Ronan O'BrienI happened to be drinking in The Commercial Bar one night and standing at the urinal, my eyes gravitated to a poster on the wall. “Trad Folkin’ Rocks” presenting a night of pure Celtic rock, and I decided there and then my weekend plans were set.
The Venue
The Record Room is a fantastic spot hidden under The Commercial Bar on Catherine Street in Limerick. Having frequented the venue before, it had been years since my last venture. I enjoyed a pint with a friend before we headed downstairs to the venue. Tickets were checked and in we went. The lighting was dim and the red lights & curtains of the stage sat ominously, preparing for the carnage to begin.
We were gifted stickers of the poster by the concert organisers, which was a cool touch. The poster design is fantastic, designed by the talented Colm Brennan of Major Feen, the headliners for the night. The atmosphere was great, with people mingling and the excitement building.
Codeye
First on stage came Codeye, whose energy set the tone for the night. Hard-hitting punk rock with a dash of shoegaze, it was certainly an interesting mix. The lads are clearly very talented, and showcased that in style with some ludicrous elements added in. The frontman, “Gabriel”, donned a red suit with a rain hood and odd tinfoil belt. These were eventually abandoned but the absurdity continued with the inclusion of a slide whistle in some song outros and expertly playing harmonica in some others.
Self-described as “twinkcore shamgaze”, their music was an experience in itself. The band championed many original tracks, like “Cumbellina Swamper“ and “Flow My Tears, the Policeman Said“, the latter being rife with shoegaze elements throughout. The band also performed a cover of The Cure’s “Just Like Heaven“, which was a nice addition to the setlist.
Friends of the Relics
Next came Friends of the Relics, who brought the trad style for the first time that night. Beautiful banjo provided by Derek Copley had the place absolutely grooving. Frontman Shay Nolan had such charisma, with movements akin to an Irish David Byrne. Another band oozing with talent, songs like “Take Her Up the Aisle“ and “Pickin’ n Packin‘“ were personal highlights.
The band have nailed that trad rock style, with storytelling and revolutionary themes rife in the songwriting. A resounding cry of “Keep the triple lock” echoed the room, before Shay Nolan launched into some dance moves that James Brown would be proud of. I had the absolute pleasure of socialising with the band afterwards, and they are certainly a group I will be excited to see again.
Major Feen
The final act of the night were Major Feen, another incredibly talented group of artists. Frontman Colm Brennan performed with such confidence, and rightfully so. The group played with traditional instruments; a fiddle, tin whistle and bodhrán, which worked with such harmony. The band sound so incredibly familiar and they seem years ahead of themselves.
With incredibly energetic songs like “Olivia Jane“ and some fantastic takes on covers like “Crossmaglen“, the crowd were as engaged as I was. I will admit, the pints of Guinness were at the wheel at this stage so my memory is a bit sketchy. What I do remember is the band will be playing Legends of Limerick Stage on Monday 16th March alongside Denise Chaila, Hazey Haze and Citrus Fresh. This is one not to be missed, and I have no doubts that Major Feen will gain many more admirers from this. Absolutely fantastic bunch of musicians that I cannot wait to see again.
Final Thoughts
As the night ended and my head punished me the next morning, I had a great chance to reflect on the wonderful acts seen that night. I have nothing but praise for the people behind Major Folkin’ Rocks for putting on an incredible showcase and for platforming artists who absolutely deserve to be discovered on a wider scale.
For €20 I was treated to three brilliant emerging artists who will be on my radar for some time, and I will be staunchly on the lookout for more gigs like this one.
