It’s been a particularly busy few days for Loyle Carner in Ireland. After appearing at Electric Picnic in Stradbally just a day earlier, he arrived in Dublin for a headline show that felt considerably more intimate.
There was something almost deceptively simple about Carner’s appeal on the night. He didn’t need to rely on some massive spectacle to hold the audience and he’s never really had to. It’s the restraint instead that becomes part of his performances. He leaves space for the music, the words, and for the audience to find themselves within them. Tracks like set-opener “all i need” and “A Lasting Place” are prime examples of this. They’re understated, intimate and completely reliant on the strength of the songwriting.
“Speed Of Plight” was undeniably one of the highlights of the night. The song has an urgency that is so blatant in the live setting. The almost panicked refrain of “is the world moving fast for you as well?” creates great tension ahead of a climactic last chorus and release. “Ottolenghi” delivered another high in a set that was noticeably debut album heavy. The huge singalong to Carner’s most well known track was heartwarming given the mellow instrumental and message.
The London influence in his sound is unmistakable and so too are the traces of jazz and soul that make up his signature blend. It’s music that’s well connected to the London tradition of genre-crossing, where hip-hop can sit naturally alongside jazz, spoken word, soul and even electronic music without any of those influences needing to dominate. It’s no wonder we see him collaborating frequently with the likes of Jordan Rakei and Tom Misch, two other London maestro’s with plenty of feel for the pocket.
For an artist whose music is so deeply connected to the idea of place, I thought it was only fitting that a Londoner’s songs could feel so at home here in Dublin. If I would have any criticism of the set, it’s that we didn’t hear enough from “hugo”. There are some fantastic heavy-hitters there like “Hate” and “Georgetown” that I felt we really missed out on.
Having just played Electric Picnic, Carner could easily have treated the night as another stop on a busy Irish weekend. Instead, it really felt like it’s own occasion. It was a special thing to witness such talent on such a relatively small stage.
Loyle Carner photos & set-list:
Set-list:
All I Need
Plastic
Ain’t Nothing Changed
Yesterday
Damselfly
Horcrux
Desoliel (Brilliant Corners)
Homerton
Nobody Knows
Lyin
Loose Ends
Ice Water
Still
Speed Of Plight
About Time
Ottolenghi
Lasting Place
Feel At Home
Time To Go
Photos & Words by Myles Dunne – @MylesDunnePhoto