Indie four-piece The Jezabels are already well-established in their native Australia, having released a number of EPs before last year’s critically-acclaimed debut album, Prisoner. Word has spread to the Emerald Isle though, with an appearance at last year’s Electric Picnic whetting many an Irish musical appetite. Tonight, the band are headlining their very own sold-out Button Factory show.
Lead singer Hayley Mary and her bandmates emerge on stage and take the brave step of kicking off with their biggest hit, the excellent ‘Endless Summer’. An unusual move, but this crowd doesn’t mind; as the set progresses, the quality of the performance seldom wavers. An enigmatic frontwoman, Mary says no more than the briefest of ‘thank you all for comings’, yet has fans captivated throughout. With a voice that glides effortlessly from sultry Pat Benatar to wild Kate Bush, clad in black and dancing wildly, she is what might happen if ‘80s power pop somehow had a lovechild with noughties hipster cool.
Highlights include the aforementioned indie pop anthem ‘Endless Summer’, ‘Mace Spray’ and the epic, synthy ‘Deep Wide Ocean’, all of which showcase that amazing voice. A bit of chit-chat mightn’t have gone astray – but what Mary lacks in banter, she makes up for in song. Expect to see more of The Jezabels...