Nosowska, Maria Peszek and Brodka – Stargaze at The Helix, Dublin, 9th of March 2014

Kasia Nosowska, Maria Peszek and Monica Brodka showcase a varied set of Polish music in Dublin. Much to the bewilderment of the largely older demographic turning up to see Finbar Wright, also performing at the venue on Sunday night, about a thousand of Dublin’s strong Polish community are queuing out the front door to see three diverse acts who travelled here from their native country.

42 year old Nosowska begins the night with a bass heavy set, that has many in the crowd pulling vector gestures. It is a mix of alternative rock and electro house music, with Nosowska’s relatively light voice adding mellow tone. With the notable exception of a cover of David Bowie’s Let’s Dance, her set doesn’t lend itself to dancing, but her fans maintain that she is the most skilled musician of the night.

Next to take the stage is exuberant Maria Peszek, who spends just under an hour running around the stage, kicking her legs and jumping up and down. Peszek also uses electronic sounds and reverb throughout her tunes, but her performance is particularly crowd pleasing, as she often shows the microphone to the crowd who gladly sing the Polish lyrics. There is an echo ’90s pop music, as if Gwen Stefani was the lead singer of Rage Against the Machine, though with an extra hint of zaniness. In the past her songs caused controversy for criticising religion and dealing with nervous breakdown but there are no objectors in this crowd as she is enthusiastically received.

The final act to take to the stage is Monica Brodka, a winner of Polish Pop Idol in 2004. Her set indulges in the ambient end of electronic music and her performance is relatively subdued, which perfectly contrasts the previous acts, as well as suiting the late hour as we approach midnight. Although the members of the crowd who preferred the earlier heavy music begin to depart, Brodka certainly delivers the most foot-tapping music of the night, exemplifying the latest developments in Polish pop.

A concert with such a degree of variation results in a slightly disjointed night for the eager musician, but the almost entirely Polish audience isn’t complaining, who enjoy the eclectic mix of alternative rock and electro-pop from their native country.