The JD Set Live at Whelan's, Dublin

Belfast electro trio Cutaways ushered in the Dublin heat of the JD Set 2010 with a delectable smattering of indie pop boisterousness. Their buoyant performance was primarily culled from 2009’s lauded confection Earth And Earthly Things, ‘Lover Are Lunatics’ being a particularly noteworthy highlight, the contrasting boy/girl vocals of guitarist Paul McIver and keyboard player Grace McMahon giving an added dimension to the infectious angular melodies.
Next up were Mail Order Messiahs who proclaimed themselves to be “the thinking person’s John and Edward”, their varied set comprised ambient, electro and acoustic numbers. Dar Fahy’s confident vocal and Mike Laffey’s versatile guitar proved to be a compelling combination.
Lady Doll took to the stage next with a sublime dose of noir rock from their excellent The Knife Thrower And His Wife album, which saw them emerge as the night’s victors. Finn Sedas’ commanding vocal veers from Frank Black howl to Brian Molko whine as he stares out at the audience from behind his piano. Their alt-rock stylings incorporate grunge, folk and gypsy elements and frequently doffs a cap to Nick Cave and his ilk. Inspired composition and accomplished playing make the live show an unmissable experience.
Indie quintet The Dirty 9s rounded off the evening with a blast of water-tight nuggets from current record Stop Screaming, Start Dreaming. Their slick hook-laden guitar pop induced much toe-tapping and tripping of the light fantastic. Stellar stuff.