The road sign says “Welcome to Sunny South West Ireland”. Naturally, it’s raining.
Enroute to Leap, located on a lonely road between Skibbereen and Clonakilty, there’s little to suggest that a renowned rock venue is close by. But it is, and tonight it pays host to a band on the cusp of international fame and fortune (probably).
Two centuries old, Connolly’s has reached something of a legendary status, thanks to properietor Paddy and his passion for live music.
This evening’s guests, The Marshals (previously known as The Marshal Stars) have benefitted from his hospitality often. In fact this is the venue where the Dublin trio, frontman Michael John, bassist James O’Brien and drummer Barry Dillon, were snapped up by UK label Vertigo, for whom they’re now recording an album.
With John Cornfield at the helm, who’s also responsible for works by Muse, Oasis and Supergrass, they’ve been holed up in a Cornish studio specifically designed to keep their focus on the job at hand. The only viable route out is by boat across a lake, and there’s only one pub in the vicinity.
“They’re fairly used to bands, but when we walk in the pub everyone turns their heads,” says Dillon, speaking at a nearby hotel lounge before the gig.
O’Brien continues: “When we were there for the first week for our first session we were told that they thought Ash were in town. We’re wondering which one of us they thought was the girl.”
hotpress gets a sneak preview of the work in progress, and can confirm that their reputation as one of this year’s bright young things is merited, with their retro brand of alternative rock that ironically makes them sound contemporary.
The sound sits comfortably between Jet and Kings Of Leon, and finds a natural home in the UK music scene. But according to Michael, that wasn’t the primary purpose.
“We just like that sort of music,” he explains. “So of course we wanted to set up that dirty bluesy sound that we’re inspired by.”
With a semi-permanent move to London on the horizon, they’re clearly going all-out to make the band a success. But how big do they want to be?
“That’s a hard question to answer,” mulls John. “All we’re ever going to do is play the best we can and try to turn as many people on to our music, and see how wide the circle grows.”
Do they believe they’ve got what it takes to enter the UK consciousness?
“I do, but I don’t know these guys,” quips O’Brien pointing fingers either side of him where the other two are sat, now in hysterics.
The camaraderie in the band is clear, especially when they take to the stage later that night. In the intimate setting of a small back room, with no definable stage to speak of, they blitz through a set of the album’s highlights including the sublime live favourite, ‘Simple Things’.
Job done, the band head to the only nightclub in a five-mile radius, Dakota in Skibbereen, which plays such delights as ‘Rhythm Is A Dancer’ and has a DJ that shouts out, “Oggy oggy oggy”. We’re not in Connolly’s anymore, Toto.