Lisa O'Neil - Oisin Leach - The Gate - Cardiff 27/10/23

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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.

The Undertones Gig Preview 19/3/22 Mickey Bradley Interview

Prior to their gig at The Great Hall, Cardiff University this Saturday 19/3/2022 (Supported by Hugh Cornwell), Steve Johnson of Keep Cardiff Live had a chat with Mickey Bradley, Bass Player, founding member, and Undertone.

The Undertones emerged from Derry in 1976, the result of five friends (John O’Neill, Damian O’Neill, Fergal Sharkey, Billy Doherty and Michael Bradley) learning how to play basic rock and roll.

Even by the standards of that decade Derry was not the rock and roll capital of anywhere. With no live bands worth watching, they learned by listening to mail order records, reading one of the few copies of NME that made it to Derry but most of all from listening to John Peel’s wonderful show on BBC Radio One. Practicing in their bedrooms eventually led to the band recording John O’Neill’s ‘Teenage Kicks’ in 1978 on Terri Hooley's Good Vibrations label in Belfast. The legendary DJ John Peel received a copy and liked it so much he played it twice in a row on his radio show.

The Undertones signed with Sire Records and ‘Teenage Kicks’ was re-released, resulting in the band's first appearance on Top Of The Pops. Over the next five years, John O Neill, crafted further pop gems such as `Here Comes The Summer`, ‘Jimmy Jimmy`, `You’ve Got My Number (Why Don’t You Use It)’ and ‘Wednesday Week’ whilst Damian O’Neill and Michael Bradley contributed ‘My Perfect Cousin. They also recorded four highly acclaimed LPs. Indeed, they almost enjoyed the life of professional musicians. In 1983 Feargal Sharkey left the band to pursue a solo career and the remaining members decided to call it a day. The Undertones were to remain silent for the next sixteen years.

In 1999 The Undertones reconvened, without Fergal Sharkey, to once again perform their two-minute, three and a half chord songs to a new generation of fans in Derry. Fellow Derryman Paul McLoone replaced Sharkey on vocals and his vocal prowess and electric onstage presence soon convinced any doubters that he was more than capable of doing the job.

After much consideration the band released an LP of new songs called `Get What You Need', which was critically acclaimed by Q magazine, Uncut, Rolling Stone and Hot Press. Songs like ‘Thrill Me’, ‘I Need Your Love The Way It Used To Be’ and ‘Everything But You' showed that the art of writing short, sharp songs had not been lost over the previous two decades.

In 2003 ‘Thrill Me’ was released as a limited edition 7” vinyl single and found its way to John Peel’s turntable. He introduced it on his show commenting, “And these are words I thought I would never be saying on radio again, a new single from The Undertones”. He liked it so much he played it twice, just as he did with ‘Teenage Kicks’ in 1978.

The band marked Record Store Day 2013 with a 7” vinyl only release, recorded in the famous Toe Rag studio in London. A return to their punk roots, 'Much Too Late' sold out the 1,000 copies before the day was out.

In 2016 the Band released vinyl remasters of their first two LPs; ‘The Undertones – The Undertones’ and ‘The Undertones – Hypnotised’ along with a 7” vinyl remix of the 1979 single ‘Get Over You’. Remixed by Kevin Shields (My Bloody Valentine/Primal Scream). Michael Bradley also published his book Teenage Kicks: My Life As An Undertone’.

2018 marked the 40th Anniversary of the release of their most influential and famous song, ’Teenage Kicks’. On 21st April for Record Store Day 2018 the band released a Vinyl Singles Box Set containing the 13 x 7” original Undertones singles from the classic early period: 1978-1983.

Villagers Live Review

Image Collette Johnson©

My wife (Collette) is a music obsessive and an avid gig-goer. She often plays stuff that I’m not familiar with. Recently, she played a number of tracks from yet another band that was previously unknown to me. She asked me if I liked the sound. I told her that I did , in particular, the singer’s voice, as it reminded me of Conor Oberst ( Bright Eyes) and Conor Deasy (The Thrills). She was pleased, as she then revealed we were off to see them, as a slightly early wedding anniversary treat. So, off we went, to Bristol, to see ‘Villagers’ play live.

This was my first gig in Bristol for a good number of years and the venue was one I’d never been to before. The ‘Marble Factory’ is somewhat unusually based on an industrial estate, about 20 minutes’ walk from the city centre. It is a quirky venue that somehow fits in well with the somewhat bohemian vibe of Bristol. With a capacity of 1600 people, its closest comparative Cardiff venue would probably be the ‘Tramshed’. It has a similar cosy feel, allowing for an intimate gig experience.

Led by the fascinatingly enigmatic and diminutive Conor O'Brien, fellow ‘Villagers’

(Danny Snow, Cormac Curran, Gwion Llewelyn and Mali Llewelyn) strolled on to stage at 8:30 pm, to be warmly welcomed by a healthy turnout of eagerly expectant Bristolians. It was to be a sublime performance…

Image Collette Johnson©

From the off, I was struck by the ability of Conor O’Brien to evoke emotional responses from those present. He has a captivating and compelling stage presence and his well-honed stagecraft pulls you into his world. He plays what appears to a three quarter size, gut-string guitar and has a fragile, fairly high vocal range. The beauty of this is that you need to listen fairly closely to what is going on, evoking a delightful intimacy and emotional connection.

Twice Mercury-nominated, ‘Villagers’ are fine musicians and deliver the well-crafted songs with aplomb. There is a real sense of light and shade to the set with plenty of dynamics and changes in mood. Perhaps the most dramatic moments were when Conor O’Brien occasionally shifted from acoustic guitar to trumpet. The audience reaction was truly a joy to behold!

It was during ‘A trick of the light’ that I first noticed just how captivated and mesmerised the audience actually were, silently mouthing the lyrics and slowly grooving along, in unison. Up until the final song in the set, every song had been fairly mellow and acoustic guitar based. That all changed dramatically with the powerful ‘Circles in the firing line’. For the only time all night, O’Brien turned to his Telecaster, to, out of nowhere, play a manic, visceral electric guitar solo. It was a stunning and powerful change of mood, a hugely effective climax, as the band left the stage.

Image Collette Johnson©

Clearly an encore was inevitable and they duly re-emerged to play ‘My Lighthouse’ and the beautiful ‘Courage’ before ending the night with the anthemic and moving ‘Nothing Arrived’. What a pleasure it was to bask in the sound of an enthralled and delighted audience singing ‘I guess I was busy’, repeatedly, as directed by Conor O’Brien.

Thank you, Collette. It was an unforgettable gig and ‘Villagers’ are a wonderful live act.

Gig reviewed by Steve Johnson

My First Music Memory

It was early Summer, 1972 and it must have been towards the end of my of my first year at Glantaf High School.  All of the pupils assembled for the end of year ‘School Concert’ in the main hall. 

I don’t remember any performance content, accept for one act on the bill. I don’t even remember the name of the act but I remember what a seminal moment it was for me.

As the curtains drew back, there, on stage was the first live band I had ever witnessed, remembered fondly, as the ‘school band’. We were, somewhat predictably, talking  ‘guitar, vocals, bass and (above all) in this case, drums.

I believe the drummer was from Gabalfa, or Llandaff North, and his name was Colin Ellaway.  Colin was slight of build and had fair hair.  To me, he was an awesome drummer, especially as he was the first one I’d seen live!

I’d guess that he was the star turn, as the band played songs that highlighted drumming. One of the tracks I remember them playing was Cozy Powell’s ‘Dance with the Devil’.  

However, it wasn’t that one that provoked my life-long obsession with music, it was a song that followed, later in the set. I jumped to me feet, shouted, cheered and probably screamed! ‘Sit down Johnson’, cried the teacher, to my left.  I was embarrassed but obliged.  ‘Yes, sir’. So what was the name of the pivotal act that initiated my love of music?  Well, this act had many hits but for obvious reasons, you never hear them on the radio these days.

It was The Glitter Band and the song was  ‘Rock And Roll, Parts 1 and 2’.  Since that day, I’ve spent a fortune on guitars, amps, PA systems and effects and been in a good number of bands.  That first school concert changed my life…