Music/News: 18 Jun 2009
The Hot Press Newsdesk

The Duckworth Lewis Method make live debut

The Duckworth Lewis Method – alias The Divine Comedy’s Neil Hannon and Pugwash mainman Thomas Walsh – chose the Hot Press Yearbook launch to make their live debut.

The launch took place in Dublin’s Sugar Club on Wednesday.

Despite professing to being as “nervous as sin” beforehand, the chaps, who were joined on guitar by Tosh from Saville, were in top form as they belted out three of the songs (‘Gentleman And Players’, ‘Meeting Mr. Miandad’ and ‘The Age Of Revolution') from their upcoming cricket album.

“I’d already heard a lot of the record, so I was aware just how good it is, but it was great to see The Duckworth Lewis Method live,” enthuses HP editor Niall Stokes. “Even in unplugged mode they were brilliant. There are elements of humour and pastiche in there, but fundamentally this is great pop music. They could have one of the surprise hits of the summer. Neil’s been there before, of course – but no one deserves it more than Thomas Walsh who is a brilliant, too long unrecognised talent.”

Gig completed, it was back to the UK for another bout of album plugging duties, and a spot of dinner in Swindon with XTC legend and arch-Duckworth Lewis Method fan Andy Partridge.

Next up for the Duckies is an appearance on the season opener of RTÉ One’s Saturday Night With Miriam on June 20.

Also wetting the Yearbook’s head in style at The Sugar Club were The Might Stef, Villagers and Jerry Fish & The Mudbug Club whose extraordinary performance had people (literally) dancing on tables.

We'll have a full report on what went down in our next issue, an Oxegen special, which is out on July 2.