It may be over an hour later than scheduled, but when Third Smoke take to the stage, channelling The White Stripes, it’s like a shot of caffeine. Third Smoke specialise in plenty of energy and exciting changes of tempo, plus singer Hugh Donlon’s voice has shades of Johnny Cash about it. The new single, ‘People Are Messy’ is a delight and their cover of Foster The People’s ‘Pumped Up Kicks’ knocks the original into a cocked hat.
The Curtain Thieves are altogether a more polished outfit. Sticking mostly to the four-chord formula, The Curtain Thieves are excellent at what they do, but compared to the diamond in the rough that is Third Smoke, they sound a little safe. It’s regulation indie, which is a pity because when they deploy a dirtier, funkier sound and some swagger, it stands them well.
The big draw of the night The Kanyu Tree. It’s hard not to like The Kanyu Tree: they are just so damned joyous so it’s no surprise they used to be called The Cheerful. Live, the Galway band’s ‘80s pop influence is all the more striking. This is pure pop heaven. The student bar may be bleak, and at this stage the crowd is verging on messy, but The Kanyu Tree bring a bit of magic to the proceedings. ‘Slow’ is particularly lovely as is ‘Radio’. The band is tight, the vocals lovely and rich and The Kanyu Tree have the performance nous of a much more experienced outfit. World domination can only be a matter of time.