THE STUNNING

THE STUNNING (Warwick Hotel, Salthill)

SO AFTER nearly eight years together, The Stunning have finally decided to call it a day. Trouble is, nobody’s quite sure exactly which day. I was here last night to see their “final” gig only to be told that they were playing again tonight (and this after their “last ever” gig at Féile a fortnight ago).

Everything that rises may eventually have to fall but The Stunning seem to be managing to hit a few branches of the money tree on their way down. Fair enough I suppose – rose-tinted shades ain’t as cheap as they used to be.

Anyhow, it’s as jammed and jolly as your typical Irish wake and to mark the occasion the management have installed television monitors by the bar so you won’t miss a second of it (not even if you want to). Film-maker Justin McCarthy and his crew are also buzzing around filming additional footage for a rockumentary about the band, undoubtedly pleased that they now have a conclusive ending.

Something Happens open the proceedings with a none-too-serious set of bastardised cover versions, taking in everything from Neil Young’s ‘Cinnamon Girl’ to the Village People’s ‘YMCA’. They even do a cheeky version of ‘Brewing Up A Storm’, just to remind us why we’re all here.

To give credit where it’s due, while they may have slightly overplayed their swansong, The Stunning certainly haven’t spared any expense as regards putting on a decent show, if the plethora of lights bending in the ceiling are anything to go by (the sound rig looks like it could hold its own in a mid-sized football stadium as well). Still, I guess if you’re gonna bury something then you dress it in its best clothes. The plan is obviously to go out in style.

And it works. Probably relieved to be getting out of it, The Stunning play with such polished enthusiasm that even their MOR songs (of which they have more than their fair share) sound great. ‘December Sky’ (with which they open the show) has never sounded crisper, ‘Romeo’s On Fire’ has never sounded hotter, ‘Heads Are Gonna Roll’ has never rolled more heads, etc. etc.

Predictably enough, the audience come in unison at the end of each number. The Stunning have always been crowd pleasers, substituting an air of menace or any kind of musical innovation for safe, radio friendly pop. The coroner’s report will probably show this to be the cause of death.

Special guests include Brendan O’Regan who joins the band for ‘The Hurt Inside’ and actor Frankie McCafferty who performs a number entitled ‘I’m Frank Pop’ (the theme song to a film he recently completed with Joe Wall). For the encore we get the superb ‘Half Past Two’ and ‘Brewing Up A Storm’ – two of their shiniest moments. And then it’s over.

The Stunning. When they were good they were very, very good but when they were bad it was unforgivable. R.I.P. I’ll see y’all at the Christmas reunion.

• Olaf Tyaransen