Scottish alt rock band The Vaselines took to the stage in a sold out Grand Social on Friday, 21st March. Support was from Dublins own Molly Vulpyne.
Vulpine played a solo show, commandeering the stage with all the vitriol of early 90’s female fronted bands like Hole or L7. While part of me kept wondering what she would sound like with a full band behind her, the other part didn’t care, because she really didn’t need it.
I’ll admit I only heard of/got into The Vaselines (like most people sadly) because of their association with Nirvana and Kurt Cobain stating they were his ‘favourite songwriters in the whole world’, but once I did and got further than the three songs I originally thought were Nirvana songs, I’ve found that he definitely wasn’t wrong. They have their own specific sound and songwriting style, and write the kind of indie songs that even after the first listen seem to have creeped into your brain and refused to ever leave.
The Grand Social is the perfect venue for these kind of stripped back gigs, as it lends itself to a very intimate setting between the artists and the crowd, and every gig I’ve seen there has always sounded fantastic.
It’s great to see bands like these still touring (and still selling out venues) because it goes to show that good music really is timeless, and a well written pop song sounds great no matter who is playing it.
Molly Vulpyne photos:
The Vaselines photos & set-list:
Set-list:
High Tide Low Tide
The Day I Was a Horse
Molly’s Lips
Jesus Wants Me for a Sunbeam
Monsterpussy
Oliver Twisted
Slushy
No Hope
Ruined
The Devil’s Inside Me
Sex With an X
Mouth to Mouth
I Hate the 80’s
Crazy Lady
Dying for It
Summer Wine (Nancy Sinatra & Lee Hazlewood cover)
Rory Rides Me Raw
Son of a Gun
Photos & Words – David McEneanery @experimentzero