Republic Of Loose vocalist Mick Pyro is standing at the front of the stage in Whelan’s, leaning precariously to the left. Sporting a ‘Suck me suck me eat me raw’ T Shirt and a barnet that hasn’t been washed or cut since 1996, he clutches the mic like it possesses some great gravitational power before declaring, “I knew I shouldn’t have drank before this gig”.
Famous last words, you may say. Yet another fledgling rock band pissing it up the wall and diving headfirst into hedonism before they’ve even released an album. Sod that. And in most cases you’d probably be right. However, despite the inebriation, tonight’s sell-out gig goes a long way in justifying Republic Of Loose’s recent acclaim (which includes coming up trumps as the 7th most promising Irish band in the hotpress readers’ poll), if not their ability to function under the influence.
‘Slow Down’, a gently paced, soulful number with choral four part harmonies sounds majestic, and ‘Goofy Love’ makes very effective use of live hip hop style beats, simple piano hooks and heavy bass, while Mr Pyro performs s vocal aerobics over the top. But the jewel in tonight’s performance is undoubtedly the bands most reputed and quietly infamous track, ‘Girl I’m Gonna Fuck You Up’ – a song built around one of those all too rare, dark, sexy grooves; so spinetingling-ly addictive that you need to hear it again right now; a Brad-Pitt-in-Fight-Club moment, awesome in its intensity. The song itself does go a bit AWOL in the ‘La la la’ breakdown for my taste, but the second the guitar kicks in again on the final lap, such minor diversions are immediately forgiven.
It has to be said, however, that there are still a few cracks in the woodwork – namely, Mick’s increasingly elaborate (and, without being pedantic, largely mis-pitched) Mariah Carey-isms – unfortunate blemishes on an otherwise accomplished vocal repertoire. Still, the overall sense is one of great promise, cemented somewhat by tonight’s palpably impressed crowd. Don’t let this band pass you by.