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Saucy Sundays
FREE gigs every week at The Grand Social, Dublin.
It’s Sunday afternoon, you took it easy last night and the weekend is slipping by, ad-break by ad-break. You turn anxiously to your DVD collection to find only a Friends box set (who would buy that?). Fear not, little one, there is a gig. In fact there are LOADS OF GIGS, all neatly packaged in the form of Saucy Sundays, a weekly free showcase of local and far flung talent, that eases you into an evening where it’s suddenly half eleven and you’re far more sauced than you had planned on being.
Strolling into the Grand Social (formerly Pravda... always going to be Pravda really though) for 5pm-ish. I was greeted with the smell of stew simmering and tables scattered with shiny foil wrapped sweets. The tunes commenced with the efforts of Gareth Baker, a sort of modern day minstrel. The man had stories to tell, but the music left something to be desired. A common enough face on the busking scene, he trotted off from his set promptly to go play what sounded like it was going to be gig 240 of that week.
Tom Cooney was up next on the stage, and I’d swear he was born there. In classic singer/songwriter format, accompanied on a few songs, he had the easiest presence and chemistry I’ve seen at a small gig before. He had a gaggle of folk gems, one called “Veins” that I’m currently trying to track down. Everyone these days is a s/s, my Ma has probably had a crack at it by now, but Cooney’s got something. He’s got an EP out and an album in the works so here’s hoping to see him around.
This next chap gave me a bad case of the Jack Johnsons, with a smattering of the Michael Bublés. Eric McGrath robbed my cup of tea and cracked me across the face with it. Not that Jack Johnson isn’t “peel off my skin and roll around in salt” good; it’s just that I really didn’t like it.
Then the main event; Rhiannon “That Bird from The Beautiful South” Corrigan. Ethereal little thing with the voice of a child, her songs had a poignancy that nearly earned her her hype. I’m not holding my breath to hear an album though.
Then the first full band of the evening assembled on stage. Shadows Holding Shapes, a five piece with cameos from a micro korg, maracas and a trumpet, as well as guitar heavy melodies, were an anticipated break from the sleepy musings of lads with guitars. The energy they brought to the room was captivating, the crowd suddenly woke up. Not as cut and copy as rock and roll, not quite moody enough to be indie, there’s no one and everyone I can really compare them to. But listen for yourself by clicking here.
Also with an album in the works, I genuinely look forward to hearing more from these lads.
They were followed by the synth band, I Dance Radio, who sounded promising. Lots of pop melody and honest lyrics, which I’m a complete sucker for, but the whole thing went steadily downhill after three songs. It all got a bit whiney to be honest, but to give them their dues; these boys from Galway were charming on stage.
Needless to say, after a strenuous night of head nodding and shuffling, I stumbled home merry; safely assured that never would I need to resort to watching a Friends DVD as long as there was free seat to be filled at Saucy Sundays. Fair dues to free gigs!
Saucy Sundays is being held weekly, at 5pm in The Grand Social until June.
By: Katie O' Mahony
