Hard working class heroes festival

The Q/ The Dirty 9s/ Fox Jaw Bounty Hunters/Sleepthieves/ Halves/ Heathers

The Workman’s Club

07/10/10

Angela Macari O’Looney

The Hard working class heroes festival, which takes place in Dublin City Centre every autumn, has become a favourite for any lover of unsigned bands. Hosted by a group of young enthusiasts, in conjunction with The Arts Council, 2XM, Culture Ireland, Pump Audio, IMRO and many other major organizations, this fun weekend involves three hectic nights jam packed with the best acts in the country.

I went to the Thursday night gig at The Workman’s club, where The Q were already into their lively set. From Northern Ireland, this Punk/ Post Punk/ Rock band are fab and totally exude attitude. They are Pablo (Paul) Connolly-Vocals/Guitar, Barry Fahy-Bass, Tom Nichol-Guitar and Daniel Given-Drums.

Trap Door was their first song, with a thumping rock intro, riveting guitar riffs and a superb baseline featuring. This song is more Rock than Punk, but the guitars are unforgettable. Pablo has a great voice and is a confident frontman.

Magpie is a really upbeat punk number, with crazy lead, a fast beat and shouts of Hey to give it boldness. Smart ass lyrics and a fun melody line make this song my favourite of their set. I like the singability of the chorus and the refrain no such thing as a credit crunch, she says no such thing as a credit crunch.

Other songs in their set included The Alarm, Orson Welles, James and Bay of Pigs. They have a range of influences coming through in their style such as Jet, The Strokes, Queens of the Stoneage. They recently released their new E.P. Big Fubb. Oozing bad boy charm and raw energy, they were great fun and came across very polished and cheerful.

The Dirty 9s

I instantly recognised the lead singer of this band as they were setting up. I’ve been at quite a few of their gigs and was delighted they were in this line up. Beginning with Angel in the Shadows, they performed a lengthy, but truly entertaining set. Influences include Arcade Fire, Echo and the Bunnymen, U2, Interpol and many more. They have a big following and have come on in leaps and bounds as a band since forming in ’05.

Fergal Maloney-Vocals/Rhythm guitar, Cian McCarthy-Lead Guitar, Stephen Dunne- Bass Guitar, Paul Rice- Drums and Keith Brett-Keys/Backing Vocals/Glockenspiel/Violin create a powerful and memorable sound. They performed songs from their debut album Stop Screaming, start dreaming.

Car Crash features a superb baseline throughout.

Corridors has a delicious melody line and a defining riff that Keith does at the beginning. In this number Fergal always reminds me of REM frontman Michael Stipe. Having said this, The Dirty 9s have a certain magic all their own, with each of their songs being so catchy and performed with a consistent vitality that spreads to the audience.

Fergal mentioned while chatting with the punters, that this was the band’s third gig of the day, which proves how magnetic their music is. He changed guitar for Weeknight lovers, which was wonderful and involved a show stopping solo by Cian McCarthy, who came up to the front of the stage.

Trouble is one of their slower songs. For this Keith picked up a violin. This number has a military style beat for the verse, becoming subdued as Fergal sings the sad refrainThe trouble with me you see, it wasn’t meant to be all in my head. The trouble with me you see I should have let you go in the end. Keith’s violin added to the sweetness of this number and the audience were totally riveted at this point. Cian also did a spectacular solo.

They did Look to the left with a fast beat, a vibrant chorus and lots of exciting chops and changes in it.

Fergal got two girls from the audience to play tambourine for one song Wake Me Up. This began with a slow verse, bursting into a lively punk beat.

Their last song was Lucy Opus, one of my own favourites. It has poignant lyrics and some beautiful changes of pace, from the haunting verse to the explosive chorus. This set was a real treat for me. They’re a band I could listen to forever.

Fox Jaw Bounty Hunters

Arriving onstage next was a band whose intriguing debut six track E.P. I recently reviewed. Headed by Ronan Mitchell whose vocals are a cross between Pogues frontman Shane McGowan and a drunken cowboy, FJBH are original and are ten times more entertaining live than on CD.

They started their set with You Gotta love this town, which involves a big bashing sound and excellent harmony. Inspiring chord riffs are framed by a solid baseline by Morgan Nolan and matched with superb drums by Shane Serrano.

Their second song Milkanoid had distortion packed chord combinations, a bashing beat and Ronan performed a brilliant lead solo. It also features an interesting slowdown before it finishes and it’s these unexpected alternating rhythms that make this band’s music so outstanding.

In Thread the needle there are unusual discords and haunting minors. A choppy tempo combined with an interesting melody line feature here.

Strip the City is yet another song that is full of surprises. It begins with a laid back intro, building up to a rock beat. A delicious riff is repeated throughout and as in each number; Ronan performs the song with his deep, but fascinating bluesy vocal style.

Next wasThrowing Shapes with a trickling intro, fast beat and bass joining in with grungy fervour. Ronan’s vocals are powerful and soul searching, as he pours out each line, performing elaborate lead guitar and weird chords. The overall sound is certainly out on its own and extremely original.

Gloomy, but beautifully harmonic, That Old Chestnut was my favourite of this set. They are an acquired taste, but quite addictive in a blues/Punk/Grunge way. Their charm is in the cool way they belt out each distortion packed, discord laden, and haunting number.

Finally they did their debut single Homeward Bound and gagged, which also features on their CD Congress of Oddities. They create blood curdling harmonies, Ronan performing the unique lead solo. It’s a slinky number, with a trickling banjo and guitar going on throughout. It’s probably their most popular song to date and towards the end the beat alternates, stopping then starting almost like a broken record. Wonderfully weird!

FJBH have played with well known bands such as Ham Sandwich, Ojos Rojos, Givamanakick and Dave Gerraghty. They are a promising and captivating act that I know I’ll be following, along with many others who feel that strange music reach down into their souls!


Sleepthieves


From Dublin, this act are described as the Indie/Electro/Pop sound of the minute and have played support to names such as Dark Room Notes, Fight like Apes and Cranes. Also they have performed at the IMRO showcase and Fringe Festivals.

Members are Sorcha-Vocals/Synths/Keys/Glock/Guitar, Wayne Fahy- Bass/Synth/Vocals/Programming and Derek Murphy-Guitars/Keys/Synth/Programming.
Their set is exciting and for me was a combination of Fight Like Apes, Ham Sandwich and Grand Pocket Orchestra with less aggression.
I particularly enjoyed how they swap positions onstage to play each key instrument such as Korg, Moog, Roland. Watching these young geniuses take their craft to a whole new level is inspiring and the result? Wonderful music, framed by a sweet baseline or guitar! Sorcha has a soothing voice and each arrangement is masterfully produced.

It was only a Satellite is their debut E.P. which showcases the gentler and dancier end of their sonic spectrum and tracks from this album have been played on 2fm, 2xm, Phantom and many other radio stations.

Sleepthieves performed Please call back, Disappear Here, Hope is Dead, Magnetic Heart, Impersonator, 5a.m. and You me and Everyone.. All fantastic samples from their upcoming album, my favourite of these was 5 a.m. Very uplifting and catchy!
Sparkling notation throughout each number, Sorcha’s vocals light and feminine, with each chorus involving a captivating hook, the songs seemed to get more enjoyable as the set progressed. Wayne’s baselines are magical and along with the upbeat melody lines coming from the electronica, it’s feel good music at its best.

Halves

Dublin based band Halves describe their style as Ambient/Rock/Live Electronics and members are Brian Cash, Elis and Tim Czerniak, Frankie Pollard and Paul McGuire. Instruments range from Electric and Bass guitars/ Drums/ Piano/ Glockenspiel/Electric violin/Viola/Synth/Vocader/Reed Organ/Sleigh bells and pretty much anything they can get their hands on!

Watching them set up was interesting and made me curious as to how all of the parts would sound together. However, I was truly impressed as soon as they began their set.
Together since 2006, the lads released two E.Ps Halves and Haunt me when I’m drowsy and also a single Blood Branches.

Experimental style melody lines, soothing vocals, transcendental notation and beautifully blended arrangements pull you into the world of Halves as they each inject their part to a number. This is relaxation music and totally removed from anything else I’ve heard. However, when I hear them I find myself reflecting on Halfset, who are another wonderful electronic powered Irish band.

Blood Branches is complex, with a fast drumbeat coming into the equation halfway through the piece.

May your enemies never find happiness has wonderfully descriptive lyrics, a repeated guitar riff that’s delectable and trickling notation throughout that leads up to a sudden burst of sound involving all instruments. This dies down again. Vocals are subdued.


Harmonies are divine in Darling you’ll meet your maker, percussion really strange and a plethora of discords, with the dynamic addition of strings demand attention. Vocals are soft and very haunting.

Medals has a hypnotic phrase which is repeated throughout. Once again vocals are laid back, with Brian going right up into falsetto at points. Piano is particularly special and also violin. As in each piece, you are treated to a kind of concerto with many different facets to stimulate.

Other pieces included in this lengthy but mesmerising anthology of songs were Land/Sea/People, the little octoberist, Only safe landings, Haunt me when I’m drowsy, The Well wisher, Growing & Glow, I raise bears, Mountain Bell, Take exact revenge.

A dynamic crescendo of sound massages your ears in each and every song from this act, but they definitely would be an acquired taste. I like this kind of music to wind down, with lighted candles and a glass of my favourite wine.

Heathers

Acoustic/Alt/Pop act Heathers from Dublin were last to perform at this Thursday HWCH gig. Louise-Guitar/Vocals and Ellie-Vocals released their debut album Here, not there in 2008.
From there they have gone from strength to strength creating their own record label Aunthill records. I like their upbeat, bustling music and the fact that they thoroughly enjoy playing to a packed venue, as they bash out cynical but harmonic songs with charm.

My favourite of their songs is Fire Ants. It has a two part chorus that’s catchy and their sound reminds me of acts like Alanis Morrisette, Cranberries and Fight Like Apes singer May Kay. Vibrant and entertaining, they lyricise passionately, bitching about a given subject in each song!

This type of gig is difficult to encapsulate into a few words, but it is a great way to showcase the crème de la crème of Irish acts both signed and unsigned. Long may it continue!