Hardly the most unexpected of reunions, it was always understood that the Corr siblings simply took time out to raise families and to pursue solo projects. Still, they’ll always be associated with a confident, prosperous Ireland of the ’90s and with things tentatively looking up again they probably couldn’t have picked a better time for a comeback.
The years have been kind to them – in fact they all look amazingly youthful, almost frozen in time. Andrea, in particular, has lost none of her carefree demeanour as she jigs about the stage between verses, raising her arms like a ballerina at the microphone. Sharon’s always graceful violin is in contrast to Caroline’s impressive pounding on the drum-kit. Meanwhile, Jim switches between keyboards and guitar generally directing things along while long-time associates Anto Drennan on guitar and Keith Duffy on bass complete the line-up.
The songs don’t come across in any way dated and it’s easy to forgot just how many hits they’ve racked up. The crowds sing along unselfconsciously to early highlights including, ‘Give Me A Reason’, ‘Forgiven Not Forgotten’, ‘What Can I Do’ and a joy-filled ‘Radio’. The first of several trad interludes ‘Lough Erin Shore’/’Trout In The Bath’/‘Joy of Life’ might have a touch of Riverdance to it but the crowds love it while arguably their finest and certainly most popular tune ‘Runaway’ is beautifully performed, eliciting a mass sing-along.
Andrea stumbles momentarily on the lyrics of ‘Buachaill On Eirne’, jokes that she hopes her Irish teacher isn’t in the house, and rescues it to cheers of encouragement. The hits just kept on coming: ‘Love To Love You’, ‘Only When I Sleep’, ‘I Never Loved You Anyway’ , their hit version of Fleetwood Mac’s ‘Dreams’ and yet another huge crowd participation moment on ‘So Young’.
The title-track of the new album ‘White Light’ goes down well and they leave the ecstatic audience with the chugging power pop of ‘Breathless’ and long time concert favourite ‘Toss The Feathers’.

Colm O’Hare

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