Rudimental at the Olympia, Dublin

Rudimental at The Olympia Theatre, Dublin on Monday 10th of February 2014

As support act Bipolar Sunshine take to the stage in a half-empty Olympia Theatre, the charisma is enchanting. Bipolar Sunshine is a Manchester based solo artist called Adio Marchant, however he is joined on stage by a guitarist, a bassist and a drummer, which makes them seem more like a band than a solo act. As the room fills up the group come into their own. Marchant does not do too much interacting with the crowd, and when he does it’s hard to understand what he is saying. They have some very catchy and enjoyable songs, and they particularly impress with their gang vocals and harmonies, not to mention the fact that they all look very, very cool on stage.

As Rudimental take to the stage with a brass intro, the anticipation is sky high. Rudimental are a band that have a relatively confusing and loose line-up. They are essentially a four piece, who tour with different session musicians and singers. The singers vary from tour to tour but are often a different variation of the same few people. Tonight’s singers are Anne Marie, Bridgett Amofah and Thomas Jules. All three are exceptional singers whose vocals continue to impress throughout the concert. Not only do their voices shine, but every single member on stage is pouring out with charisma and stage presence.

One could (and many do) simply dismiss Rudimental as being a group that churn out club bangers and not much else, but their live show goes a long way towards proving  that  they, the four piece, along with their accompanying vocalists and musicians, are a lot more than that. They prove that they are showmen, performers and indeed – artists.

That being said, it is definitely their singles that get the biggest response from the crowd. Not Giving In gets a massive reaction, with just the crowd singing parts of it. It’s a beautiful performance. Similarly, when the crowd take the reins on the last few repetitions of the chorus of Feel The Love it’s hard not to get chills.

Tonight’s crowd are so loud and enthusiastic, while obscene amounts of jumping and dancing (both on stage and in the crowd) creates a great atmosphere in the venue. DJ Locksmith (acting as MC for the night) really helps get the crowd going, between getting everyone to crouch down on the ground to getting everyone to get on people’s shoulders (much to the dismay of security!)…

As well as the impressive vocals and stage presence of the group, the brass section steal the show many times during the night – with their charisma and their skill it’s hard to not notice them.

When Rudimental burst into choreographed dancing sequences for short periods of time during a couple songs, the band seem like they are having enormous fun. The crowd definitely are. Rudimental’s cool live performance proves that there is so much more to them than one might initially think, and that they deserve much more credit than they are sometimes given.

Rudimental Photo Gallery

Photos: Sean Conroy