Live Report: Garron Noone and Dermot Kennedy make guest appearances as Luke Combs kicks off historic double-header in Slane Castle

Tonight marks a new chapter for Slane. The first concert since the death of its founder and organiser, Lord Henry Mountcharles, also brought the venue its first country headliner.

The hill once belonged exclusively to rock and roll royalty. Thin Lizzy headlined its inaugural event in 1981 before The Rolling Stones, U2, Bob Dylan, Bruce Springsteen and Queen took the stage in successive years.

Today, the fringe jackets, cowboy hats and knee-high boots may make Slane look different, but the sea of bodies that spans the slope down towards the River Boyne makes it feel no less crowded, and the sense of occasion no less grand.

Fireworks, swallowed by the afternoon brightness, and the 12-bar blues riff of ‘My Kinda Saturday Night ’, open the show. The track is a rocked-up country number, exemplary of Combs' discography. It has a jangly guitar intro reminiscent of ‘Surf Jam’ by the Beach Boys, combined with country-style vocals and a catchy pop-melody chorus.

This kicks off an opening sequence of hits. Combs follows up with the electronic-percussion-backed pop ballad ‘Hurricane’ and the warming, soft-rock hues of ‘Sleepless in a Hotel Room’. The latter provokes tens of thousands of sweeping arms to create a waving motion in front of the stage.

Next is a sling of slower songs like ‘Rethink Some Things', ‘Forever After All’ and 'Better Together’, which, admittedly, don’t have the same command. While the screens reveal a number of fans hugging or on shoulders, singing every word in the front-standing section, the mellow tracks fail to grasp the upper tier. Perhaps the soft arrangements and intimate feelings these tracks emit fail to grab hold when Combs is hundreds of metres away.

He wins back the audience with some classic covers. The tunes are hand-picked by the band members and for each one, the boys receive an NFL-style announcement of their name, hometown and instrument from Luke Combs. ‘She Will Be Loved’ prompts the seating sections to rediscover their singing voices, and the iconic ‘Billie Jean’ brings some energy back to the ground.

In the closing section, Combs hits his stride. ‘1, 2 Many’ was bound to get the crowd going anyway, but the crowd goes into a frenzy as Garron Noone emerges on stage during a musical interlude, clad in a Mayo jersey and downing a pint of Guinness.

After an encore, the beautiful string arrangement and lyrics of Tracy Chapman’s 'Fast Car' woo Slane Castle. The track played a significant part in Combs' crossover into the mainstream, hitting no.2 on the Billboard Hot 200 in 2023. The arrangement is identical to the original, only with a twangy, southern accent substituted for the husky and soulful voice of Chapman.

‘Ain't No Love in Oklahoma' gives the night its flash-finish. The fireworks that were blunted by the late evening brightness finally shine bright. The glows of red, orange and white contrast the darkness of the night sky as the gritty guitar riff and rock drums provoke a massive dance along. Then, Dermot Kennedy appears on stage to help Combs sing the final chorus, causing the few early-leavers to turn back on their heels to catch a glimpse.

While Combs acknowledged the size of the crowd and his love for Ireland. He never explicitly talked about the significance of his appearance at Slane Castle itself. A double-header from a country artist is a real indication of what sort of music is being consumed en-masse in Ireland right now.