The Gig: Irish Mythen supported by Emily Ulman
The Room: The Corner Hotel, Richmond
One night only, but playing small venues around country Victoria for the next week or so.
4 Stars.
We were supposed to see Grace Petrie tonight, but unfortunately, there was a loss her the family and she cancelled. By we, I mean my mate Alice and our friend Kat.
We were given the option of coming to see her replacement, Irish Mythen, or get our money back. After I did a bit of digging on your tube, I told Alice we should take the risk.
It was a risk that paid off.
For lovers of music in Melbourne, The Corner is known as the place to see the up-and-comers, the tribute bands, the 30 year regroup tours and everything in between. I saw The Whitlams there about 18 months ago. The thing about The Corner - if you're not up the front, you're behind a pillar. Most inconvenient. And there is the crowd surfing sign - love that.
This was not The Corner I have known. This was a seated event. There were about 50 people there.
And this is Melbourne's loss.
Irish Mythen is wonderful, as was their opening act Emily Ulman - who was as fragile as she was funny, human and just great.
We came in halfway through her set,and found a seat at a table at the back of 40 or so other people.
Irish came on at nine on the dot.
What can I tell you about Irish? They're Irish, but have been living in Canada for many years, and they've recently married a Dane and moved to Copenhagen. They are short and wear a Canadian Mounties hat. They're close to their parents and they have a huge social conscience. Oh, and they use they/them pronouns.
They also have a huge voice, some wonderful songs, such as Tullamore Blues (their mother is from County Offaly) Little Bones (about the Tuam Convent controversy) The Dancer and many more cracking folky, funny, observant songs.
When I said to Alice we should go, I said that they were a bit KD Laing-ish. I was wrong. Irish Mythen has the boldness of Melissa Etheridge with a lot more heart.
They are also very fond of telling a story. Maybe it's an Irish thing. I liked their story about how the Bishop of Stockholm, a fellow Liverpool supporter, asked them to play their song Jesus at the Cathedral. This request was reiterated a while later in Boston, where the Bishop of Boston asked the same of them. See the song of the day. It's a great song - even if it can be seen as a little subversive. Being raised an Irish Catholic, they know what they're doing.
After an hour, they were treated to a standing ovation. It was well deserved. Even if there were only around 50 people in the room, including security and the barman, it was well earned.
For a night of simple entertainment. A person, a pint of beer, merely sipped, a well-used guitar and some exceptional songs, it was one of the best on spec evenings I've been too.
And I will never see The Corner Hotel, with its sticky carpets, pillars and small stage in the same way again. It was a joy to be there on this quiet, contemplative evening.
If they're playing near you in a small hall in a small town, go. They're wonderful
You can thank me later.
No comments:
Post a Comment