Lir, Damien Dempsey and Republic Of Loose @ Vicar St, Dublin

You’d be hard pushed to get better bang for your buck in this city. The annual return of heroes old is one thing, but couple them with two of the country’s most exciting and original acts and you’ve got one of the potential home-grown gigs of the year.
First up are the Loose. Arriving on stage like the last gang in town, there’s a sense of heightened euphoria in pockets of the audience as to what Mick Pyro and co will have in store.
So it’s a surprise then that ‘Girl I’m Gonna Fuck You Up’ comes across as subdued as it does. Yet this is the Loose merely feeling the crowd out, and it isn’t long before ‘Comeback Girl’ and ‘You Know it’ set shoulders and feet in motion.
Though this newer material impacts well live, it lacks the attitude and punch of their sleazier, darker earlier tracks.
As rousing closer ‘Hold Up’ raises the roof (and steals the night), it’s clear what the audience prefer as well.
It’s also clear that a huge percentage of the audience are here for Damien Dempsey. Arriving on stage with full band in tow, the Donaghmeade man receives the biggest welcome of the night.
He’s on fine form. ‘Sing All Our Cares Away’ invites us to do just that, whilst ‘Hold Me’ showcases Dempsey’s softer side.
It’s when he’s tackling social and political issues however, that he’s at his best. ‘Colony’, in particular, has a resounding impact tonight and Dempsey’s growth as a performer is notable. He now exudes a palpable air of confidence.
Regardless of how fine the two “support” acts are, tonight, it’s said, is all about Lir. Yet by the time David McGuinness et al take to the stage, the show has well and truly been stolen.
As good as ‘Temple Child’, ‘Traveller’ and ‘Railroad’ are, they’re simply not on a par with what Damo and the Loose could pull from their hats.
Only once, on ‘There Are More Things’, do Lir come up with something to rival. That aside, tonight is an interesting reminder as to how influential Lir have been, particularly on Republic Of Loose. Mick Pyro’s crew certainly owe some of their funk to ‘Halcyon Days’ and ‘Railroad’. Let’s only hope that they aren’t making sporadic appearances like this in 10 years time.