- Music
- 03 Jul 12
I don’t know if any of it had a scintilla to do with peace, but the happy, friendly, dancing crowd thoroughly enjoyed themselves.
The Peace One Day concert in Derry is the first prelude to Peace Day, 21 September, which is being planned as a day of global truce. Iyt is at least a laudable thought.
Local band, The Wonder Villains, opened the show and were the surprise hit of the night. They do catchy indie-pop tunes and lead singer Eimear Coyle has a marvellously engaging voice and stage presence.
Guillemots were next up, and given their experience, you’d have expected a bit more vim. ‘Trains To Brazil’ was the high point, but for a great deal of their set, the band seemed content to play by rote. By contrast Newton Faulkner delivered a powerful and emotive set.
Pop starlet Pixie Lott would benefit by bringing a bit more personality to her performance. There is no denying she has a great voice, which shone particularly brightly during ‘Boys and Girls’, but it is all a little X Factor – enjoyable, but forgettable.
The highlight, inevitably, was Imelda May. Despite being seven months pregnant, she put on a brilliant, high-octane show, played the hits, and charmed the crowd between songs. I don’t know if any of it had a scintilla to do with peace, but the happy, friendly, dancing crowd thoroughly enjoyed themselves. Nothing wrong with that...