Introduced expeditiously by Barry Dickenson, a scottish DJ, Friends of Emmet somewhat nervously walked on to the stage at The Sugar Club for what was their first gig in their home city. After spending many years in LA and most recently creating a musical storm in Canada, they saw it as a good time to return to Ireland, and as we reflect, there was something special about the performance.

In the comfortable surroundings of The Sugar Club, sitting among the band’s friends and family, it almost felt as though we were chilling out in their living room, getting an exclusive performance. Two things were immediately apparent from the outset of the performance; how tightly knit they are on stage, and how guitarist Tim Boland’s stance, shoulder shrugs and exaggerated flicks of the wrist bore resemblance to The Edge.

The show really kicked off with the second song of the night, No Surprises.  The inoffensive pop track was particularly sold by Mark Leddy’s phenomenal lead vocals; even better live than on recording. One of the highlights of the night was Leddy’s introduction to Coming Apart which was given an appreciative cheer from the crowd. The touching song, a tribute to 19 year old Kevin Hines who committed suicide by leaping from the Golden Gate Bridge, stunned the audience into silence.  There was no doubt that the lyrics resonated with more than a few members of the audience.

This lead into a tender performance of Hero which was ruined by the inconsiderate chattering of a few women at the back of the room. Yapping aside, it was a chilling performance, the keyboard and Leddy’s vocals combining to send shivers down the spines of spectators. It was after this that the sound started to affect the performance. Lovers Kiss could have been more emotionally effective should the volume of the mics have been turned up, but alas the sound man was nowhere to be seen.

This was particularly irritating when 13th Floor kicked in. This could have been the song of the night, if it weren’t for Boland’s vocals being offensively drowned out by the guitar and keyboard. It was clear that he was a good singer, but flooded by the surrounding instruments, it was difficult to appreciate. A catchy number akin to Echo and The Bunnymen during the verses, it was well and truly spoiled by levels.

Finishing up on Love Light, it was long before Friends of Emmet returned to the stage for a two song encore. Ending the set with a second performance of Coming Apart, to reiterate their current single and the message behind it. This time it was performed with real conviction; attempting to leave a stamp on the hearts of the revelers.

Intimate and moving at times, this performance did not reach its potential. No fault of the band’s, but more-so  the sound engineer.  A rising band, untainted by trends or image, professional and well structured who seemed charmingly overwhelmed at their first gig at home. There is no telling what will become of Friends of Emmet but based on this performance they will find a snug place in the hearts of those disillusioned with “trendy” bands and pop artists.