Top five gigs
Orlaith Grehan writes.
#1: LCD Soundsystem – Electric Picnic, September 3rd
James Murphy is the Superman of the music world. He’s an ordinary-looking guy who disappears into confined spaces (ie: recording studios) to unleash extraordinary talents. His music protects us mere mortals from the evils of the processed, formuliac songs inflicted on us by Simon Cowell and his ilk. He even has a crippling weakness of his own: volcano ash. It was no surprise then, after those cancellations earlier in the year, anticipation for this set ran mightily high, with the Electric Arena descending into chaos when Murphy and his band took to the stage. Opening with the blistering Us V Them, LCD played a highly-charged, unwavering set, ripping through their impressive back-catalogue to the relentless joy of the crowd. Not a single beat disappointed, with highlights like Tribulations, Losing My Edge and All My Friends bringing about a state of unmistakable euphoria. Judging by the reaction in the tent that night, Murphy truly proved himself as a saviour of modern-day music.
#2 The National – Olympia Theatre, December 4th
Joking onstage about changing song titles to make them more commercial, The National probably won’t need to worry about such minor details after the release of this year’s High Violet. Their most successful album to date, it brought them a stream of new fans, many of whom had “battled” through the snow and ice to make it to the last of the band’s three-night run in the Olympia. From the moment the band stepped on stage, the mood in the theatre became almost reverential. The crowd clung to every note from guitarist brothers Anthony and Bryce Dessner, and every insightful lyric from singer Matt Berninger. Ranging from the haunting brilliance of Runaway and Slow Show, to the more raucous Abel and Mr November, The National’s set proved that their unique brand of surreal melancholy is here to stay, and with very good reason. A hugely energetic set, they destroyed any last preconceptions of gloomy troubadours, with Berninger plunging into the crowd during the rousing Terrible Love, while the band’s onstage banter and antics displayed their inner comics. Accompanied onstage by Arcade Fire’s Richard Reed Parry while his bandmates watched from the crowd, The National, over ten years into their career, are well on the way to joining the Canadians as one of the most talented and admired bands touring today.
#3 Arcade Fire – The O2, December 5th
Irish crowds have a reputation for being the most enthusiastic and receptive, so it’s rare to find a band beating them in the eagerness stakes. Arcade Fire, though, appeared to be every bit as excited as their audience, storming through their hits, both old and new, and enthralling the crowd from start to finish. From the first note of this year’s Ready To Start, the band owned the stage, not once relenting from their high-energy, whole-hearted performance. Constantly swopping instruments and racing around the stage, the show was held together by the imposing presence of Win Butler, who seems to have embraced his role at the helm of one the biggest bands in the world today. Tracks from the latest album were given an entirely new energy when played live, especially the stand-out Sprawl II, but older, much-loved songs brought the arena to its knees. Intervention, Power Out and Rebellion, in particular, had the crowd bellowing at the top of their lungs, with the band completely overwhelmed by the rapturous response to set-closer Wake-Up. Their first non-festival appearance in Ireland in over three years, Arcade Fire definitely proved themselves as one of the most exciting acts to grace these shores in the past year.
#4 The Antlers – The Academy, May 21st
A night listening to the details of an abusive relationship as told through the characters of a terminally-ill patient and a hospice carer – admittedly, it doesn’t sound the most appealing, but what The Antlers lack in cheer, they compensate for in musical brilliance. Their 2009 album, Hospice, featured in many “best of” lists last year: even the ridiculously elitist Pitchfork magazine praised “its power to emotionally destroy listeners”. It’s a hugely powerful album, with the band providing an equally powerful performance of it. Playing the entire album, with tracks such as Kettering, Sylvia, Two and Wake particularly standing out, the set was full of haunting melodies and heartbroken lyrics, completely capitivating everyone lucky enough to be there.
#5 Local Natives – The Village, November 15th
Los Angeles-based Local Natives brought some much-needed West Coast sunshine to our shores when they visited Dublin last month. Their sound treads somewhere between folk and pop, with healthy smatterings of three-part harmonies thrown in for good measure. Playing a completely packed, sold-out show, the band seamlessly switched between laid-back ballads and powerful, infectious anthems – sometimes even within the same song. Opening with the lead single from their album Gorilla Manor, Camera Talk, the standard was set for a lively evening. It didn’t disappoint, with tracks such as Airplanes, Wide Eyes and Sun Hands promising great things to come. No doubt Local Natives will return to bigger, equally packed venues nect year.
