Franz Ferdinand:
vote FF
You don’t actually realise how
much you have missed a band
like these four young blades
until they walk onstage and
throw out a song like Michael.
You also don’t realise just how
many bands have subtly ripped
off their style until they pull
and tease through Matinee.
Sharp as a pin and bright as
a button, this is bespoke pop
which is as timeless as the
sight of Stradbally Hall bathed
in floodlights.
Alex Kapranos says it’s two
years since they’ve visited
Ireland, a time spent writing
and recording new songs. On
the evidence of the untitled
newbies heard tonight, album
number three is going to be
the hit of next season.
Jim Carroll
Cathy Davey:
sexy back
If you were one of those in
line outside a heaving tent
straining to catch Cathy Davey,
we apologise, but you missed a
cracking gig. Single-handedly
bringing sexy back to
the Crawdaddy in a backless
black dress, the Wicklow
songstress rocked a die-hard
crowd with perfectly pitched
renditions of all the hits from
her recent album, Tales of
Silversleeve, adding a few
oldies and some newer
numbers that bode well for
things to come.
Though an Electric Picnic
first-timer, she was instantly in
charge, with a voice that took
over and an impressive ability
to make tambourines and
howling look cool. Kids, don’t
try this at home. Fiona McCann
The Kills:
two’s a crowd
Striding onstage, all skinny
jeans and strident guitars, The
Kills made it clear they meant
business as they launched full
blast into U.R.A. Fever, the
opening track from this year's
release, Midnight Boom. In
case you were in any doubt
about how bad-ass they were,
vocalist Alison ‘VV’ Mosshart
did some convincing stomping
and growling from behind a
mane of long dark hair, while
Jamie ‘Hotel’ Hince’s garagey
guitar riffs let rip.
With just the two of them,
the stage seemed a little bare
for all that attitude and noise,
but Mosshart had plenty of
presence to pull it off, though
her pouting and prancing at
times veered a little too close
to Steven (or Bonnie?) Tyler to
be taken alto