Live report: Saint Sister bring The National Concert Hall to tears

Saint Sister have the incredible power to move people.

The band, made up of vocal powerhouses Morgan MacIntyre and Gemma Doherty, blend folk and electronic music with hints of Irish tradition. They met at Trinity College Dublin, and founded Saint Sister in 2014. The show was part of the National Concert Hall's series of gigs celebrating women in music. It marked the duo's return after a three year hiatus.

Alongside singing, MacIntyre operates the synths and drum pads, while Doherty plays the electric harp. During the performance, Saint Sister revisited their 2021 album Where I Should End, accompanied by members of Crash Ensemble, who featured prominently on the record.

Accompanied by three violas and a cello, the 'sisters' gave a performance full of joy and sensibility. The performance blended modernity of experimental electronic music with traditional folk.

'Causing Trouble' is a track that brings you to a different dimension. The nature-like sound of the arrangement would leave one feeling closer to earth. The harp, which sounds like soft rain or water splashing in a pond, beautifully lead the performance, while the string ensemble was like a breezy forest wind. It was the ideal accompaniment to Saint Sister's longing lyrics and emotional vocals.

The dim lighting and misty air in the National Concert Hall added to the mystical atmosphere. 'Dynamite' was reminiscent of different stages in a relationship; through the good and bad, up to its end. It draws imageries of expectation, denial, and self-discovery, accompanied by a magical and intimate string arrangement.

Before playing their debut single 'Madrid', MacIntyre explained its backstory, looking back at Saint Sister's beginnings.

"I was living with my auntie and uncle, as I couldn't afford to live in Dublin at the time, and that’s how I wrote this song..."

"We were such babies back then but we’re grown women now," she added.

When they performed 'Corpses', three white and yellow lights shined at them from above, making the performance look and sound like a heavenly, or religious experience. Their hypnotising harmonies charmed the entire crowd, bringing some to tears.

"I can see someone wiping their tears," said MacIntyre in between songs. "This feels good" she laughed.

Later into the show, Doherty switched to a piano, and MacIntyre to a bosca ceoil harmonium. The traditional Celtic instrument added some breathiness, heaviness, and a sense sorrow to the delicate sound of their voices.

'Manchester Air' joins extremely emotional and retrospective lyrics with rich sentimental instrumentals that seamlessly capture a unique moment in the story. Every verse paints picture of different places we're being taken to by the singers, leading us deeper into the scene. At the beginning we're at the back of a bike and later, we're in Manchester, breathing in the night that felt "so light in the air". Through their vocal storytelling, Saint Sister immersed the audience into a world of reflection and self-discovery, explored in Where I Should End.

"Now this is the last song before we do the thing," exclaimed the duo towards the end.

They performed an a cappella rendition of 'Dreams' by The Cranberries, which echoed off the walls of the National Concert Hall until the end of the show. Just like that, Saint Sister brought the audience to the finish line of this journey through a wide array of emotions; from joy to nostalgia, to laugh and tears.