Live Review: Pillow Queens / Arxx – Vicar Street, Dublin 01,10,2022


Pillow Queens

Dublin indie rock outfit played to a sold-out crowd, the first of a two night run after a second night had to be added once the first quickly sold-out.

Opening the night were Brighton duo Arxx and wow are they a force to be reckoned with, not having heard of these till now I was duly blown away by their performance of a 7 song set lasting 30 minutes and including singles and the odd new one, even a new one that contained a mashup with a cover of Cher’s Believe.
They have a new release due on the 7th called Call Me Crazy that also sees them collaborating with Pillow Queens.
oooh also I think its the first time I have every heard the chant one more tune, one more tune! for a support act and very well deserved it was.

Set List.
Not Alone but Not with You
Couldn’t Help Myself
Call Me Crazy
What Have You Done
Ride Or Die
Deep
Iron Lung

Running a little later than scheduled (but all good things come to those who wait) Pillow Queens took the stage at 9.15 and dam the roar from the sold-out crowd was deafening even shaking some confetti from the rafters that must have been stuck up there form a previous night.
Opening up their set with Delivered ( which I can never sake the opening cords sounding like the opening to a Sisters of Mercy song or many a good goth anthem) anyway this was followed up with Be By Your Side / No Good Woman after which Sarah Corcoran was heard thanking the crowd for selling out the venue, before leading into Handsome Wife which induced more huge cheers at its ending.
HowDoILook (not a mistake how its wrote) provoked lots of clapping throughout the song from the crowd, which was a sight to see from the balcony above all arms raised and clapping.
During the next song House That Sailed Away brought on another spectacular sight as a good number of phones came out with their torches on and were waved back and forth, Holy Show had everyone singing word for word and again more cheering throughout.
Child of Prague came next and up till now there hadn’t been much talking from the band as was said earlier that they were a little nervous and might talk more as they settled into things, but it was after Child of Prague were Pamela Connolly joked yous know that yous are all very intimidating ( guess meaning playing to such a large crowd) and Sarah joking back, sure look up there at your ma and you’ll be fine lol.
Historian / Hearts & Minds got some airtime next, the Pamela shouts this ones for all the gay girls and it was time for them to play Gay Girls, then there was huge moans and groans from the crowd as it was announced this is the last song, no body wanted the night to end and rightly so. They finished up with Try Try Try and it had to be the shortest brake before the encore, as it wasn’t even a minute before they were back on stage and playing again. Opening the encore with Rats where during which the crowd were left to sing,
I’m not a rat, if you’re not a rat
I won’t say nothing if you touch me like that
I said, “I’m not a rat, if you’re not a rat”
A rat, a rat, a rat
I’m not a rat, if you’re not a rat
I won’t say nothing if you touch me like that
I said, “I’m not a rat, if you’re not a rat”
A rat, a rat, a rat.
Pamela than asked anyone in from Donaghmede where she joked again by saying well we’re not playing it so yous can go home lol, but yep they played it and followed it up and finished out the night with Liffey.

To conclude well they may have been nervous! but none of that showed through and the big stage, big sell-out crowd really suited them as I have seen the band a number of time as this was a different level of show and off the scale, only wish I could be back there tonight for the second show.

Previous VIFF Review: A Piece of Sky
Next Live Review: Calum Scott / Mitch James - 3Olympia Theatre, Dublin 30.09.2022

No Comment

Leave a Reply

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.