There’s a sell-out crowd for the visit of Massachusetts native and 4AD artist Merrill Garbus, aka tUnE-yArDs, whose brand of quirky alt-pop carries echoes of iconic female singers such as Bjork and PJ Harvey. Straight away, it’s obvious that Garbus’s vocals – indistinct, though still melodic, murmurings reminiscent of The Cocteau Twins’ Liz Fraser – will largely determine how you feel about her music: such resolutely off-kilter singing is either going to grate or enthrall.
Somewhat to our surprise, as the gig goes on, we find ourselves firmly in the latter category. Wearing a black dress and feather boa, Garbus makes quite a visual impact, and immediately declares herself to be “delighted” to be back in Dublin (a bloke in the audience promptly shouts back “Why?” to widespread laughter). Alternatively strumming a ukulele or beating an upright snare drum, tUnE-yArDs’ Afrobeat-tinged rhythms are hugely infectious, and the Ornette Coleman-style, free jazz inspired contributions from the two sax players stationed stage-left add another layer of excitement.
With the mix of danceable, funky rhythms and tUnE-yArDs’ distinctive vocals, at times it’s like listening to some wild Vampire Weekend remix. With the singer putting in such a spellbinding performance, the crowd reaction is suitably joyful and celebratory. Overall, a terrific performance from an artist with genuine
star quality.