Beck brings sunshine grooves to an overcast Marquee
On an overcast but warm Tuesday night, the annual migration to the Marquee tent in Cork began. While Riverdance had danced the cobwebs out of the Big Top over the weekend, Tuesday’s Beck concert was the first of the proper music events of the season - and the man himself’s first appearance in Cork.
It was the usual mixed Marquee crowd with some very young faces and some old but the majority of the crowd looked to be mid twenties/early thirties with a strong showing from Cork’s muso scene.
You know, the cool kids.
Bork @LATMofficial @aikenpromotions #Beck #Cork #liveatthemarquee pic.twitter.com/m6QZyUWm3U
— Dónal Cahill (@cahilldonal) June 16, 2015
Like a lot of people, my idea of Beck is largely based on the 1996 Odelay album. But in recent years, Beck has explored his folkier side.
2002's Sea Change was aptly named as it saw the artist move towards a more acoustic, country rock sound and that was revisited with on last year’s Morning Phase which won Album of the Year at this year's Grammys - the win being somewhat overshadowed by
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So it was hard to know which incarnation of Beck Hansen we were going to get - fuzzy and experimental, folky and introspective or funky and soulful.
Or all of the above.
@Liamocallaghan fair play @beck Straight in with Devils Haircut!! #LATM15 pic.twitter.com/azr0oUijR1
— Eoin Kennedy (@UpDateEoin) June 16, 2015
At 9.15pm, after strong support from Waterford's O Emperor, Beck stepped out to a respectably sized crowd and a warm welcome. Dressed in a leather jacket with an example of his new-found fondness for hats on his head, he and his four-piece band launched into a stomping Devil’s Haircut.
And we were off.
.@beck + #Cork = Bork! #LATM15 pic.twitter.com/mN6IgaUzB8
— Kilian Pettit (@KilianPettit) June 16, 2015
Beck is very good at what he does and is a master at reinventing himself. A multi instrumentalist, he can veer from the sunny sixties grooves of 'The New Pollution' to the electronic beats of taking in California beach pop, hip hop, country, funk, gospel and soul along the way - sometimes all in one song.
And, almost improbably, it makes complete sense.
The set took us on a wild meander through the 44-year-old’s entire back catalogue - no time to ask for directions, just jump on and enjoy the ride.
Beck on top form in Cork tonight #LATM pic.twitter.com/Fbq62kZpQF
— Simon (@SimonZirl) June 16, 2015
Beck has been honing his craft for 20-odd years. He’s earned the title of elder statesman of rock over his long career but with his lithe frame, boundless energy and carefree unconscious shape-pulling, he in no way takes himself seriously.
At one point, he christens himself ‘Bork’ - a mixture of Beck and Cork - to meld us and him together. It’s daft but utterly endearing.
The biggest cheer of the night came as he broke out arguably his biggest hit - the slacker anthem 'Loser' - and the crowd lit up with phone screens as we belted all the words back towards the stage.
Beck noted how much he has enjoyed himself in Ireland, asking if it would be possible to stay in someone’s kitchen (just leave the stove lit). In return, he offered to bring that California sun to Ireland, promising blue skies with beachy riffs.
It worked, at least for a while, and as he zipped from 'Gamma Ray' to 'Heart is a Drum', his band effortlessly keeping up, the crowd danced and grooved and pretended it was sunny outside.
.@beck rocking out at .@LATMofficial #Cork #LATM15 pic.twitter.com/xt1mYy91U9
— Eoin English (@EoinBearla) June 16, 2015
Beck is a delightful eccentric, not afraid to indulge his weirdness - towards the end, he produced a roll of crime scene tape and cordoned off the stage area before the band returned for a their encore of a triumphant 'Where It's At'.
Why? No idea.
Bork does what he does. And we love him for it.
