To my mind, The Corrs are the subject of one of Irish music’s great mysteries. They seem to be one of those bands that nobody ever claims to be an ardent fan of, yet somehow they have sold over 80 million records worldwide.
Tonight, the secret record buyers are assembled in the Point for a sold-out show, eager to sample the band’s unique brand of bracing pop music. It’s pretty easy to see from their stage band how The Corrs have evolved from pub band innocents to a super-stellar pop phenomenon. Though their earlier material was almost twee in its leanings, they have returned with a sound that is grander in vision and certainly more confident. Andrea Corr appears to be wholly at ease with her status as Celtic sex-bomb as she skips about the stage as though it were some kind of faery ring.
Crucially, the Corrs are rather generous with an extensive playback of their back catalogue. Material from the new album barely gets a look-in amid crowd-pleasing airings of overexposed singles like ‘Dreams’, ‘Runaway’, and ‘What Can I Do’.
The night wasn’t without its pleasant surprises however; although collaborator Bono was nowhere in sight, the band went ahead with a rousing version of Ryan Adam’s ‘Stars Go Blue’ while Sharon and Caroline mesmerised with an arresting version of Mary Black’s ‘No Frontiers’ (it seems as though Caroline has picked up a cult following behind the others’ backs, if the audience reaction is anything to go by).
It’s certainly plain to see how their teaming of sentimental, wide-eyed AOR and neo-trad power choruses is a hit with the audience, and they are indisputably talented, yet there is still something about the Corrs that strikes me as somewhat bloodless. Perhaps it’s me, for I haven’t seen an audience in the Point so animated and enthusiastic in ages.