Chalk rocked Whelan’s main stage on Saturday, blending post-punk with electronic elements.

Opening the night was four-piece band Makeshift Art Bar. From the moment their set began, I was met with howling, guttural vocals. The lead singer jerked wildly, clearly overcome by the music. Three guitars were present on stage, creating a dynamic, layered atmosphere. One of the guitarists quickly stole the show– dancing around stage like a maniac, lost in a world of his own.

He would occasionally switch over to the lap steel guitar, generating a droning, whiny sound which complimented the rest of their instrumentals spectacularly. Another stand-out from the band was their truly exceptional drummer. With loads of distortion on their guitars, the drums held together the group with undeniable skill. He’d routinely pull back before speeding up again, pumping life into each track.

“Thank you,” the vocalist said, before the band left the stage.

Makeshift Art Bar supproting Chalk at Whelan's / copyright Patrik Meier

With an absolutely killer opening act, I could feel the crowd’s enthusiasm rise for Chalk.

“I’m so excited!” one fan exclaimed as the group made their way on stage.

Their intro sequence featured dynamic beats and punchy drums, building up the anticipation with ease. Blue and green lights flashed the audience, as lead vocalist Ross Cullen began to perform. The artist donned a sequence mesh long sleeve underneath a distressed black sweater, paired with a set of dark sunglasses. His aura was effortlessly cool, and his animated demeanour added to the mystique. Rocking wildly across the stage, Cullen hurled lyrics into the mic.

His voice echoed throughout the venue, kicking off their set with ‘Afraid,’ the second single off their most recent EP Conditions III. Benedict Goddard delivered an incredible performance on guitar, filling the song with heavy, weighted sound.

Chalk at Whelan's / copyright Patrik Meier

It didn’t take long for the audience to begin moshing. Cullen even joined the pit early on in the show, bringing the mic stand down with him. Fans roared as he performed, clearly enraptured by his ability to control the crowd.

The band began playing ‘Static’ off their 2023 EP Conditions. The track explored the feeling of restlessness, expressed sonically as the song slowly built into an explosion of guitar and drums. Chalk was particularly skilled at this effect– knowing when to slow down and speed up again at the perfect moments in order to keep up their momentum.

Cullen sped quickly through the set, but took a moment to jump back into the crowd. The audience bent to his every whim, clearing space and dancing alongside the musician.

“Thank you,” he said coolly, before continuing on with 2024 single ‘Bliss’ featuring Fears. The track features punchy drums and an intoxicating melody, paired beautifully with Fears’ gentle voice.

Before Chalk left the stage, the audience was sure to get a bit of crowd surfing in. Energy was high the entire night, and it was clear the audience was sorry to leave.

“Dublin, it’s been an absolute pleasure,” said Cullen. “Thank you so much, we’ll see you in the next one.”