It seems like a fairly wacky set-up: gravel-voiced bluesy Dubliner The Mighty Stef performing above an American burger joint of a Friday evening... but don’t be fooled! This little gem of a venue is the perfect spot for an intimate gig.
Supporting the Mighty one are three impressive Tallaght bands, who hold their own despite probably having trouble getting served at the bar later. Case in point: The Psyches, who exert a mature onstage confidence despite having an average age of just 16. The Eskies and The Strutts turn in fine performances too, making Hot Press wonder if there’s not something of an up and coming scene in Tallaght-fornia... Watch this space!
And then it’s Stef’s turn. Casually mingling with the punters as the support artists go through their paces, he becomes the ultimate showman as soon as he steps on stage. In fact, it feels like Stef is right at home in a venue like this. Which is fair enough, since he and his band have talent by the bucketload to back up their swagger. And their set is pure, smouldering quality from start to finish, veering from 2006 debut The Sins Of Sainte Catherine to this year’s 100 Midnights before taking us home with the latter’s blues-tastic ‘Death Threats’.
To keep us on our toes, the boys throw in a few covers, with an homage to a freshly bust-up Oasis in the form of ‘Whatever’, and a spine-tingling, organ-soaked rendition of Leadbelly’s ‘Where Did You Sleep Last Night?’ An equally brilliant version of The Crystals’ ‘60s hit ‘And Then He Kissed Me’ proves that these guys could probably put their own husky spin on ‘I’m A Little Teapot’ or ‘Three Blind Mice’. Spot-on harmonies from the boys ensure the performance is never sloppy, and Stef’s banter with the crowd keeps everyone entertained. A fab performance from all concerned, in a venue well worth checking out.