Easy On The Ear
Posted on 22nd Feb 06 by Contributor | 
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Artist: Gemma HayesAuthor: Gary Gemma Hayes w/ Joe Chester Cyprus Avenue" Sun 19th Feb. It"s not often that Cyprus Avenue is packed to the rafters before the main support act comes on" but that"s the situation we find ourselves in tonight as people have turned out in their droves to a give somebody a special [...]
Artist: Gemma Hayes
Author: Gary
Gemma Hayes w/ Joe Chester
Cyprus Avenue" Sun 19th Feb.
It"s not often that Cyprus Avenue is packed to the rafters before the main support act comes on" but that"s the situation we find ourselves in tonight as people have turned out in their droves to a give somebody a special send off as she finishes her Emerald Isle stint to cross the Irish sea. Local "well Ballyporeen is only 35 miles away"" heroine Gemma Hayes is back in town to wistfully wander us into her heart as she reminds us just how good her second album" The Roads Don"t Love You is.
Before the Meteor award winner graces the stage though" Joe Chester treats us to most of his Choice award nominated A Murder of Crows record. Deserted of his laptop of backing tracks" Chester plays an personal acoustic set which receives a much deserved favourable reception from the crowd. Highlights include the title track from the album and the subtly affecting Charlie for A Girl.
By 9.40 though" we get the reason why the gig was the fastest selling event of the year so far in the venue. Arriving onstage with three"piece band in tow" Hayes immediately strums up the opening chords of "Another for the Darkness"" a song which personifies the second album. A lot more direct and a lot more openhearted. Not taking anything away from "Night On My Side" but whereas that sounded like a singer exploring and experimenting with the boundaries she could push with her voice" the new record sounds like she has found the place where she feels most comfortable.
Other new songs on the record" Happy Sad and Undercover follow shortly. On record" both faultless compositions but live there sung and played with an edge that only people who see the singer live will fully understand" the former song being the most glorious three minutes on the radio at the moment.
In between songs" the singer is also not afraid to engage with the crowd" informing us of her brushings with Bono in Dublin at the Meteors and charming us with tales of her upbringings in Tipperary.
Later in the set" she sings standout tracks from the first album "Back Of My Hand" and "Ran for Miles". Both songs couldn"t be performed more resoundingly heartfelt and they also show just how much she has grown in stature as a performer since she played those tracks at the Triskel Arts Centre a few years ago. And may I say" hearing Gemma sing the words "Come on and give me your heart/Write it on the back of my hand"" now I know how girls feel when they hear "The Blower"s Daughter" live"
When she returns onstage for an encore to play a solo version of "Something In The Way" she has to halt the singing midway as her guitar is out of tune. It doesn"t matter one bit though" because she"d already won the crowd about ten seconds into the opening song of the night. We know the roads don"t love us Gemma" but the N8 that leads into Cork will always welcome you with open arms.