Superb year for music ends on a high note
When looking back over 2013 it may seem odd to begin at the end, but it really was some December. At the start of the month in Róisín Dubh, Foy Vance played a storming show which drew heavily from Joy Of Nothing, his superb second album. On December 4, Galway based songwriter launched Steven Sharpe Hot Mess in The Crane, an album which he bravely recorded in front of a live audience.
But the gig of the year took place when Villagers returned to Seapoint on December 14. It’s been a great 12 months for Conor O’Brien and his band, with the critically lauded {Awayland} gaining them a second Mercury Prize nomination. They didn’t win it, but neither did David Bowie.
Villagers topped a great performance in March with an even better one this time. The road suits them, with every quiet moment and discordant surge deftly realised. O’Brien is a simply peerless songwriter – the new song they finished with was superb. The night was also augmented by a great support set from Jape, who were showcasing new material. The tracks were full of grooves and nuance – keep your ears peeled for a new album from them in 2014.
Seapoint itself also deserves a mention. In December, it played host to Bell X1 and David Gray, with KT Tunstall stopping off there in November. Perhaps it’s the ghost of performances like Thin Lizzy from the 1970s, but there’s a warmth to Seapoint that’s lacking in other, bigger venues in Galway city