Live Review: The Altered Hours At The Workman's Club

As the glaring lights slowly dimmed in the Workman's Club, the Altered Hours emerged on stage. The opening track was a definite mood setter. The band's energetic, catchy, pysch-rock sound immediately punctured the silence of the venue.

The Cork five-piece were fronted by the imposing, tousled haired, vocalist-guitarist, Cathal Mac Gabhann, and multi-instrumentalist, Elaine Howley. Swaying back and forth, rocking a blonde Mia from Pulp Fiction hairstyle, playing a synthesizer and floor tom, Elaine brought a certain zeal and exuberance to the group. As the disturbing, unsettling, and joyous guitar feedback pierced the intimate room, Altered Hours' Kevin Terry Junior shone. All the while, the band was steered by the driving bassist, Patrick Cullen, and the frenetic, absorbing drumming of Nora Lewon.

Altered Hours' harmony was evident. Band members shifted and circulated on stage, interchanging vocal duties, as they fed off each other's musical performances. Halfway through the set came the real breaking point, as Elaine bellowed out a haunting track 'Sweet Jelly Roll', the Altered Hours morphed into the finest elements that the genre has to offer.

As the band relaxed more and more, there was a playful interaction between Cathal and an audience member, that jokingly turned into a mock auction. "We've albums on sale at the back," the singer said. "How much?" barked a punter. "Well now that you asked, fifty quid," replied Cathal. "I'll take two," the fan retorted.

A malfunctioning mic was quickly substituted for another, as the commanding frontman's vocals resumed within a minute. "Thanks for coming out to see us, it's fucking crazy, so thanks," Cathal said earnestly.

The one song encore was a cascading cyclone of guitar distortion. Kevin seemed hell-bent on dislocating his shoulder as he rapidly lashed his arm back and forth with every dagger like strum of his electric guitar. At its best, this is psychedelic-trance-rock band that transports their audience on a distortion fueled DMT trip.

Altered Hours' debut album In Heat Not Sorry is out now. Click here to buy.