Live At The Marquee: Walking On Cars

Mon, 26 Jun, 2017 - 23:22

Frontman supreme, Patrick Sheehy has a great bond with this young Marquee audience. Introducing new songs, he thanks them for their patience waiting for the second album.

"We've been busy at home in Kerry, writing new songs ... thanks for your patience."

Review: Joe Dermody

Only two years ago, Dingle's finest sons (and one daughter) Walking On Cars were doing warmup for the likes of Paramore and The Coronas; they've been a headline act in their own right for 18 months.

Warmup act indeed, they're on fire. When The Coronas return to the Marquee stage on Friday, the place will hardly have cooled down.

To paraphrase Will 'Mugatu' Ferrell in Zoolander, singer Patrick Sheehy he's so hot right now.

"Good evening, Cork, it's great to be back," says Sheehy. "Will you sing this one with me?" he says early doors.

A second invitation is not needed. Tick Tock, the fans know every word.

Every gesture seems to work for this crowd, who, to be fair, would be forgiven for having had their fill of sun-kissed Kerrymen striding into town and sweeping all before them every summer.

There's no denying that they're sexy, but that doesn't explain why this machine is so unstoppable? Well, first off there's just no resisting the repertoire. While the WOCs only released their debut album, Everything This Way, at the start of 2016, they went straight to No1 in the Irish album charts and ice-gripped to their new throne like Gollum to his ring.

.@WalkingOnCars play to a sold out Live at the Marquee tonight! Always a great show when they're in town... #CentreStage pic.twitter.com/x2dxOFKNpc
— Vodafone Comedy (@Vodafone_Comedy) June 26, 2017

Seven of the album's 12 songs have enjoyed radio omnipresence for the past 18 months. We were treated to them all. Highlights included Don't Mind Me, Tick Tock, Love Backs Down, Speeding Cars, Ship Goes Down and Catch Me If You Can.

But there's more to this band than just the endless hits and a great energetic charismatic frontman with a wardbrobe so impeccable that you'd even forgive him for wearing a woolly bobble hat tonight instead of the peaked Healy-Rae caipín.

At its inner core this band has, again not unlike Gollum's ring, a thing called fellowship. You really can tell that they're friends, a real band with a bond.

And a great cheerful sound, just the sound this tent needed with the rain back around us; not entirely unique, but very fresh and definitely very current. Sorcha Durham's piano has real standout class, while Dan Devane's guitar gives a cutting rock edge to the pop tunes.

For me, though, the bedrock rhythm section of Evan Hadnett's drums and Paul Flannery's bass is where this band's party really is at. If this band is on the crest of a wave, then these two are steering the surf board.

The visual effects are great too. Big black drop curtain at the start, big light show throughout. They started at 9pm sharp. They finished the last encore at 10:25, three minutes of ovations and they're gone.

The folks from the Kingdom came, they saw, they conquered in the pouring rain. Another glorious summer's night in Cork's Marquee.