Windings kicked off the Dublin date of the Certain Three Tour with a stellar rendition of ‘Apologia’. Steve Ryan and his talented troupe won our hearts with a selection of diverse gems from the Noel Hogan-produced long-player It’s Never Night which commendably showcased their musical dexterity. Highlights included the beguiling acoustic bliss of ‘Old Like J’ and the Wilco-esque country rock stylings (married with exquisite pop sensibilities) of ‘Brain Fluid’.
Next up were Dublin duo We Cut Corners who effortlessly succeed in achieving mind-blowing brilliance with a collection of clever, highly-charged, emotional tracks that will hopefully be available to us humble worshippers in album form soon. Since winning the JD Set in 2010 the band have evolved into one of the most compelling acts currently peddling their wares on these shores. From the raw intensity of ‘Poster Child’, to the excrutiating beauty of ‘Pirate’s Life’ and the unbridled power of ‘Go Easy’ (YouTube it!), their set was just about flawless.
Closing proceedings were Meath/Dublin combo The Ambience Affair who charmed with their indie acoustic blend of samples, loops and shimmering guitar. The clap-o-meter went crazy for the lush sonic layers and intense vocal delivery of ‘Devil In Detail’, the urgent yet delicate acoustic melodies of ‘Fragile Things’ and the sparkling guitar and pounding drums of ‘Parting Patterns’. Sublime.