REVIEW: Hail the Ghost in Whelan’s

If Kieran O’Reilly had any nerves going into his first ever live performance with new indie-rock group Hail the Ghost, his venerable acting skills (exercised on Love/Hate) were on full display. You’d be forgiven for thinking they’re a band that’s been on the road for years.
But O’Reilly wouldn’t let the audience forget that this was gig number one, often bringing it up for self-deprecating laughs, but in a way that could also be interpreted as a boast. “Yes, this is our first ever show, and yes, we are already this good.”
Any of the hiccups or flubs you might expect from any band’s first gig were absent as Hail the Ghost delivered a comprehensive set of their chilled-out, atmospheric indie rock to a fuller audience than O’Reilly claimed to expect.
The detective turned musician turned actor turned musician again makes for an interesting front man, with his shoulders often hunched and eyes downcast, clutching the mic and cord with two hands while bobbing and swaying to the beat in a manner similar to Leonard Cohen, fully absorbed in the music. His baritone voice lands somewhere between the aforementioned and Lou Reed in its everyman cool, casual delivery and sounded right at home among the dreamy textures his five-piece band created, as it does on debut LP Forsaken.  
One of the clear standout moments came towards the end in the form of ‘White Heart,’ one of the most powerful songs in the group’s limited catalogue that O’Reilly wrote about the bond between a close friend and his now deceased mother. The band pulled all the stops in a passionate climax that saw O’Reilly leave the stage and lead the crowd in the fervently belted chorus, an experience no one in attendance will soon forget, capped off with a wink.
“It’s decided, the next album is going to be more upbeat,” O’Reilly said to laughs as soon as the applause died down. That as fiery a moment came just after a subdued, stripped down take on The Cure’s ‘Lovesong’ signifies the dynamic strength of the band and a confidence that belies their newcomer status.
O’Reilly charmed between songs, wishing the crowd a happy Holy Thursday several times and expressing clear gratitude for the support he and the band were getting. It’s no small feat to have more than one audience sing-along in your first gig and O’Reilly and the others in the band seemed genuinely surprised and pleased to hear the encouragement. As big a group as it was that filled up Whelan’s on Thursday night, one can safely conclude that there’ll only be more coming in the future. Hail the Ghost left a strong first impression.
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