The quiet Dublin suburb of Rathmines recently hosted a collection of freaks, ghouls, and casually dressed punters who descended upon Slattery’s for the ‘Hallowe’en Bawl’.
Young turks, Sornjojets dressed well for the occasion — featuring a bassist in a banana costume — and began the gig in a lively fashion with their guitar-driven instrumentals. One of the highlights of the set was a number entitled ‘High School Testicle’, the band showcasing impressive musicianship and explosive tunes throughout. However, in an Irish music scene populated with notable instrumental groups – Redneck Manifesto, Adebisi Shank, ASIWYFA, etc. — I felt Sornojets lacked a distinctive sound of their own, despite the musical pyrotechnics they produced. Nonetheless, it was a promising performance and this band has time yet to find its own voice.
Next up came I Am A Car Crash, a three-piece group from Dublin, specialising in energetic alt-rock songs filled with melodic hooks. The idiosyncratic lyrics and self-deprecating on-stage persona of singer JD combined well with the band’s tight musical interplay, and the ghoulish crowd were treated to a well-paced set filled with quality tuneage. This group is picking up a head-of-steam at the moment, and their unique slant on alternative rock is well worth a listen: catch a live gig if you can and keep the ears open for upcoming new recordings from the band.
Topping the gruesome bill on the night was Liz Is Evil, playing a storming set that shocked the living-dead members of the audience into life. These lads are one of the most consistently excellent live acts in the country, and their musical output to date has been rightly drawing praise from fans and critics alike. Highlights of their set included recent FOAD records release ‘Anno Domino’, the beautifully twisted ‘Flesh Doll’, and a turbo-charged ‘Beached’ — one of the best singles of 2010, for my money. Following some crazed dance floor scenes, including a zombie-scientist’s attempt to zombify people with a mysterious lavender-scented powder, and an argument between two rowdy Scotsmen — the band unleashed a thundering version of the Velvet Underground’s ‘Run Run Run’ to send the assembled folks into an ecstatic frenzy and end a freakishly good evening of music.
Thankfully, the unruly behavior continued long into the hazy witching hour, the departing crowd setting off into the Dublin night to embark upon a plethora of shenanigans.
(Image courtesy of Stuart Hill Photography)