Lime Cordiale played Dublin's 3Olympia Theatre last night, giving an energetic and punchy performance to an enthusiastic crowd. They were supported by fellow Aussie band Teenage Dad, who also offered a memorable set and warmed up the excitable audience.

A crowd well lathered up on drink (with the average age of someone barely eligible to do so in the USA), returned the bands boundless energy the whole night, right up until the very last song. Despite the odd over 40 sprinkled into the crowd, most of Lime Cordiale’s audience appeared to be Celtic Tiger babies, growing into adulthood as Lime Cordiale have grown into the limelight in the last few years.

Lime Cordiale at 3Olympia Theatre. May 16th 2023. Copyright Miguel Ruiz.

The band, first formed in 2009 by brothers Louis and Oli Lembach, played 17 songs to receptive gig-goers; performing for almost 90 minutes. The band performing also included James Jennings on the drums, Felix Bornholdt on the keys, and Nicholas Polovineo on bass and trombone. Both Oli and Louis played lead guitars, while Oli made use of a clarinet on several occasions, and Louis played his trumpet, as well as a kazoo on No Plans to Make Plans.

Thus far in their career, the pop rockers have released two studio albums, Permanent Vacation, in 2017, and 14 Steps to a Better You, in 2020. Both albums received both critical and popular acclaim. Their set included a healthy mix of songs from both, as well as new singles such as Colin, Country club and Facts of Life, and songs from their various EPs. Last night also included a performance of Divinyls iconic I Touch Myself, now a staple of the band’s live performances, as well as a performance of Thin Lizzy’s The Boys Are Back In Town.

A nod to the city hosting them and a child of that city Phil Lynott, the group's cover of the hit track was met with rapturous applause and belted out by everyone in the audience. A tune I’m more familiar with hearing in Croke Park after Dublin won the All Ireland, it was a cover no one expected to hear. Needless to say, the moment brought the whole venue to its feet.

Lime Cordiale at 3Olympia Theatre. May 16th 2023. Copyright Miguel Ruiz.

Every band member sported a spectacular haircut; each one as impressive in its length and volume. How keyboard player, Felix, could see his own keys through his dark droopy locks I will never know. While their haircuts may have suggested a devil may care attitude to how they looked, their well kept facial hair suggested this was not the case. Dressed not unlike five lads you might see licking Rizla strips in the Workman’s Club smoking area, they sported oversized sports coats and baggy trousers over tight skinny t-shirts and tank tops.

Lead vocalist Louis wore a trench coat under a top-buttoned shirt. By midway through their set, the floor smelled of sweat from the heat in the venue, so I can only imagine how hot he must have felt under that collar. With his ragged haircut, and the grin of a man who knows how attractive he looks behind a microphone, he would put you in mind of a slightly bonier Van McCann. An audience member beside me saw a closer resemblance to Jay from The Inbetweeners, hence dubbing the Aussie band ‘The Indiebetweeners’. Though not an entirely inaccurate nickname for the band, I would say their music, and especially Louis’ unique vocals, puts them aside from what you would imagine a generic indie rock band sounded like.

Lime Cordiale at 3Olympia Theatre. May 16th 2023. Copyright Miguel Ruiz.

Fellow lead Oli was the band’s main instigator with the crowd. The most excitable of the five on stage, Oli bounced around the 3Olympia for the whole show, at one point leaping into the crowd to dance with encapsulated fans who were lucky or unlucky enough to find themselves in his way. Originally wearing a large overcoat, he was the first band member to succumb to the heat in the intimate Dame Street venue, ridding himself of the coat before the fifth song had even started. The two Lembach brothers were both fantastic showmen, giving the crowd good value for their €26.90 tickets, with two front men for the price of one.

The band’s first song got the crowd going immediately, with the popular 'Money' exciting the band’s young audience, and getting a great reception at the chorus. Followed by 'Naturally', 'Can I Be Your Lover' and 'On Our Own', they were well in their groove. After Oli demanded the crowd live up to their previous Irish audiences, the venue erupted with cheers and applause, as well as the night’s first rendition of 'Ole Ole Ole'. The band had their Dublin crowd in the palms of their hands.

Lime Cordiale at 3Olympia Theatre. May 16th 2023. Copyright Miguel Ruiz.

They then played new singles 'Facts Of Life' and 'Country Club', two of their best performed songs of the night. The tracks, perhaps because the band have not played them a hundred times already, were fresh and vibrant, keeping the crowd moving and grooving.

This was followed by Permanent Vacation’s 'Risky Love', and 'Hanging Upside Down' from their 2015 EP. The loudest reception of the night was then received by the band, when Oli announced the man on the keys, Felix, had recently acquired an Irish passport. After a ‘One Of Us’ chant, and a short 'Ole Ole Ole', the band went straight into 'The Boys Are Back In Town', to which the venue went decidedly berserk. No doubt the highlight of the night for most, the band's cover of the iconic tune had their audience at their most rambunctious, and the whole floor bounced to every note.

After the 3Olympia took a collective breath, Lime Cordiale went into 'No Plans To Make Plans' and 'Not That Easy', at which point Oli jumped into the crowd as the band got the concert-goers to salsa dance with them. They then played their now iconic cover of 'I Touch Myself'. Before a short interval, the band then delivered renditions of 'Inappropriate Behaviour', and new single, 'Colin'. The former, a fan favourite, would put you ever so slightly in mind of Wheatus’ classic 'Teenage Dirtbag'.

Lime Cordiale at 3Olympia Theatre. May 16th 2023. Copyright Miguel Ruiz.

The crowd barely had time to start a boisterous rendition of ‘One More Tune’, before brothers Oli and Louis returned to the stage. Teasing his audience, Oli thanked them for their Ole Ole’s, which he joked were a dedication to him. He then divided the audience into cheers and boos for both him and his brother, as well as jeering a few unfortunate audience members perched in the upper balconies. The Lembach brothers then sang an acoustic version of their 2016 single, 'Waking Up Easy', before bringing the whole band back on stage for the last two songs.

'Temper Temper', their most popular song, got an already excited crowd bouncing an inch higher, with the whole venue singing every word of the iconic indie pop tune. They closed out their show with another fan favourite, 'Robbery,' from their most recent album. The band exited the stage after playing for almost 90 minutes, met with ecstatic applause by a crowd disappointed to see them go, before being saluted with one more ‘Ole Ole Ole’.