Live Report: Hermitage Green rock the 3Olympia

Limerick band Hermitage Green took to the 3Olympia stage in Dublin on Thursday evening, delivering a night of experimental sounds and anecdotal stories.

Following a support set by their friend Brian O’Brien, Hermitage Green took to their posts in a glow of neon pink lights.

The 5-piece opened with their track ‘Signs’, from their latest album Connections, which was released in September. The song introduced us to their unique cocktail of folk, rock, pop and experimental electronic music. The new LP marked a development in the band's sound, tapping into their love of electro-infused folk. Speaking with Hot Press after the release of the record they said, “We’ve obviously been around for a long time and done what, I suppose, people might expect of us, so we just decided to push the boat out and push ourselves.”

Hermitage Green at 3Olympia. Copyright Maya Solanki.

Hermitage Green played in Dublin’s Button Factory in August and impressively doubled the venue capacity this time around.

Their setup was distinctive, featuring two drummers, two singers, and as introduced by the band, “a fuckin’ didgeridoo!” The Australian instrument was a standout feature of their performance, adding hollow drone sounds to their genre defying tracks.

Hermitage Green at 3Olympia. Copyright Maya Solanki.

‘Heaven’ introduced singer and guitarist Dan Murphy’s harmonica, which he played through a megaphone - sparking a fervent reaction from the onlooking crowd.

Barry Murphy slowed it down and took the lead on ‘Afterglow’, showcasing the stellar vocals which clearly run in the run in the family.

Dan followed up with a story of their track ‘Enough’. “I wrote this song after a relationship ended," he said. "I was feeling pissed off about something and did it really quickly, a year down the road I was recording it and I thought 'fuck did I put enough metaphor in this to disguise who it’s about.' But then my ex’s mother commented on the social media post of the song with 'Hope you are ok Dan'", both the band and the crowd were in stitches at the awkward interaction.

Hermitage Green also took a pause to tell us a story of how they had met actor Paul Rudd earlier that afternoon in Ryan’s on Camden Street. The Antman and Clueless actor shared a drink of poitín with the band, as they sang ‘The Parting Glass’ in three-part harmony.

Videos of the performance have since gone viral online, with Paul Rudd fans and Hermitage Green fans thrilled with the collaboration.

 

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Dan introduced ‘Tides’, a track which pays homage to his friend Jack who had passed away in a motorbike accident. He spoke of how he believes concerts are like masses, and considers them sacred spaces where he has found connections with audience members who have experienced similar hardships.

The performance of their 2015 single ‘Jenny’ was a standout of the evening, with the crowd singing along to every word. It's obvious many Hermitage Green’s fans have been longtime admirers, with their audience singing along to their entire discography.

Dan's guitar skill came to the fore on ‘Gibson’, was taken from Hermitage Green - Live at Whelan's, which was recorded in 2013. He loosened the strap, placing his foot on a speaker and balancing it flat on his thigh, as the reverb effects and tin-y tones emitted giving it a country pedal steel sound.

'Plate Spinner' introduced guest musician Bobby Fingers, who stormed on stage in a red Adidas tracksuit and his trademark but terrifying monkey mask. His explosive energy and thick Limerick accent shifted the vibe of the room, with fans as confused as they were absorbed by the energetic rapper.

After a rapturous applause for Bobby, the band left the stage, bar Dan on harmonica and Darragh Graham on didgeridoo. The pair charged into an experimental interlude of didgeridoo and harmonica, using the effect pedals once again. The reception for this segment was electric, with a woman next to me repeatedly expressing “Oh my god..Wow”.

Hermitage Green at 3Olympia. Copyright Maya Solanki.

The band started wrapping up with their explosive track ‘Lion’s Share’ which the audience were extremely familiar with. The track summed up what Hermitage Green are all about, marrying folk rhythms and conventional melodies with surprises around every corner, blending their traditional influences with out of the box instrumentation.

Hermitage Green are a must see live, so do yourself a favour and catch them as they finish off their Irish tour this month. Remaining tickets are available on ticketmaster.ie