Next up, The Cast of Cheers are on a mission to tear the place apart. To huge acclaim, they inject a stripped down rhythmic savagery into every track, backed up by barely controlled screaming vocals. Conor and Neil Adams display some deceptively casual guitar mastery which should be at odds with this raw punk energy – but isn’t.
Drummer Kev Curran reduces himself to a frenetic blur of pure rhythm throughout, particularly on ‘Deceptapunk’ and ‘Auricon’. Meanwhile John Higgins on bass seems to quietly hold it all together. Overheard soundbite from random punter: “It’s experimental without disappearing up its own hole”. Indeed.
Galway based Blasterbra continue with their brand of hook–laden hard rock. It’s a touch PJ Harvey and none the worse for it. Anna McCarthy leads from the front with attitude, nailing ‘My Sweetheart’ from their debut EP.
Disconnect4 are also from the west and wear their left of centre ‘80s influences proudly. Leon Butler on vocals and synth is a fantastic frontman. And when, on ‘Modern Love’, band and crowd explode into action, they seem only a hook, a riff, a half-chance away from the next level.
Adebisi Shank may already be there. Holy shock and awe, Batman, this is intense. Like war, but louder. Masked bassist Vinny throws shapes and ideas into the mix while guitarist Lar dances over banks of effects pedals. Fans stream out for air after the set. Aided by free pouring tequila and genuine ability,
Lost Chord haul them back in to hear the superb, ‘Cheats’. This tune makes me want to grab strangers and force headphones onto them. Singing from behind a curtain of hair, Dave Phelan clearly loves his work. This band has genre-spanning ability in spades and they close this raucous annual celebration of freewheeling invention and summer vibes in style.
John Donnellan