Blue Syndrome album launch

Blue Syndrome

‘Over and Out’ album launch gig

The Village

28/10/09

Angela Macari O’Looney

Earlier this year I was at the launch of Blue Syndrome’s debut single Kiss the girl. They have come a long way in a short time and invited me to the launch of their debut album Over and Out. Certain of a good night’s entertainment, I and a guest headed to Wexford St.

This young bunch of lads have put a lot into forming their own dynamic sound and have definitely earned the large fan base they now have, which includes both young and old.

The first act on this night was Indie/Pop band BriBry is Sky High, who hail from Malahide, Dublin.
Garry White – Guitars and Brian O’Reilly – Drums/Percussion/Vox took to the stage in make shift fancy dress costumes, Brian dressed as Noddy!

The first song Black Magic had a laid back beat and a sweet melody line.

Harmony in the second number This is the way we’ll be forever was close and Brian sang some falsetto in certain parts of this song, which he performed really well. I feel that apart from the fact that they are a little rough around the edges, they have real entertainment value.

After this they did a great version of Boy Better (Dandy Warhols cover).

Brian came up to the front of the stage for the fourth song A poem I’ll sing out loud from their debut E.P. ‘Swings’. Garry played trickling acoustic notes and they performed this relaxed piece beautifully.

Finishing up with something a little more cheerful where Garry sang backing vocals, the two guys did a lovely song called Mira and got a great applause from the small audience.

We are Contenders

Jason Branagan is the lead singer of this acoustic/Rock/Pop act. His band are Jen, Kev H, Kev B. His vocals are not my cuppa, but his original songs involve sweet guitar, catchy melodies and although the style of his songs are a tad repetitive at times, they are well written!

He performed songs from his EP ‘Melodies’ which included This could be home, This old room, Emma Jane, Not for the World, No Hero and Three years.
My favourites were This could be home which has delicious guitar chords and Emma Jane, both slow songs.

This Old Room was a little faster and lifted the mood.

All of the songs were enjoyable, but definitely need a strong backing vocalist and perhaps better projection on Jason’s own part!

Vic

With an explosive start, this band won me over big time!
Beginning with Losing my Senses, impressive vocalist Dan Fox and the fabulous musicians behind him perform a tight set and really know how to get the crowd going. They are a Rock/Pop/Alternative outfit and have already won high acclaim from critics. Band members are Dan Fox-Vocals, Billy Campbell-Keyboards, Rich Margetson- Lead guitar, Bassist- Peter Wallace, Rob Meredith- Drums.

Echo was their second number, with a fun line ‘Is you in, is you out’ and has a bashing beat, choppy guitar riffs and a great melody.

The rest of their set were Black-eyed Peas cover I got a feeling which had everyone up on the floor and dancing about. Also a number with a thundering anthemic feel to it called Atlantis. I really enjoyed the piano in this song.

Chasing nothing
The vocals in this one are lovely, with Dan going up into falsetto. Sweet lead guitar and a big dramatic drumbeat give this song dynamic, piano framing everything perfectly!

Hangers on and Downfall completed the set by Vic, who were the last of the three delightful support acts before Blue Syndrome.

Blue Syndrome

The first thing that caught my eye as the stage was being set for the stars of the show was a beautiful red semi solid guitar being tuned up. It of course belonged to the fun and extremely talented vocalist/guitarist Colm O’Laughlin.
As each instrument was lined up, there was a sense of anticipation. Other members of the band are Thomas Lamude-Drums/Percussion, Stephen O’Loughlin-Guitar/Vocals and Daniel Cummins-Bass/Vocals.

Out they came and I admired the way that the slow piano intro for To Be God created such drama while the guys faced the back of the stage before the song began, then each chord was struck dramatically, strobe lighting and spots flashing to the beat as they faced the now huge audience, yours truly right up front!

Chorus is absolutely brilliant in this with a memorable melody line, loads of ahs and close harmony behind Colm, plus distortion laden guitars and clashing cymbals for the dramatic bits. What an entrance!

Everything Eventually
I was delighted when I heard the catchy guitar intro to this, my own personal favourite Blue Syndrome number.
Fast moving with a really melodic chorus and fab harmony, exciting riffs and a refrain throughout Keep living before you die, keep living before you die, this song is just bursting with NRG!

A rhythmic intro started Come Alive, song number three. This has a dynamic chorus and Colm seemed unstoppable and in top form.

When this number ended, he thanked the audience and expressed his pleasure at the enormous turnout. He said it must be the biggest audience he’d ever seen at The Village.
The party mood continued for the remainder of the night, as the guys played familiar songs with one or two surprises thrown in. They effuse happy vibes and as a unit, are loaded with charisma!

Just another Day
You showed me the rest of the world tonight was the intro sung by Colm, in yet another great song. Delicious riffs and a fast tempo alternating to choppy, this was one everyone was singing it’s so catchy!
Lead solo by Stephen is show-stopping as his fingers fly at lightening speed across the frets of the guitar Zeppelin-style. I Kissed a girl and I liked it is infused into the last chorus which spices things up.

For Tomorrow I’ll be gone Colm had his acoustic guitar. It involves an interesting tempo change in the chorus and a sung middle eight that I adore. Harmony is in splashes but is sweet.
A rhythmic riff between verses is so appealing and Stephen does magical lead. People sung the last chorus with Colm and the instruments pulled back. This was a special moment!

They did Sign in which Colm sings the first line alone, to be joined by revving guitars and a thumping beat. It involves a sliding note that he sings in the line This is my life which is very effective. He plays a plucky bit on his own guitar which I like.

After this they performed Concerned which is a tribute to Bob Marley, with a line I’m going to Africa on the fourth of July. The lads went crazy for this one as did the crowd.

Machines is a fusion of noisy guitars with a heavy rock feel to it. It’s a powerful song, with well placed harmony, a fast pace and lots of interesting chops and changes.

A U2 cover Sunday Bloody Sunday was outstanding. It was just vocals and one guitar and here, Colm’s vocal range was shown off as he put his all into every note.

Just a dream, a slow and soulful ballad where Colm got the audience to sing with him and Over and out with its bashing anthemic chorus and a fab melody, took the show to a close.

They wouldn’t have gotten out of The Village alive had they not did an encore and what better choice of song than the first single they released Kiss the Girl!
As Colm and the lads began with the ‘Wo oh’ intro, the crowd went wild. Screaming lead riffs and the wonderful way they build things up from a verse to the chorus and then suddenly there’s an alter melody going on behind both. This is absolutely tremendous arrangement wise!
I could listen to this band forever. How such young people can start off busking in Grafton Street and manage to grow and develop to this level astounds me. But they have done it and I congratulate Blue Syndrome and the people who have invested their faith and time into them because their music is Irish Rock/Indie at its best!