- Music
- 23 Jan 18
One of the few silver linings amongst the gloom of the past week has been that the music community has rallied behind the legacy of Dolores O'Riordan like few could have imagined. Respects have been paid, memories have been shared, and - in the case of Tramline Monday's second ever showcase of emerging Irish music - tributes and covers were performed.
Kicking things off on this most special of nights was a one-off guest appearance from Niamh Farrell and Brian Darcy, of chart-topping indie band Ham Sandwich. Without doubt one of the most beguiling voices in contemporary Irish music, Niamh's covers of 'Linger' and the impossibly tough 'Dreams' were as spine-tingling as they were emotional. So far so good.
Next up was Kerry folk singer Ronan Kealy, aka Junior Brother. Blessed with a distinct talent for combining acoustic-folk riffs with tambourine-tapping percussion, the singer's growling, rugged ballads veered towards the side of the unhinged and improvised; but for Kealy, that seems to be the point - he takes complacent Irish folk and gives it a decided kick up the arse.
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Following Junior Brother is an artist whose formidable reputation has recently begun to precede him. Bearing the title of "the first and only musician to have an Irish language song appear on a FIFA video game", Tipperary man Outsider is tipped to hit the big time in 2018. Most of the crowd recognise 'Míol Mór Mara' from the aforementioned game, but over the course of a 30+ minute set, he shows that his penchant for uplifting power-art-rock isn't confined to just one song. Hats must also be tipped to his companion singer Ella Naseeb, who truly steals the show with her haunting, near-perfect rendition of 'Zombie'.
The final act of the night sees electro-pop duo Hvmmingbyrd fill the room with hazy synth and ethereal vocals. After three acoustic acts, this is pleasing way to close out the evening. Their pre-eminent single 'If Love Was Enough' is - and always will be - a undisputed highlight to any proceeding.