Review by Vanessa Monaghan
Photos by Kieran Frost
Storyfold at Crawdaddy 23rd July 2010 – Behind Closed Doors Single Launch
I’m waiting in Crawdaddy for Storyfold to begin their set at the single launch for ‘Behind Closed Doors’. There’s a good crowd moving towards the stage when I hear ‘I think Storyfold may have shot themselves in the foot, that support band were great. I thought you were supposed to get a band that wouldn’t be as good as the headliner?’.
He was right about the support. Cavan band, Shouting at Planes, are an alternative rock blues band and had the honour of playing at Glastonbury this year. Although only together less than a year the band are accomplished musicians who gel well together. Throughout their set they introduce an acoustic guitar to the mix and for their last song, add saxophone and trumpet. The band get a great response from the audience, all they need is a bigger stage.
2FM’s Ruth Scott introduces the World Premier of Storyfold’s new video before the band come onto stage. They start with ‘My Dull Revenge’ an uptempo track with a nice keyboard break and nice vocal harmonies to finish the song. The band, although seeming a little nervous, get a great response from the audience as you would expect at a single launch.
Storyfold are clever with their vocal arrangements making the best out of the male/female vocal combination they have. Working them for great harmonious effect but also occasionally used in opposition giving an overall wider sound.
The first notes of the band’s last single ‘Delphine Wakes’ make the crowd erupt, singing every word and clapping along to what singer Paddy McKenna describes as a song ‘about a dirty stop out’. This seems to have been a boost for the band, who now seem to be enjoying the limelight.
‘Hasbeen’, a down beat track, shows a different side to Storyfold, with its vulnerable, almost confessional lyrics. It’s not long though before the crowd are back in full voice with a singalong in ‘The Battle’. The track starts with McKenna and his guitar before keys, bass and drums are added. The crowd are singing, all arms in the air, this could be a stadium gig.
Storyfold get set to play their new single ‘Behind Closed Doors’ and introduce a violinist on stage only to have some technical difficulties with the violin. When they could have panicked, the band show a maturity and an ‘old pro’ mentality continuing with another song until the problem was resolved.
The band have a knack for good melodies and great endings for all their songs. Their brand of pop rock has the potential for a wide audience appeal and probably longer lasting than their younger pop punk counterparts.
At the second try, the new single ‘Behind Closed Doors’ has a hair raising effect. Every member of the audience seems to know the song and are singing it back to the band. If they can convert more audiences like this, they are definitely onto a winner. The band play ‘Perfect Ten’ and ‘Runkid’ both uptempo tracks with ‘Perfect Ten ‘showing some influences of Kells band Turn. The audience are clapping, dancing and in the party mood as the band leave the stage.
An encore ‘Therapy’, gives the audience the one more they were looking for. Storyfold leave the stage declared as new ‘Hometown Heroes’.
Setlist:
1. My Dull Revenge
2. Set the Record Straight
3. Delphine Wakes
4. Hasbeen
5. The Battle
6. You’re Still There
7. Ciara Don’t Be Angry
8. Falling Out
9. Behind Closed Doors
10. Perfect Ten
11. Run Kid
Encore:
12. Therapy
