Calexico at the Olympia Theatre, May 4^th 2015

Rounding out a damp squib of a Bank holiday weekend that’s about as far as you can get from the sun-kissed vistas of the American Southwest, Calexico brought their distinct blend of smoky Americana to Dublin’s Olympia Theatre. With a brace of songs from their most recent record Edge of the Sun, the latest in a long line of critically acclaimed albums, to add to the mix, frontman Joey Burns and co. did their best to brighten up a dark and dreary night.

Setting the scene with their own Irish-born brand of Americana are Dublin’s I Draw Slow. From the sweet vocal lines of Louise Holden to the old-time picking of her co-conspirators, they’re a serious proposition in their own right, with just the right blend of bittersweet melodies and foot-tapping stomp to oil up the crowd for the main attraction.

Picking their way across a stage dotted with guitars and noise-makers of many kind, Calexico launch into Falling From the Sky. Swirling guitars and punctuations of vibrant horn, it’s as lively a start as you could want.

Cumbia de Donde shows just why this band, on the eve of Cinco de Mayo, really do deserve a crowd on their feet. Lively and quick, it’s a sharp reminder of this septets’ smooth skills. When the Angels Played, with its rich and sweet steel guitar, brings to mind the warm and mellow sound of a Sunday afternoon, long ago.

Before things threaten to get too mellow though, Calexico bring things back with Coyoacan, a fiery spaghetti instrumental, followed swiftly by Beneath the City of Dreams, Burns’ vocals melting into a swirl of guitar tones.

Alone Again Or, a choice cover of the Love tune, slips in seamlessly before Puerto, brings the set to a putative close before the obligatory encore. Bullets and Rockets is a real stomper, the gently grinding guitar setting things up for the layered vocal up top. Closing things out with the final track of the new album, Follow the River, Calexico tie things up with a final twist of characteristically South-western tones. It might be raining outside, but inside the Olympia it’s all sunshine and smiles.