Irish music showcase HWCH returned to Dublin city this fortnight, prompting many an excited music fan – your humble reporter included – to hotfoot it wildly from venue to venue, hoping to cram in as much as was humanly possible.
And there were many highlights. First to tickle Hot Press’ fancy was newcomer Kobina in the Twisted Pepper, whose slick hip hop and R&B set the Friday night tone nicely. To the Button Factory next, where I Have A Tribe captivated the hushed crowd with an intense and heartfelt performance - check out the sparse, piano-led ‘Monsoon’. Down the road in the New Theatre, electro duo Carriages delighted with a lovely merge of delicate acoustics and distorted vocals – definite ones to watch. And to yet another new venue – Bad Bob’s - where experimental, wild-haired folk rocker Myles Manley won us over with, among others, the very funky ‘Dog’. From there it was a race back to the Workman’s Club for much-hyped five-piece September Girls, who impressed with a scuzzy, ‘60s garage pop sound, before Hot Press headed home to rest her weary bones.
Fear ye not though, there’s plenty more where that came from! Alt. electro act Swords kicked Saturday off in the Workman’s with tracks from debut Lions & Gold; Diane Anglim’s soaring vocal adding to the three-piece’s already epic sound. In the Button Factory, multi-instrumentalist Benny Smiles’ funky bass got the cailiní to our right busting some moves – before he effortlessly segued into the dreamy beats of ‘Sunshine’, finishing up with some ‘80s-tastic synths.
Things then took a turn for the grimy - that’s a good thing! - in the Twisted Pepper, where Dublin/Tipperary garage duo Ghosts turned in HP’s favourite set of the weekend. Gritty beats and haunting vocal harmonies, teamed with some hypnotic visuals, made for an absolutely captivating performance. And the standard didn’t slip for the rest of the night; Dublin alt. rockers Come On Live Long made the chilly surroundings of Meeting House Square feel intimate with a typically epic, feelgood live show, before Tvvins, aka Cast Of Cheers’ Conor Adams and Lar Kaye of Adebisi Shank, took to Bad Bob’s stage for their first ever live show together. Judging by this performance, with Adams’ processed vocals set against ‘80s synth with wild drumming accompaniment, we’ll hear plenty more from them in the not too distant future. Until next year, #HWCH.