The beginning of Autumn signifies amongst other things, the arrival of Hard Working Class Heroes 2013, a round up of the best of Ireland’s independent acts, showcasing them in six different venues across the city, forcing us – in true festival style – to run wrestling our wind-stricken umbrellas from one side of the rainy city to the other.
Over the last decade, the festival has garnered a reputation for bringing emerging musical talent from all around Ireland to the forefront, citing Fionn Regan, The Villagers, The Strypes and The Frames as previous graduates. So don’t be weary if you’re not too familiar with the line up. We know it can sometimes be a chore wading through a line-up of bands deciding who you’re going to see, especially when you may not have heard of a whole bunch of them. So we’ve done the dirty work for you and sifted through what’s on offer and picked out the ones we think are worth getting drenched for.
HWCH – 1 Umbrella – 0.
September Girls
September Girls are a bit like what I imagine Warpaint might sound like if they were less mopey and more Irish. The Dublin five-piece have previously described their reverb-riddled, garage-infused pop songs as “sounds from a transistor radio abandoned in a rural cinema.” A combination of harmonies that echo those of sixties girl groups like The Ronettes and The Shangri-Las and grungey riffs hewn in the eighties and nineties, makes for some enjoyable and at times nostalgic listening – D’ya think they’ll let me into Workman’s in my Nirvana hoodie?
September Girls play WholeWordBand Stage @ Workman’s at 10.40pm on Saturday
Hozier
We first saw Andrew Hozier Byrne about a year ago in Sweeney’s basement. Then he was performing as one eighth of the energetic soul-funk-rap band known as Zaska, a gig during which the powerful voice of “that tall guy” was notable in the midst of the impressive melting pot of melodies going on across the stage. Eleven months later, it turns out “that tall guy” is Hozier of the Take Me To Church EP.
Hozier’s varied influences of blues, jazz, gospel and soul are evident throughout the EP, however, it is the title track that stand out. Immediately impacting, from the first line in which he sings “My lovers got humour / she’s the giggle at a funeral” in a soulful croon that melts across the foreboding pound of the piano. The track ascends into what is a bold, gospel-infused reconnaissance of humanity and sexuality told through metaphors of religion and church worship with lines like “Take me to church / I’ll worship like a dog at the shrine of your life / I’ll tell you my sins and you can sharpen your knife”.
The song’s music video has gone viral since it’s release just a week ago. Directed by Brendan Canty of Feel Good Lost, the concept was influenced by the recent increase in organised attacks and torturing of homosexuals in Russia following an oppressive government campaign against the LGBT community. Here’s what Hozier had to say to State about the video.
Hozier plays the 45 Sound Stage @ The Button Factory on Thursday at 10.00pm
Come On Live Long
Following a stellar performance at the Altered gig in Christ Church Cathedral a few months back, Come On Live Long were hailed by Nialler9 as “one of the best new live bands in Ireland” possessing “that assured dynamic, that confidence that comes only from a band who know who they are and what they’re at.” Their debut album Everything Fall is a pleasant juxtaposition of suspense-filled rhythms, vulnerable vocals and crashing choruses all throughout. These guys are the second last act to play Meeting House Square on the final night of the festival so it should be a full house. You can also stick around afterwards to catch Daithí “the fiddle-house fusion boy wonder” close the stage.
Come On Live Long play Meeting House Square on Saturday at 11.00pm
Liza Flume
This Aussie native has been popping up everywhere over the last year since she first appeared on Nialler9’s blog, regularly playing at festivals and gigging relentlessly all over Dublin. Her sweet innocent, voice echoes that of a child and will tug on your heart strings as she sings lyrics about love, rejection and wrestling inner demons. She may be one of many solo acoustic artists using a loop pedal at the moment but in fairness it could be worse, it could be a ukelele and besides, John Grant is a fan. Nuff said.
Liza plays Meeting House Square on Thursday at 10.40pm
Tieranniesaur
This is the gig to go to if you’re looking for some good old-fashioned escapism. The seven-piece band are notoriously hyper on stage and between their two albums, the self-titled debut Tieranniesaur and the follow-up album, DIYSCO they boast an infectiously giddy collection of funk-pop songs that are guaranteed to make you and your mates get up and jump around the room like a bunch of eejits. (Don’t say we never warned you.)
Tierranniesaur plays Meeting House Square on Friday at 10.00pm
For the full line up of head over to Hard Working Class Heroes 2013 website.
Words: Roisin McVeigh
