An hour before the doors are scheduled to open, the queue for James Marriott stretches 100m all the way from the Academy to the Gin Palace. James Marriott is big news.
Half an hour before the doors open, the clouds open instead, and the queue, largely teenagers avoiding their father’s day duties and leaving cert revision is thoroughly drenched.
Opening act Lexie Carroll is overawed, “This is way bigger than I thought it would be”, but she’s some talent with her softly spoken indie pop folk vocals and she easily wins the crowd over; she proclaims “This is my favourite gig I’ve ever done”. You wouldn’t be surprised if she’s headlining next time.
Next up are Soft Launch; don’t ask me who the lead singer is because three of them constantly swap instruments and vocal duties, but one of them is Josh McClorey, formerly of the Strypes and another is Conor Price, formerly of the X factor. From the crowd’s reaction, you wouldn’t know they aren’t the headliner, and despite only having the one release, the front row know all the words to a lot of the songs, the strongest of which might be called “I wouldn’t get your hopes up”. Soft Launch are great fun.
James Marriott, then. He bounds on, in the manner of nothing more than David Brent or James Corden, and launches into Over My Head to a rapturous reception. However, it says nothing to me, but then I’m not the target demographic. I doubt his failure to impress my wizened old ears bothers him not one iota; he’s clearly very popular. Marriott says his influences include the Strokes, but I was left with the abiding question, Is This It?
Lexie Carroll photos & set-list:
Set-list:
Evelyn
Its Been A While
Laundry Detergent
We Never Made It To Glasgow
Sunflood
Violet
Soft Launch photos & set-list:
Set-list:
Easier
My Mam Don’t Want You Round Again
In My Bed
Dinosaur
I Wouldn’t Get Your Hopes Up
Catholic Guilt
Cartwheels
Milkshakes
Piano Hands
James Marriott photos & set-list:
Set-list:
Over My Head
Him
You Are Here
So Long
Where Has Everyone Gone?
In Between
Going Postal at the Party
The Other Side
Car Lights
Sleeping on Trains
White Noise
Denial
Don’t Blame Me
Grapes
Romanticise This
Photos & Words – Ian Davies @shootspeedkilllight