REVIEW: GLEN HANSARD ☆☆☆☆☆

Venue: Cyprus Avenue, Cork, Ireland.

The last performance of his intimate, selective tour of Ireland, Glen Hansard played in Cyprus Avenue, on October 28th; neatly coinciding with the final day of the Cork Jazz. (for more info on the Cork Jazz read my review of Hermitage Green.)

Glen Hansard is one of those artists who has gigs in small venues with limited ticket numbers; and it's left to the hardcore fans to fight to the death in a Hunger Games scenario for said tickets.

What can I say, the odds are ever in my favour.

Lisa O'Neill, the absolute legend, had the room packed, hanging on her every word; a quality rarely found in supporting acts. Her tangy, sean nos voice and quirky lyrics had me hooked the second she opened her mouth. As Glen Hansard himself put it; it's a rare thing these days when new music makes you stop in your tracks- and that's pretty much what Lisa O'Neill is all about.



   
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=grjdV7O2siM



Glen Hansard's set list was smattered with all things good; from his newest albums to the oldest, and from songs taken from the Once soundtrack to The Frames' back catalogue. He chatted with (with, not to) the crowd- and even pulled up a friend to tell a couple of stories. The evening was spent with as much emphasis on the music itself, as upon sharing background and context to each melody, imparting wisdom that touched the heart.

"This is a song about having a friend, and they...well, this is a song about having a friend fuck off on you. And...yeah, that's really it."
"It seems to sound like I lie to people that I love a lot. I don't. I just...tend to tell the truth about things that never happened."
"When you share a day that's so fantastic with someone who's side you never want to leave, and then realise that you love her, and that maybe you should have told her that you have a girlfriend."

His good humoured performance was interrupted briefly by moments of genuine sadness; raw emotion that was so sincere that it was frightening to stand so close to. "Lamb to the Slaughter", as the name suggests, is a pretty goddamn grim tune- and it was played on the ukelele, which kind of made it even more eerie. The crowd stood in uncomfortable silence, when he proudly announced: 'A friend of mine bet me that I couldn't write a sad song on the ukelele. I fuckin' showed him-' and we were laughing again.

When he had finished the set list, it being the final night of the tour, he politely asked the bar staff if it would be okay to play a few more. They kindly agreed, and the hour and a half show somehow morphed into an almost four hour long masterpiece. Lisa O'Neill returned to the stage, and together they played a few Elvis numbers- (we all did the high-pitched schoo-wap bits when appropriate.)

Everybody, from the sound guy, to the lights guy, to 'you, in the pink cardigan', to some guy called Mick that I think drove them around- EVERYBODY was called up for a tune. The crowd was packed like a mine field with explosively talented friends of Glen's. The whole tech team was dragged up on stage for a rendition of The Auld Triangle, a tribute to how feckin' great being Irish is.

They finished up, for the fourth and final time, with 12 people on stage, singing Leonard Cohen's 'Passing Through'. It had been such a personal gig that towards the end, it became simply a session between friends.We left feeling as though we had witnessed something majestic. Hansard surpassed my wildest expectations, and he is number 1 on my 'See Again' list.

REVIEW: HERMITAGE GREEN ☆☆☆

Venue: Cyprus Avenue, Cork, Ireland.



Hermitage Green are an unsigned, Limerick bred, Irish acoustic rock band. They certainly have an 'I'll bate ya' look about them, and they probably met in a rugby club's changing room, but still; I reckon they're one to keep an eye on.

The Cork Guiness Jazz Festival, (running this year from October 25th to 28th), prides itself upon bringing as many bands as possible out of the woodwork; and bringing as many people into as many venues as adhereable; all while boycotting any non-Diageo products, including cornflakes and toilet paper.

Personally, I don't give a rat's pajamas about Diageo's ingenius marketing ploys. Here's to Arthur, as far as I'm concerned. And since they're supplying our city with upward of 1000 bands, a lot of which have free entry, albeit once a year, I don't think you should be too hard on the poor aul' billion-dollar-industry either. The dotes.

Since their definition of 'Jazz' is so majestically broad, pretty much everything from opera to heavy metal is shoehorned into the weekend. Who's complaining?

Hermitage Green are a fine example of a band that people are only gagging for an excuse to see. They sold out two performances, both in Cyprus Avenue, within a few hours of each other.

I saw their first gig. But, judging by the size of them, I doubt a couple of hours of performing affected their second show. Have I mentioned how buff these lads are?

Guitar, banjo, djembe, bodhran; the whole nine yards. Stunning harmonies and solid beats- they're kind of like a decent, Irish version of Mumford and Sons. Their cover of Florence & the Machine 'Cosmic Love' brings the bands talents together; a rare mix of sheer brute power, and (well, not 'delicate' but close enough) almost angelic vibes.

If you like an auld Irish power ballad but similarly fancy yourself as a fan of the bongo, then these are the lads for you. I was particularly impressed by Dermot Sheedy, the bodhran-ist. Who knew an Irish frame drum could be made to sound like an ENTIRE drum kit?? While the rest of the band left the stage for their encore; he remained soloing his beaut of a bodhran, wielding huge respect from the crowd.

Hermitage Green do what they say on the tin. A decent band, they'll keep a crowd going, and leave you wanting more. Their album, 'Hermitage Green- Live at Whelans' will be released Friday, November 22nd.

Watch this space.