What was purportedly a party gig for Tower Records turned into a laissez faire affair. Three Irish bands played, only one of which could safely be called recent. That's not to say The Marbles were any good. On Tuesday night's showing they weren't, the Roscommon trio signed to UK-based ZTT records showing their influences more than their age. Imagine Ash raised on a stodgy diet of Jimi Hendrix Experience and Ten Years After albums and you'll have but a hint of how dull this lot were. And the drummer sings - always a bad sign.
The Walls at least take a more considered approach to their revisionist stance. Joe and Steve Wall - formerly of Galway band The Stunning - appear to have eschewed all associations with their previous band. The Walls' sound is somewhat more groovy, the songs are well constructed and they regularly pack a real punch. Occasionally they lose the plot, aiming to locate a long lost epiphany in their extended instrumental forays, but at least they try. Despite general audience apathy, The Walls scored a palpable hit.
As did Dubliners Sack. From warped Americana to rush-hour rock, Sack remain one of Irish rock's mysterious outfits. How can a band so good have missed out so often? Lead singer Martin McCann and the rest of the Sack bruisers took command of the stage and the audience with a set that sprayed the principles of rock dynamics all over the floor. Yet despite their excellence, Sack looked a little bit lost. Perhaps waiting around for so long has altered their perception of what they wanted to achieve in the first place.
The Marbles signed to a major record company, while Sack flounder, however brilliantly? What a crazy, messed up world we live in.
