With the long-awaited follow-up to his ‘99 debut Amen (So Be It) promised later this year, it might have seemed a tad strange that Paddy Casey should choose such a prestigious hometown headliner with little new to promote. That he managed to fill the recently extended Thomas St. venue to capacity is a testament to the enduring popularity of the singer-songwriter.
Looking healthier and less cherubic than he has appeared in the past, a beaming Casey opened with the sublime, ‘Sweet Suburban Sky’, a popular choice given the shrieks of recognition that greeted it. The song, which succinctly defines his now well-established troubadour persona, has worn well since we first heard it and his reading is as impassioned as ever. Joined by a rhythm section beefing up the sound considerably, he proceeded to play most of Amen – with no complaints from the crowd. Highlights included the wonderful ‘Fear’, an energetic ‘Whatever Gets You True’ and a poignant. ‘Can’t Take That Away’. The biggest cheer of the night however came with the opening chords of his best-known number, ‘Everybody Wants’. Meanwhile, ‘Family Tree’ – one of the new numbers – sees him leaning towards a more soulful, funky direction, a development which should pose an interesting challenge to his loyal fans.