Lofty Reviews: windings live in Limerick

Lofty Reviews – windings live with Cruiser & Anna’s Anchor live at the Kasbah Social Club

Lofty reviews windings live: It’s been four years since the last full windings album the Choice Music Prize nominated ‘I Am Not the Crow’ and later this year we’ll get it’s follow up – ‘Be Honest and Fear Not’ – so it was time for the lads to give the new tunes a live work out. With support acts Anna’s Anchor and Cruiser on board it truly is an eclectic mix of music in the Kasbah Social Club this Saturday night.

First up it’s Anna Anchor who for tonight’s proceedings consists of Marty Ryan and his acoustic guitar. Ryan is an interesting performer for his choice of musical projects (including a series of tracks written and recorded on various islands) and his amiable raconteuring which endears him to the crowd. There is a promise of a rockier album in the autumn but tracks like ‘Conclusion’ and ‘You’re a Lighthouse’ don’t have us pining for the heavier material just yet.

Speaking of heavy next up is Cruiser relative newcomers to the Limerick scene whose new EP is literally hot of the presses as it was finished the morning of the gig. You know a band are loud when they they offer earplugs to anyone that wants to avail of them! The band seem to be still honing their sound with elements of Dinosaur Jr., Nirvana and Girls Band all in the mix but songs such as ‘Folding’, ‘Next Election’ and EP title track ‘Hot 4 U’ certainly make them an engaging live experience.

And so to the main attraction windings who take to the stage to the sound of their recent collaboration with Naive Ted, the deeply affecting but excellent ‘Helicopters’. Without pause for breath they immediately launch into two new songs ‘Ambivalence Blues’ which does what windings do best, carry you away on wave of reverie and ‘Voice of the People’ with some delightful keyboard wizardry from Patrick O’Brien.

It’s clear that the band are confident in their new material (perhaps owing to fact that they recorded the album in three intense days in Donegal) as they launch into another new tune ‘Boring’, which never is. Then it’s time for a real oldie the 12 year old ‘The Old Days’ for what is apparently only the 2nd time that’s its been played live.

‘Sun in my Eyes’ is as gorgeous as ever while ‘Spiral Stairs’ from windings’ 2012 split album with Land Lovers sees O’Brien underpinning the duelling guitars of Steve Ryan and Mike Gavin with another simple but beguiling keyboard line.

Ryan as ever is in fine form gently teasing those who’ve complained about the dank nature of their recent releases before the band launch into a fantastic dank and despondent triple play of ‘Stray Dogs’, ‘Bladerubber’ and my new song highlight of the night ‘You’re Dead’ with a hypnotic bass line from Liam Marley.

windings finish the night with a superb ‘I Am Not the Crow’ hat-trick of ‘Something Numbered’, ‘This is a Conversation’ and bringing the night to a glorious conclusion with that album’s title track resplendent with it’s powerful seemingly never-ending coda.

A blissful way to end the night’s proceedings which leaves us waiting impatiently for the release of ‘Be Honest and Fear Not’

‘Be Honest and Fear Not’ will be released on Out on a Limb Records later this year, in the meantime check out the latest releases from windings here.

Pho Credit – Word of Mouth Agency.

The post Lofty Reviews: windings live in Limerick appeared first on Ceol Caint.