Roísín O took to the stage in Opium on Friday night for a very special hometown show, playing to a packed crowd of friends, family and adoring fans.

An intimate venue, Opium was the ideal site for Róisín's hometown gig, featuring a stage adorned with hanging flowers which followed Róisín's movement as she danced across the stage.

The show was opened by A New Local Hero 2024 winner, up-and-coming star Calum Agnew. Dressed in his trademark suit, he delivered a stripped-back set, including impressive original songs like ‘Never’ and ‘Crazy’. And then it was time for the main event...

Calum Agnew at Opium /copyright Patrik Meier/hotpress.com

Dressed in a striking gold leopard-print dress, paired with a black tie, Róisín was as radiant as ever, her red hair bouncing around her dramatically, as she gave her all onstage.

She was in fine voice from the outset, beginning with the track ‘Better This Way’ from her 2022 album Courageous. The crowd sang back every word - something which would become a recurring theme.

Indeed, the crowd were sensational throughout the whole show, and seemed to know the words to songs from every stage of Róisín's career. When she asked if they had been to a Róisín O show before, she was met with deafening cheers, confirming that Róisín’s fan-base has been truly loyal – and are in it for the long haul!

She was constantly chatting and laughing with the audience, candidly telling them over cheers and screams, “I was shitting myself before but now I am having the craic.”

The singer-songwriter introduced each song with the story of how it came to be. In doing so, she gave us front row seats to the engrossing show of her love life. She shared all the “goss” from the age of 17 to the present day, revealing that many of her songs are about her now-fiancé (who she refers to as Chris Pratt because of his resemblance to the actor), following their relationship from when they met as teenagers right up to their engagement. Her songs, though, are universal, covering the ups and downs of relationships, makeups, breakups and “sneaking past your ma and da” as a teenager.

Róisín O at Opium /copyright Patrik Meier/hotpress.com

Her band consisted of three musicians: Sam Killeen on electric guitar, Paul Kenny on drums and Eoin Butterfield on keys. Róisín played acoustic guitar as well as a sound pad, which added some experimental, synthy elements. She even played the bass for the penultimate song – an electrifying cover of Chappell Roan’s ‘Pink Pony Club’.

Halfway through the show, Róisín introduced her first guest of the evening, James Duffy, who skilfully played tin whistle alongside her (he also happens to be her neighbour). Next, Róisín played her latest single ‘Gypsies, Tramps and Thieves’, which she recorded and released after stripped-back clips of the tune went viral online.

Róisín O at Opium /copyright Patrik Meier/hotpress.com

She told the crowd sincerely of the impact Covid had on her career, and how many of her songs were born from that era, making her realise “she had it bad for her ex-boyfriend.” This introduced a string of songs relating to her own “Chris Pratt”, finishing one track with “so then...” and launching into the next part of the story. Her hilarious repartee kept us smiling and laughing throughout the show.

There was a striking community feel to the evening. Her music has the kind of universal appeal that your younger brother and your grandmother could be singing and dancing along to at the same time.

She paid tribute to her own family, mother musician Mary Black and brother Danny O'Reilly with an unreleased song, evoking recent and childhood memories. She recalled how she often found it difficult being apart from her mother when she was on the road touring, as well as the fond memories she has of being at gigs with her.

To our surprise, then, she was joined onstage by her mother Mary Black to perform the latter's hit ‘Past the Point of Rescue’, written by Mick Hanly. Only the hardest of hearts would not have been touched by the close mother-daughter connection, in what was an enthralling performance, topped off with some fine sax-playing.

“This might be one of my favourite gigs absolutely ever," she declared, capping off a very special evening with ‘2023’. With her friends and family in the audience, and enveloped by an electric high-energy crowd, Róisín O proved that she's back with a bang. We can't wait to see what's next.

Róisín O at Opium /copyright Patrik Meier/hotpress.com