Floyd Soul & the Wolf and
Bravado at the Cobblestone
13/02/’09
By Angela Macari O’Looney
After a Friday driving buses around the city, I took refuge with a bottle of booze at one of the most cheerful little venues in Dublin; The Cobblestone. One of my favourite bands at the moment Floyd Soul and the Wolf and popular band Bravado were playing. So I was getting to hear two brilliant bands in one night.
Last year’s N.S.M.A. winners, Floyd Soul have a sound that gets under your skin with Luke’s mesmerising stage presence and memorable voice, Deano Moran’s thrilling lead riffs and hooks, Si Merriman’s Classic Rock/ Country baselines and the calm but expert rolls, and bashing beats of Drummer Ciaran Delaney.
Bravado
Hailing from Raheny Dublin, Bravado consists of Brian – Lead Vocals, Kev – Guitar/Backing vocals, Milky – 2nd lead guitar, Corcy – Bass and Gaz – Drums.
They’re arrogant, have an exciting sound and have had a successful run to date, reaching the finals of Murphy’s Live ’08 and played support slots for The Enemy, Future Kings of Spain and Cathy Davy.
My last experience of them however, was at a gig in The Village last year and the drums were pretty much all I could here on the night. I felt I’d have to hear them again someday to judge more fairly.
In the intimate setting at The Cobblestone and with quite a small audience, they could be heard loud and clear. The one disadvantage was that dancing is something I feel you must do, to the faster Bravado songs and the audience remained seated for the set. Still and all it was a much more superior band I saw this time, with a vocalist that is unbelievably talented, a drummer that exudes showmanship and class and three fantastic guitar guys!
Too tired to sleep
Bustling beat, big distortion packed chord riffs and Brian’s youthful vocals confident as he sings the catchy chorus. Lovely lead solo and Kev doing backing vocals for the chorus too! Adrenaline charged and magical!
One Day
Bass riff intro here, with lots of distortion- packed guitar behind the verse!
Fast beat, two guitars doing choppy chords which are very effective and I like the way it picks up speed, for a punchy beat in the chorus. The chords are everything in this song. Bass player (Corcy) doing loads too and of course Gaz never fades into the background, with chops that make your heart beat fast and your feet stomp!
Revenge is Anne Frank
A strange name for a very interesting number! Kev takes a verse for this and both he and Brian sing the chorus together with close harmony. Kev keeps his flat Dub accent when he sings, which adds charm to the proceedings!
Bass and drums showed off big time. Two brilliant musicians with raw energy that is generated to their instruments! I particularly love the sliding lead riff and the way all the stops are pulled out in this one, which they enjoy performing and I enjoyed hearing!
Bag of messages
Sweet riff intro, guitarist does backing vocals again and both he and Brian are good together, with a crisp sound coming across. Distortion packed lead solo! In the last chorus there’s a big build up, with amazing chords bashed out to give it socks!
Artificial Angels
This number is sweet, slow and romantic with lovely chord combinations and although it is slow it is also explosive and drama-charged in places. The rhythm guitar chords are sweet, bass vibrant and drum rolls lively!
Any other way
Although they claim they take their influences from Arctic Monkeys, The Who and many Indie/Rock style bands, I am reminded of Thin Lizzy when I hear the verse and lead riff intro in this song!
It’s fast, it’s bashing and this song is just explosive and definitely crosses genres.
They did a new song which is as yet untitled. Both guitars perform a riff intro with bass involved too. Great choppy beat, with a magic melody line!
This one is seductive with a slinky beat and moody notes throughout!
They continued their set with Runnin’ which has a distortion laden intro. With a bouncing beat and post punk style, it’s a brilliant song. The fuzzy fire-packed chord riffs are delightful and with Brian’s vocals exuding attitude in the chorus, it’s a song I plan to dance to the next time I hear it, whatever the rest of the audience are doing!
Break the lamp was the final number for Bravado with a rolling style of beat. The audience were well warmed up for the main act of the evening!
Floyd Soul and the Wolf
A big resounding chord took us into the juicy, rhythmic strains of Take the Shot!
A little riff is played behind a slow verse then the beat becomes choppy for the chorus, with close harmony that takes my breath away!
Things get livelier as this loveable quartet belt out the last chorus and I feel that Floyd Soul tonight, seem to surpass previous performances and have tightened their act up another notch!
Something called Decay
Bouncy beat, Bassy intro, distortion soaked chords and then the harmonic chorus makes this song deliciously sexy. With stops and starts and a choppy beat going on throughout, breaks here and there that make it exciting and a baseline that you feel right down to your boots, this is yet another terrific number.
Without delay our action packed show went into the cheerful intro for Give it a chance. Lead singer Luke is in top form tonight!
Riff hammered out with crunching chord combinations in true Rock ‘n’ Roll style, harmonies are splashed just precisely where needed!
I absolutely love the melody of this song which I have decided is the absolute BEST song of Floyd Soul and The Wolf!
The way they quieten things down for the second last chorus, then blast out the last one and in the final lines a pullback of the guitars and just the beat behind the vocals, winds it down beautifully!
They continued with Somewhere in your head; a slow but pretty number. Luke sings the verse alone with a baseline and a trickling lead riff accompanying him. The chorus is sung with harmony, and then Luke performs a short solo on harmonica.
In the last chorus this number becomes more dynamic, with a bashing beat and full chords bringing it up to a big climax for the finish.
I’m in love with my girls Very Best Friend
This new song involves a rhythmic note played in sync on guitars, then a catchy verse. Witty and with slightly shocking lyrics, it has a delectable chorus with sweet harmony and there is something refreshingly different to their usual style!
How does it feel?
Fast beat, with a quiet riff intro as Luke sings the verse softly, building up to the refrain of ‘how does it feel when I’m gone’ which is blasted out.
A lovely break takes you back to the verse again and with splashes of harmony behind the gorgeous melody, it’s another new and very appealing number.
On your knees
This song has a Western Cowboy beat, picking up momentum. Chords are really catchy, there’s a lovely romantic narrative performed by Luke in the middle. The music stops!
Then they do the chorus of ‘Baby baby, get down on your knees!’ which is sung with passion and ends with a big long drum roll!
Luke interacts with his audience in a professional manner, thanking Bravado and he urges people to buy a t-shirt and help raise funds to get the band to Nashville, where they hope to record their debut album under the same producer who worked with big names like Nancy Griffith. How fabulous for the lads!
Nashville’s gain will be Ireland’s loss and I hope they’ll find their way back to the Emerald Isle even if they do make the big time!
The exciting and punchy lead riff and ‘Da da da’ intro to Bottle of Blues/Booze rings out across Smithfield!
This number is slinky, with changes to keep it interesting, a seductive melody and the most amazing harmonies throughout. It speeds up for the chorus which is bouncy. I always feel the trickling banjo and general mayhem in the instrumentals in this song almost make you imagine the song itself being a little tipsy!
This wonderful set continued with a new song; I Promise, with a slinky intro. Lovely harmony and delightful middle eight!
A romantic love song, with Luke doing a little solo on harmonica, it’s one of the rare slower ones by this band.
I don’t believe in your love was next in the long but exciting show. This has a real old fashioned Rock’n’Roll style and involves lush harmony, a memorable melody and fantastic riffs throughout!
They did Absinthe, the latest single, where Luke loses the guitar and gets into his vocals with a passion!
Lots of distortion, bashing chords and heavenly ‘Ah’s’ lift the sound and although the audience was small, the place was hopping.
Storm acomin’, Stonewalkin’ and Man Above followed. My favourite of these is Stonewalkin’ with a riff intro which I absolutely love!
It’s quirky and involves exhilarating instrumentals.
What can I say to emphasize the easy-going but seductiveness of Floyd Soul and the Wolf and their show? I got myself a t-shirt before leaving The Cobblestone, which I will treasure, because I’m certain that this really unique band won’t be waiting for fame for very long!
They are a little bit of Springsteen, Rolling Stones, Neill Young and every star studded Rock band you can think of rolled into a beautifully packaged quartet.
Here’s to two wonderful bands that made my Valentines weekend!
Angela Macari O’Looney
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