GrooveLine headlined Dublin's Whelan’s main stage on Tuesday, supported by opening acts Avenue 68 and burnchurch.

Immediately, the lead singer of Avenue 68 filled the room with her buttery, R&B vocals. Lost in a world of her own, she commanded the stage with ease. Fog bathed the audience in time with a melodic bassline and dreamy guitar.

Their single ‘Saffron,’ released earlier this month, was a definite stand out. Each component of the band worked in clear harmony, complimented best by their singer’s vocal prowess.

“Thanks for Whelan’s for having us, GrooveLine for letting us support you guys, and burnchurch is on next, and they are class,” she said before leaving the stage. “Thanks for coming!”

Avenue 68 aupporting GrooveLine at Whelans on April 29th, 2025. Copyright Abigail Ring/ hotpress.com

burnchurch, a family band from Kilkenny, blended trad and blues with pop/rock. Their range of instruments included the fiddle, two keyboards, the flute, drums and uileann pipes. All of them but the drummer contributed to their vocals, creating a dynamic, layered sound.

"Thank you so very, very much," said Éanna on vocals and keys. "We're gonna hope you have a great half an hour with us now before we welcome the stars of tonight, GrooveLine to the stage... This is 'Don't You Look Back.'"

The song featured booming drums and bright, starry keys. The anthemic track touched on themes of loss and strained personal connections. Eventually, Éanna relinquished his role of lead vocalist to his sister Síofra. Gripping the mic with confidence, she prowled across stage with a thick, commanding voice.

"The voice of an angel!" he told the crowd.

The group leaned heavily into trad influences, exciting the audience who danced like mad. The energy was high, and fans were clearly eager for the headline act to arrive.

burnchuch supporting GrooveLine at Whelans on April 29th, 2025. Copyright Abigail Ring/ hotpress.com

GrooveLine kicked off their set with an intoxicating energy straight from the jump. Opening up with their 2024 track 'Let Loose Let Go,' the fast-paced song sent the audience into an immediate frenzy. Evan Gerry set the tone with his killer performance on the saxophone, never missing a beat. The band incorporated funk and jazz with old-school rap and trad, blending each genre with ease.

Tarach Ó Snodaigh's vocals complimented the instrumentals beautifully, riding the beat and descending into a growling splendor. They began covering Stardust's 'Music Sounds Better With You,' making the song uniquely their own. The venue quickly heated up as fans danced wildly.

"What the fuck!" shouted Snodaigh. "Who here's sweating? Are you ready to get more sweaty?"

Cian Sweeney swapped his keyboard for a fiddle, as Snodaigh led the crowd in chanting "Free, free Palestine!" Flashing blue and green lights strobed the audience while Gerry let loose on vocals. Their entire performance felt like a well-oiled machine: extremely fast, but still tight and clean. Snodaigh urged fans to lock arms with their neighbors and dance along.

GrooveLine at Whelans on April 29th, 2025. Copyright Abigail Ring/ hotpress.com

Their next song, 'Maze,' was released in May of 2023. The jazzy track reflects on the ashes of a past relationship, filled with fiery angst. Fans clapped along to the beat as Gerry continued to kill it on the saxophone, adding a dynamic element to each new song. The man went absolutely wild, inviting the crowd to whistle and holler in celebration.

"Hey, so we're gonna play you a new one, thank fuck," said Snodaigh. "So we created this one around two weeks ago. It's still pretty rusty."

Personally, I would describe the track as anything but. Fast-paced drums and a groovy saxophone complimented Snodaigh's voice wonderfully, as he transitioned with ease from singing to rapping. Fans chanted "Take your shirt off!" in time with the beat as temperatures rose. Eventually, nearly the entire band obliged, save for their drummer Bronwyn Kirwan and guitarist Matthew Connolly.

Deeper into their set, the band brought the bottom half of a mannequin on stage. Taped to the crotch appeared to be the face of right-wing UK politician, Nigel Farage. Snodaigh passed the figure into the audience, smacking it's behind before discarding it backstage.

The crowd by this point was hysterical, lost in a vicious, churning mosh. Snodaigh joined in for a bit himself, delving into the audience. Back on stage, he urged fans to part down the middle.

"The person across from you is your fucking enemy!" he instructed, before fans collided wildly into one another.

The band couldn't end the night without performing their new single, 'Let It Rip.' The track expertly incorporated jazz and rap influences, creating a funky sound that kept the audience hooked. Together, the group carried a certain groove that simply commanded the room to dance.

With high intensity and a fast grip on the crowd, GrooveLine ignited Whelan's– and made it look easy. 

See the full photo gallery here.