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‘I am thinking of going to this gig, at The Gate’ said my wife, Collette, as she played me some music from Lisa O’Neill, an artist that I’d never previously heard. Suffice to say, I was immediately entranced and tickets were rapidly purchased. So, gig night arrived and we travelled down for the show. The Gate is a gorgeous venue. It is a grade 2 listed, former Presbyterian church and one of the best mid-sized live music venues, in the capital city. It was (as expected) tricky to park, so bear that in mind for future gigs. This was especially the case for this sell-out show but, as outlined below, so worth the effort.
Armed with stout and wine, we took our seats for the evening’s performances. We resisted sitting in a ‘pew’ and sat a few rows back from the stage, where we had an excellent view. Just after 8 pm, the bespectacled figure of Oisin Leech ambled on and went on to regale us with songs that reflected on life in and around Navan and the surrounding area. Oisin is a subtle, gentle performer and has a charming, warm personality. He is also a witty and very likeable character. His ‘travelogue’ about journeying from Halifax to Cardiff, via most of the midlands by train, bus and foot was hilarious! He went down really well with the Cardiffians and seemed to very much enjoy the experience. His current single, ‘October Sun’ is getting airplay and is well worth checking out. Unfortunately for everyone else there, a late arrival made a noisy entrance into the arena during this intimate set. Ignorantly shouting out to the artist, in such a beautiful venue was highly disruptive, rude and irritating. If you come to gigs, especially for acoustic performers, try shutting up, sitting down and showing some respect for the performers and the rest of audience. That might make you more popular and welcome at future events...
After a short break and a trip to the bar, to replenish our supplies of (very nice) stout and red wine, we sat back and had a short wait for Lisa O’Neill, to take the stage. She initially did so, alone, armed with just her guitar. It is a really strong way to start a gig, in my opinion, allowing for the other musicians to augment the sound, as they enter the fray. In this case, we were able to applaud two fine musicians, Brian Leach (dulcimer) and Joseph Doyle (Double bass/cello) as they emerged. I’d enjoyed the few songs that my wife (Collette) had played me but this is one of the gigs when you needed to be there, to really appreciate quite how special it was. The whole thing was incredibly intimate, moving and captivating. In football parlance, Lisa leaves ‘nothing in the changing room’. She very much wears her heart on her sleeve, evoking an emotional and engaged connection with the audience. Just as she came on, we were told to avoid flash photography and filming. Between songs this was fluently rationalised. Lisa is a fascinating raconteur and the spoken content between songs were very much an integral part of the experience. Essentially, her antipathy, is towards the trend of sitting there taking photos and live streaming, as it destroys the intimacy of the exchange between performers and audience. Each performance at every venue for all performers, is a different lived experience, depending on who’s there, how they react and the mood of the room. She’s essentially alluding here to phenomenology; the experience of being there, in the moment. That spirit really comes across in her songwriting, body language and interaction with the audience.
I don’t have a set-list, nor have I heard enough of Lisa’s material to be able to name-check all of the songs. Instead, I’ll mention a few key moments, during which our senses (me and my wife) were sent spinning, out of control, as we were totally caught in the moment. I’m no scientist but bear with me, this is about us, as human beings and our senses and feelings. A lot of Lisa’s songs generate an almost hypnotic mood through the use of what I’ll call a drone, often being played on a miniature Indian instrument, possibly a harmonium, I think. This brilliantly sets the scene for everyone in the room. I looked at people in front of me, nodding in time, as if entranced and others, around us, obviously totally spell-bound. Lisa O’Neill is clearly a deep thinker and has a very warm, honest and highly engaging style. I’m adamant that the Gate, is THE PERFECT VENUE for Lisa O’Neill to play in Cardiff. As a small, former church, the building helps to engender a spiritual experience that is special and unforgettable. I’d like to think that Lisa felt the same and would want to recreate this evening, rather than head for a larger venue, on return to Wales.
Here are three (for us) totally magical moments from the evening. The first song my wife had played me was called ‘One Note’, a recent single. I’d liked it, as a piece of music but had no idea what it was about. Lisa introduced it and explained that is was about how there is an often ignored musicality that is all around us, always but goes un-noticed. Talking about the sounds of wind blowing through the gate, a tin can being blown along a pavement and the soft sounds of feathers fluttering along, she beseeched us to take account of our senses, as human beings and to be more conscious of the aural beauty that surrounds us. She talked of how she’d loved comments that she’d overheard from her young niece, as she played by her side and how that influenced her writing ‘Old Note’. The live performance of this song moved me beyond words. I’ve been a university lecturer for more than twenty years, specialising in the realm of radio, podcasting, non-visual story-telling and (above all) sound. The live performance of this song totally resonated with me. Towards the end, Lisa mingled with the audience members, as she shook tiny little bells near their ears. She was, to my mind, using sound to reinforce the infinite beauty of sound. As the song concluded, the recordings of the innocent comments made by her niece played on the P.A. I was overcome with emotion and as it ended, gave a one-man standing emotion. As I sat down, Collette looked at me and stroked my arm, tenderly. She could sense that I had been profoundly moved.
Later in the performance, Lisa’s fellow musicians sat amongst us, as they left her to perform a few solo songs. As she started to sing, the microphone suddenly went dead. Oops! She did not flinch but instead asked the sound guys, if it might be a good idea to do an acapella version of a song. ‘That would be a very good idea’ was the shouted response from the back of the venue! Lisa proceeded to stand at the front of the stage and sing ‘The Galway Shawl’ with absolutely no accompaniment, no microphone and no fancy stage lighting. You could have heard a pin drop and it brought the house down. It was another assault on our senses and a reminder of just what an accomplished performer she is.
Towards the end of her set, there was one cover song. It was a beautiful, soulful and emotive version of Brothers in Arms by Mark Knopfler. Lisa is shortly performing at a fundraiser for the civilians whose lives are currently being devastated by war and the song contextualised her thoughts on the matter. As I looked to my left, it was my turn to comfort my partner, as she was in floods of tears...
The trio were joined on stage by Oisin Leech for the last couple of songs and that was a nice touch. Finally, all four Irish musicians left the stage, to a tumultuous and heart-felt ovation. There was a full moon in the Cardiff sky that Friday night and that was coincidentally replicated by the minimalist stage lighting. As Lisa O’Neill said, she ‘brought the full moon inside for the night’. Thank you for visiting my home city, Lisa. Please come back and also, please always play exclusively at The Gate and ignore the larger venues. Finally, thank you Collette. This was one of the most beautiful gigs that I’ve ever been to, a perfect and very special night.