Lisa Hannigan at The Button Factory on 20th December 2011
Review: Ros Madigan
Photography: Paul Dowd
Hi-ho hi-ho, its off to another Lisa Hannigan gig I go. The reason for the cringe worthy introduction is down to the glorification of my second attendance of what soon will be my fourth time seeing this lady in a short amount of time. Ever since ‘Sea Sew’ was released in 2008, I have long awaited my arrival to one of Lisa Hannigan’s gigs. Mark down two attendances at The Button Factory, a date in Whelans and then Vicar St. in 2012 to top off my Lisa Hannigan groupie stint. I wouldn’t consider myself fanatical in any way but the opportunity to see such a talented performer ply her trade for such ridiculously low prices is an opportunity I will not miss.
So this was to be the second time in a mere 12 days I would venture to The Button Factory to see Lisa. One notable difference from the outset was that the Meteor crowd those 12 days previous were made up from competition winners, Meteor execs and Meteor phone customers. With James Vincent McMorrow on the bill also, their knowledge of Lisa and her songs were only average. On this night however, everyone was there to see Lisa and their roars as she stepped on the stage were vindication of this fact.
The atmosphere, as she begins with ‘Passenger’, is already 100% different to before. She also looks more comfortable as before, MUZU TV were streaming the event “all around the world”. Lisa continues to revel in the adoration of her fans as she picks up her banjo for the first time of the night, for ‘A Sail’. Her quick fingers and skills on the banjo soon become apparent. Not bad for someone who doesn’t even class herself as a great guitar player.
In a move that will become ever more frequent during the process of the night’s events, between songs, Lisa changes instruments. This time, the banjo is handed over and replaced for the first time by her trusty harmonium for ‘Ocean and a Rock’. The harmonium is an ever-present figure during Lisa’s shows ever since seeing Beck use one for his solo performance of ‘Nobody’s Fault’.
The album version of ‘O Sleep’ features Ray LaMontagne to stunning effect. The meteor gig seen James Vincent McMorrow deputise to mixed results. John Smith, this time around, takes up the accompanying mantle to breathtaking effect. His version, in my opinion, bettering that of the album version which is no easy feat. John stays on stage to accompany Lisa once more for ‘Little Bird’. The pairing combine with great aplomb as Lisa Hannigan sings the most sentimental lyrics of the night. This song is an intimate insight and ode to her past lover, Damien Rice. ‘Little Bird’ recently won the award of ‘Best Video of the Year’ at the IMTV awards. (You can see it here).
‘Safe Travels(Don’t Die)’ proves a crowd favourite as everyone sings along with Lisa as she sings the comical lyrics of the song. Oddly enough, when listening to this song on the album, her perfectly executed recorded voice draws you away from the funny lyrics. Live however, the comedy shines through as she leaves the crowd laughing with lyrics such as, “Don’t swallow bleach, out on Sandymount beach, I’m not sure I’d reach you in time…”.
Just a little over halfway through the show, Lisa picks up the pace as she performs ‘I Don’t Know’ and ‘What’ll I Do’, the two best songs from her 2008 debut ‘Sea Sew’ with the latter impressing enormously.
A lovely surprise was to follow as John Smith took to the mic to perform “something, they have never done before”. This something was to be a favorite of mine in the form of ‘Tonight You Belong To Me’, a magnificent song when performed correctly as a duo. The song is riddled with endless harmony opportunities, that when done properly are breathtaking. Considering this was the virginal performance of the song, they did it justice.
The night would be rounded off with ‘Home’ and then ‘Knots’. ‘Knots’ has been one of my favorite songs of the year and it was as special as ever on the night, a truly great way to end any gig. So with a beaming smile, I exited the venue, knowing my next Lisa Hannigan gig is only around the corner.
