Kimono

Kimono is the collective name for an experiment by Anne Scott, Alice Jago and Margaret Healy – three of Dublin’s finest singer/songwriters in their own right who tonight try their hand at playing as a unit. The chief similarity is that each has a quietly powerful style, capable of delivering a deeply atmospheric performance. Although they risk disturbing the natural flow of things by alternating songs, swapping instruments and taking turns at centre stage, the warm, relaxed, if occasionally spiky dynamic between the three friends makes for an interesting gig.

They start with one of Anne’s strongest songs ‘Pebble Strand,’ an exquisitely mournful yet lilting tune, then continue through the night taking the central mic in turn. Margaret evokes the electronic touch she incorporated on her debut album And You Are? with keyboards and minidisc samples. It seems that while a lone voice suits the strong melancholic vein that runs through all of the songs, a fuller sound and backing vocals add an indefinable something, supplying a warm lift to deeper, heavier songs like Alice’s ‘Born Stubborn.’

All three far are more relaxed and vocally confident than I’ve heard them solo, although that might have something to do with this gig coming on the back of their recent residency in the International as much as the strength in numbers factor. Throughout the night a friendly rivalry is brought to bear with some playful sabotage inserted during each other’s numbers and frequent jokes that it’s the last time they’ll ever play together.

Hopefully they’re kidding, since the results of this experiment prove it’s a very good idea indeed.