BRONAGH GALLAGHER
TOP OF THE TOWN, OMAGH
21/10/2006
A softly lit and comfortable Top Of The Town was created on Saturday night for the final event of the Omagh arts festival and no other setting could have been better. To open up the proceedings Richard Doak played some acoustic twists from the likes of The Kinks, Outkast and Electric 6 and other than the 'sing-a-long' from our own local 'legend' PP Slaggart, everything ran smoothly enough.
Bronagh then took to the stage and sang a prayer-like solution for people feeling empty called 'Saint Teresa' accompanied only by herself. Subsequently her band then took to the stage and started their Bluesy Rock sound. As the songs went by, Gallagher had a story for each of them and her personal divulgement provided an intimate ambience which was easily slipped into.
Bronagh's fascination for Tyrone slang was discovered when the band got lost and picked up two guys who would guide them to the Top of The Town, her discovery of a 'blade' being a girl and going for a 'charge' of drink often came up throughout the night and soon grew old.
Her song 'Aretha' was preceded by a story of how she met the singer at an awards ceremony in America and how she couldn't go home without a photo or her mother would kill her. The source of the songs made the gig a far more special affair and gave an insight into her early life and fame. Other songs she preformed were 'Magpies', 'Precious Soul', 'He Don't Love You' and 'Hooks'. She also gave an insight into her love for a fella but nothing ever coming of it with 'Fed up Fantasising'. Though she recently seen the fella again and was happy she gave up!
When Gallagher finished her set, she happily chatted to fans and signed whatever people wanted and with her mother and aunties in the corner to chat to, she was in no rush to leave.
SikTh
Belfast Limelight
22/10/2006
SikTh is still a relatively unknown band, with only two albums under their belt and very little media coverage, they don't get their music spread just as far as they'd like but not tonight however.
The band last visited Belfast in Winter 2003 as a support act but on Saturday past they rocked the capital as headline act to a sold out crowd.
The openers this evening are Belfast extremists Stand Up Guy, their set, dominated by heavy guitars with melancholic screams doesn't make for easy listening but they thoroughly prove themselves as an original metal band and manage to pull it off it off brilliantly.
Throughout the forty minute wait, SikTh themselves tune up and test their own gear, their DIY approach to their live performance shows a strong work ethic and endless commitment that has got them to where they are today.
As the finishing touches are made, the enter into new single 'Bland Street Bloom', vocalists Mikee and Justin take to the stage just as the singing comes in. The band play new favourites like 'Flogging the Horses', 'Way Beyond The Fond Old River' and 'Part Of The Friction' with old Sikth defining songs like 'Scent Of The Obscene', 'Pussyfoot' and 'Skies Of The Millennium Night' with everyone reacting to each of the intros as if it were their favourite song. The total originality of dread locked vocalist Mikee Goodman was documented with one of his spoken word efforts which is echoed through the Limelight word for word by the infatuated crowd.
As the night came to a close so did the band's 22-date tour but the band show obvious delight at the Belfast crowd and seemed very genuine with their whispers of 'awesome' to one-another after certain songs.
Those predictable words 'See you real soon!' were declared as the band left the stage but after Saturday's event, I don't think a comment like that will ever bear more truth in Belfast again.
Gig
Just to round off this week's news, there is a Halloween gig in Molly Sweeny's tomorrow night. AmpliFIRE, Play The Thief, Face 4 Radio and Made In China will be playing and its only £5 in! There will also be prizes for the best fancy dress, so throw something weird on and you never know what you could win.
