ARREN absolutely smashed it at Whelan’s Upstairs on Saturday night! It was clear from the get-go just how much this show meant to him. And just how much work had gone into it.
He’s been rehearsing for months with his full band, and it seriously paid off. They were locked in from the first chord of opener Dark Earth right through to the final notes of their last song Sweet Bitter Sound. Every track had its own vibe, but they flowed together so smoothly. One minute you’re swaying to a ballad, the next you’re bobbing your head along to something a bit grittier. The mix of styles was unreal, and the band handled every shift effortlessly. The different switch ups also showed just how talented Arren is.
Hearing Broken live after listening to it for ages was an experience, and as I thought the crowd were really into it. Also another standout for me was Dreams we missed, I love that tune.
It wasn’t even just about the music either, Arren turned the gig into a full-on experience. He had a merch table stacked with t-shirts (I grabbed a deadly one), signed posters, CDs, the lot. And in between songs, he was running a raffle, pulling out names for free merch and drinks vouchers. The crowd loved it. This was the first time I’d seen this level of thought gone into a gig.
Even earlier in the day, he was out on the streets handing out flyers to get more people in. You can’t knock that kind of hustle, it shows how much heart he’s put into this.
Opening the night was Keith Plunkett, and let me tell you, he was something else. His guitar playing was next level! He was doing things on guitar I haven’t seen before. You could tell people in the room were properly impressed. He’s got no music out yet (which is a crime), but when he does, keep an eye out.
Overall, it was just a brilliant night, great tunes, great energy, and an artist who clearly cares about what he’s doing. If you missed it, you missed out. Hopefully this is the start of more headline gigs for Arren, he deserves it!
Keith Plunkett photos:
Arren photos & set-list:
Set-list:
1 Dark Earth
2. Thinking About July
3. Golden Bloodstream
4. It Takes One to Know
5 In the Dark
6. Amsterdam
7 Rising Sun
8.Broken
9. Baby I want you
10. Core
11. Dreams we missed
12. Sweet Bitter Sound
Photos & Words – Alan Robinson @alan_robinson_photography