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Gig Review: The Blizzards
Dolan's Warehouse, November 2008
*Support acts: Better Than You and Supermodel Twins
I waited excitedly, along with a group of other cheerful teenagers, for the doors of Dolan’s Warehouse to open. It was a bit of a struggle to keep your place in the queue as people tried to push and shove their way in! Before long we were inside and the reasonably sized venue was filled with teens running around excitedly, anticipating the start of the gig. The atmosphere was static and the first round of applause began.
Better Than You took the stage as the first support act and took the crowd captive with an entrancing stage presence. Their sheer ‘at ease’ appearance on stage was envious as the local Limerick band (consisting of Conor Ryan, Mike Hogan, Alan Keary, David Collins and Myles O’Callaghan) gave an outstanding performance of both their own songs and covers. The crowd was a dangerous place to be as people jumped around enthusiastically to the rhythm of the music. For fear of getting crushed between the more boisterous people, I took a safer place standing behind the crowd when screaming commenced for a cover of Muse’s ‘Knights of Cydonia’. I think it’s safe to say we’ll be hearing more from them again, and I’ll jump at the opportunity!
Another round of applause, or five, later and Supermodel Twins appeared on stage as the second support act. The easygoing style of their music reminded me greatly of the band Wheatus and that familiar aspect made them all the more enjoyable. Although their songs were a bit slow-paced for the youthful crowd, which wanted nothing more than to get up and move, they still received a good response from the crowd… and their fair share of applause and screaming too. Their new album will be out sometime after February.
As the waiting game for The Blizzards commenced, the impatient fans gave a member of the sound crew a riotous applause before realising he wasn’t actually a member of The Blizzards. Already hoarse voices screamed louder and the static atmosphere grew purely electric as The Blizzards finally made their entrance. I was instantly impressed by the connection Niall Breslin, lead singer, made with the large group of teenagers assembled into a tight group in front of the stage. I had assumed that because it was an underage gig the band would make less effort, but thankfully I was proven extremely wrong! They seemed to put even more effort in for the appreciative audience. If I said the crowd was energetic before, it went plain berserk as the well known ‘Trust Me I’m a Doctor’ and ‘Fantasy’ were performed. The time went much too fast, but they left us on a happy high with their final song ‘Superdrug’.
My heartbeat still pulsating to the adrenaline rush of the gig, I wandered into the hallway leading to backstage where I got to have a conversation with the down to earth, friendly and extremely good looking Niall Breslin. Yes, I took a photo just to prove it. Luckily for me, Better Than You wanted a photo with The Blizzards; so I got to take a trip right up to the dressing rooms where the rest of the band were chilling out, giving me amused glances as I walked in starry-eyed!
It was a gig worth going to, and one I won’t soon forget. Music wise, atmospherically and from a craic perspective it was a great time and great listen all around. I would definitely recommend going to see The Blizzards yourself, all the better if you got to see Better Than You at the same time!
By: Ruth Ní Bheoláin
The Blizzards on myspace
Keen to write your own gig review? Give Emily a shout NOW! emily@spunout.ie
