Arthurs Day - Kelis, Horselips, Cashier No. 9 and more
Arthurs Day at The Ulster Hall
feat. Ash, Kelis, DJ Fresh, Cashier No. 9, The Enemy, Horslips
It feels a little odd to be walking into the Ulster Hall in broad daylight, but tonight's schedule demands it. The flagship event of the Belfast Arthur's Day "celebrations" aimed to provide a little something for everyone, with all of the big names playing at the venue (as opposed to just one headliner at each of the gigs scattered around the city).
With such a short set, Ash treat us to the classics, ‘Jack Names the Planets’ and ‘Girl From Mars’ knocking our socks off. It's a fairly polished performance from the band, with no real surprises but no clangers either. Despite the early time slot ‘Shining Light’ delivers, one of the finest pop songs to be played on the Ulster Hall stage in this humble reviewer's opinion.
With so many acts on the bill you would expect some tight time scheduling, but Kelis' performance was exceptionally short. We barely had a moment's break between each track, and this was certainly not a masterclass in live performing, vocally great, but showing a real lack of stage presence. Little crowd interaction and an overwhelming impression that she just wants to get her set over and done with means this performance certainly will not last long in the memory.
Instead of the commercial drum and bass sound that we were expecting, DJ Fresh gives us a stripped down acoustic set, leaving a favourable impression. Whether or not this is due to the sound problems that cropped up every time an electronic instrument was added to the mix, we're not quite sure - but we enjoy it just the same. The vocals are excellent, with some delightful harmonies accompanied simply by an acoustic guitar.
Cashier No 9 are - as always - a pleasure to watch. They may not have had the crowd on their side for the majority of their set, but as they reach the latter stages of their performance, they grab the audience's attention. The drums at times threaten to overpower Danny Todd's vocals, but by the time we reach the blissful ‘The Lighthouse Will Lead You Out’ we're reminded how well honed the Cashier machine is at the moment. Many in the crowd may have been unfamiliar with the band, but judging by the reaction to the outro of ‘Goodbye Friend’ their interest may well have been piqued.
Kelis should take a few lessons from The Enemy in regard to showmanship. The influences are a little too obvious for our liking, and their style of lad rock is a love-hate affair for many, but they are damn good at what they do. ‘Away From Here’ and ‘Be Somebody’ are gentle reminders of the hooks that they can write, but it does get a little repetitive after a while. Full marks to the band for being able to dodge flying pints hurled by the crowd without skipping a beat.
The crowd has certainly tailed off by the time Horslips take to the stage. The crowd at the front may have a few more wrinkles than the average Enemy fan, but question their energy at your peril: as the band reel off their hits there's audible excitement from the enthusiastic fans. Finale "Dearg Doom" is just delightful, with a Black Sabbath-esque guitar line that stands up to the test of time well.
Cynics may view Arthur's Day as a shameless promotion, but with music like this we can't complain.
Patrick Kane
Comment number 1.
At 26th Nov 2011, DisneyInn wrote:As well as playing in the bigger venues, each of the studio artists announced earlier this summer, such as The Enemy, Ash and Cashier No. 9, will also turn up in a pub for a surprise performance on the night! For the first time Guinness has also shared some of the acts you can expect at your local in Belfast including The Lowly Knights, The Beat Poets, The Shoos, Furlo and The Antics.
Regards.
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