Live Report: Ruth Mac’s supercharged set for the Y&E Series

Despite relocating to Berlin, Galway born Ruth Mac has lately made strides in the Irish music industry. From the release of her debut EP Living Room in 2021, to securing support slots for acts such as Ye Vagabonds and Hot Chip, the indie artist has gone from strength to strength. Drawing influences from 70s folk to contemporary rock, Mac has garnered radio play from Dublin City FM, 8Radio and IndiePop Takeout.

Live from her bright and airy rehearsal space in Berlin, Mac was accompanied by her three piece band on Monday evening for a lively, eclectic set. As the band waved their hellos, the quartet wasted no time in kicking off with the first song of the evening, ‘Death of a Dog’. Released in 2021 as part of her debut EP Living Room, the track puts an uplifting spin on the difficult feelings that come with growing up and leaving your childhood home. Comparable to the likes of indie legends Big Thief and Wet Leg, one can only assume that the earthy vocals and catchy instrumentals were a hit with viewers at home.

Next up on the setlist was the unreleased track ‘Tutti Frutti’. With synth-pop undertones, the upbeat number showcased the expertise of the instrumentalists - without drawing attention away from Mac’s expertise vocals.

After taking a moment to introduce the band, Mac proceeded with her latest single, ‘Home from Home’. Released in October, the track provided a change in pace to the rest of the set. The mellow, R&B rhythm - paired with lyrics adorned with a profound sense of longing - showcased the artist's range as both a musician and songwriter.

Another track from the Living Room EP followed, with ‘Abundance’ as track number four of the evening. Starting off with a steady - almost melancholic rhythm; upbeat, soul-infused indie motifs took over as the chorus picked up. Bassist Nick Fox was animated at his post, while drummer Conall O’Maolan kept the beat and the energy high.

After taking an opportunity to thank Hot Press and the Department of Culture, Ruth Mac and her band introduced their final track of the evening. Another smooth - yet undeniably catchy - indie-rock number, ‘Guilty’ saw band member (and Ruth’s brother) Barra MacMahon swap out the keyboard for an acoustic guitar as he supported on vocals. After a spirited solo on her electric guitar, Mac’s buttery smooth vocals drew the set to a close.

 

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Catch the following Y&E acts in the coming days:

Friday 10th : Gary O'Neill
Emerging Kilkenny Songwriter Gary O’Neill has garnered great success with his EP To Those I’ve Missed, a body of work which explores the effects of the relationships with the ones that we love and admire. The first single from the project, ‘Petals’, caught the attention of Hot Press and various stations across the nation, including Tomorrow Radio, LMFM, FLIRT FM, Raidio Na Life and RTE 2XM. The singer has released multiple albums, since moving much of his material offline as he gears up to set out on a new musical journey.

Saturday 11th : Qbanaa
With a name springing from her Cuban heritage, Qbanaa is setting the Irish scene alight with her diverse gifts, made evident off-the-bat with her debut single 'Truth and Desire', which was nominated for 'Track of the Year' by Hot Press. Based in Dublin, she grew up travelling back and forth from Cuba where music and salsa dancing were integral parts of her childhood. Earning a reputation for incredible live performances, Qbanaa has founded the Soul Juice jazz/Soul open mic in Dashi Smithfield – with an ethos of building a community around the Jazz-fusion scene in Dublin.