frances blackFrances Black at Vicar Street on the 15th of March 2013

All too often the scenario arises whereby the chance to see a national musical treasure passes you by. For any number of reasons the chance to witness and appreciate such an act can be easily resigned to the musical doldrums and national memory archives and you inevitably hear such passing talk as – “Oh, you think they’re good? Well you should have seen *insert act here*, now they were really something.” Many thought Frances Black, even by her own admission, was to be one of these acts. Well praise the lord, thank the gods or whichever musical deity you may frequent that it was with much pleasure we announced the comeback, after 10 silent years, of Frances Black in November last year for this date in 2013.

The first act to entertain the seated Vicar Street audience was Aoife and Eoghan Scott, both of whom call Frances Black mammy. The impressive duo (who are currently seeking funding for a new album here) provided the appreciatively silent crowd with a short but terrific set. A stunning version of Damien Dempsey’s patriotic anthem, Colony, would see Aoife sweetly delight during the opening verses but also provide a rousing middle section to a song that many deem untouchable but for the big Donaghmede man himself. Well think again as Aoife provides a stellar alternative version to Damo’s manly track. Down by the Shelley Banks showcases Aoife’s songwriting and vocal ability; leaving the crowd wanting more.

They soon get more as the duo accompany their Ma to the stage soon after, as the crowd raise the volume once more. Frances, from the offset, apologises to the crowd for showcasing so many of her songs from her new album ‘Stronger’, a whole album “of all my favourite songs that I have sung through the years, I have loved and lived these songs, they all tell stories of my life.” she stated.

She need not have apologised, or worried for that matter, as Frances marks her return to the stage with effortless ease. The crowd happily divulge every syllable as she thrills on songs like James Taylor’s Long Ago and Far Away and Sarah McLachlan’s Stupid early on. Each song is introduced or ended with an impressively wrapped and woven story, further endearing Frances to her crowd of fans.

It’s not long before the older tracks come to the fore as the crowd provide backing for This Love Will Carry and Intuition. These songs would be followed by Sky Road, a magnificent song that Frances, not for the first time on the night, guides us in paying particular attention to the lyrics of the song. The song provides a metaphor for Ireland losing their young people due to emigration, veiled in the story of a young couple in love.

The moment of the night comes as Frances notably – for one of the only times during the night – does not introduce the song with a descriptive anecdote. All the more poignantly, she performs ‘Magdalen Laundry’, in a way that perhaps has never meant so much as it does tonight in lieu of the recent tribunal. The silence means all the more as tears are shed throughout the crowd.

A very entertaining, albeit reminiscent of a stereotypical drunken family wedding, version of ‘You Say It Best, When You Say Nothing At All’ sees 15+ crowd members join Frances on stage to sing a song that Frances points out she sang well before Mr.Keating made it a hit internationally.

Order and musicianship is restored during the encore as Frances evocatively sings Wall of Tears and ends the night by turning the seated Vicar street crowd in a sea of swaying waves for the old ballroom favourite; After The Ball.

The night succeeds in showcasing Frances’ many talents; crowd interaction, storytelling but most importantly her voice. A voice that not even a 10 year absence could affect. Here’s hoping that it’ll be a further ten years of performing before she even contemplates another decade of absence. Frances Black; welcome back.