream . 9 years ago when we started a band like that wouldn’t have existed Attachment Styles by M(h)aol Why Say A Lot? by I Dreamed I Dream

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 s...

Chapter 10 Leagues hooked up with Pretty Happy to stage a lovely day out in the park behind Shandon part of Cork Midsummer Festival . Food stalls. Coffee. Kids games. Cork Queer History. More on those talented Pretty Happy people later. On this day bands played in a cross sectioned caravan. It was midsummer. The wind blew. I took my 11 year old. We saw I Dreamed I Dream play. Four young women looking shit cool and spitting fire and melody. The outstanding I played the bass was the highlight. My 11 year old is not easily impressed and she did not once ask if we could leave. We agreed they had something alright. Even cooler, we passed the bass player on our way to school the following week. https://www.foggynotions.ie/festivals/festival/quare-cork-midsummer-2022