Live Report: Night one of The Road to the Great Escape with Honeyglaze, Nixer, and Sprints at Workman's Club

On Monday night, four venues across Dublin banded together to form The Road to the Great Escape - an epic series of live music showcases. The event hosted two dozen bands in a cutting-edge line up of both brand new and established artists. Each of the venues - Whelan's, Workman's Club, the Grand Social, and Academy 2 - hosted three artists to perform in half-hour sets each night. The two day event was a huge success and introduced audiences to a mass of incredible new talents.

Honeyglaze

Monday was night one at the Workman's Club, everyone hoping to hold on to their weekend energy for just a little bit longer. The first act up was the South-London based Honeyglaze - an effortlessly entrancing trio with a unique interpretation of indie-rock.

Honeyglaze playing The Road to the Great Escape at Workmans. Monday 9th of May 2022. Copyright Miguel Ruiz.

Formed just before the first UK lockdown, the trio emerged with a captivating self-titled debut album. They are the latest band to work with independent label Speedy Wunderground alongside cult favorite bands like Fontaines D.C., Nick Mulvey, and Black Midi.

Their style is polymorphic, unhurriedly expanding upon the diverse dimensions of their sound. The performance ranges from mellow, monochromatic rhythms to vibrant melodic sequences with touches of shoe-gaze and post-punk influence. While taking insight from a diverse range of sources, the trio manages to merge them together into their own unique style that, for a new brand, is impressively original and self-assured.

Nixer

In a complete change of pace from the moody Honeyglaze - electro-punk duo Nixer bounds to the stage to deliver their own musical assertion. The unapologetically bold performance featured frontman Seán Keenan - a born performer who owned the stage with his shouty vocals and invigorating stage presence. Alongside him, Gearóid Peggs delivered synthy basslines and manic drumbeats on the mixing board.

Nixer playing The Road to the Great Escape at Workmans. Monday 9th of May 2022. Copyright Miguel Ruiz.

The self-produced, self-informed aspect of their music is quintessentially Nixer. The young duo aren’t striving for a perfectly polished sound, the raw immediacy of the performance takes precedence. The live energy demands your interaction and full participation in the moment.

Their growing body of work has established a brand of frenetic, machine driven, guitar-laden energy. Fusing dance and indie-rock influences, Peggs and Seán weave in narratives of young lives meandering Dublin by night, causing uncertain amounts of trouble.

Sprints

Dublin's own garage-noise band Sprints storm on for a killer finish. Lead singer Karla Chubb wastes no time, immediately jumping in to show off her fierce vocal abilities. Her vocal power is wild with an unwavering foundation of skill. The band's overall sound combines guitar-driven hooks, motoric rhythm, and emotive lyricism to create their distinct style that pulls from garage, grunge, punk, and beyond.

Sprints playing The Road to the Great Escape at Workmans. Monday 9th of May 2022. Copyright Miguel Ruiz.

Each member of the quartet is entirely committed - and the effect is commanding. The performance is visceral, authentic, blunt, but also vulnerable. These songs are more like battle-cries to modern life - urgent and vital at every turn. Pent up angers and anxieties are concentrated into the intense, dance-able rhythms that domineer themselves in the best possible way.

Check out more of the night's photos by the incomparable Miguel Ruiz here