I have probably seen the Frames more times than any other band over the last decade. Glen is an outstanding writer and they are a compelling live act. However, I really must cry foul of his solo turns in Whelan's recently. I had the misfortune of allowing myself to be talked into standing upstairs. By the time Glen came on, people were almost passing out with the heat. We had endured an hour of Mark Geary in support (who played for 30 minutes and regailed us with stories of biscuits at Christmas like they were manna from heaven..HELLO MARK, I grew up in the eighties, times were hard but not that bad..this sort of bull might fly with the Celtic Tiger generation but not me). Equally, Glen continued the theme, babbling on and playing little. Most people could bearly hear his meanderings. Had I had the courage of my convictions, I would have thrown stuff at them for such a lazy, take the money and run effort. It was basically a Glen love-in for teenage girlie groupies and very light on any musical acomplishment at all. Now don't get me wrong, I am an admirer of the band but the sh1t served up in Whelan's that night was sub-standard. Walking out half way through a set (Holland) is juvenile. I really hope that the Frames sell shed loads of albums but their bread and butter right know is giging and they really should pay a bit more attention to their audience given my recent experience. I did originally intend writing a review of said Whelan's gig for Cluas but baulked as there always seems to be an unwritten coda that you do not criticise such a veritable institution as the Frames. The reverence they are afforded in Dublin is to mind well beyond necessity. So there, I've said it and I have my flame suit on....

i havent seem glen solo but if all the above is true, then it is really a bit of a sham... its a pity, if ppl take their audience for granted... however it is the first of complaints i've heard about glen hansards shows and i wonder does everyone else just like hearing his stories maybe with one of his solo gigs are you paying for his personality and not so much the music??? its a terrible pity that a great band like the frames couldnt continue playing over in holland...did they maybe offend the audience accidently or something?

I really should clarify that this was the first Frames gig in over a decade which I felt was downright bad. I've seen them off form before but this was shambolic. It was a number of things conspired to make it so. Whelan's milked it for every cent the could packing the venue to way beyond acceptable proportions for enjoying a gig. If you were standing upstairs, you literally had to take a break and go stand by the entrance for a breath of air every 10 minutes or so. The support was about 30 minutes too long and Glen's performance was way below what he is capable of delivering. I do wonder if it is impossible to guage just how bad things are from the stage. Without sounding like I should be handing out Werther's Originals and smelling faintly of p*ss, we should not expect to pay 20 odd euros to be treated like cattle in the name of music. This was a poor gig exacerbated by a venue patently incapable of supporting the numbers of people there.

What's this? are the loyal suddenly turning? The Frames are just a band, a very good band albeit but the problem is that so many people treat them as a way of life and not just a very good band. If you hold them so high then of course they'll let you down. A bit of perspective please.

friends of mine travelled a long way for that gig (rennes, strasbourg, london) and were really disappointed, as far as i can make out the band made an effort to explain they were not based in the uk (it was the london calling festival) and the crowd didn't like this very much. Four or five lads threw their drinks at the band. i don't think any of this is on really, if you don't like the band go stand at the back till the set is over.

Hey GH, I am not a loyal Frames fan but someone who rates them (as I do many others). This particular gig was a shocker and their fans should feel let down after handing over the sheckles. There is a pretty big difference to me in feeling let down and feeling reamed by a mechanical reaming machine as I did that night. Believe me, I am prepared to put up with a lot to see good live music but this was a step beyond. Is there anyone out there was at this gig and agreed/disagreed?

i was there, after seeing him the night before in cork it was positively amazing. without doubt the everyman gig was one of the worst i've seen. out of maybe a 2hr set at least an hour was talking, maybe even more. i hear what you're saying about whelan's but i totally disagree with your comments about mark geary, he was the only reason i was there to be honest

m

im getting a bit sick of his whining, i think they are a great band but that is incredibly unprofessional, if you cant face the challenge of trying to win over a difficult crowd then glen my mate you are in the wrong business

ah here hang on a second! i was at the gig in amsterdam...the sound was crap (as it usually is in that venue) the crowd was mostly crap and some prick was throwing stuff at the band. f ucked if i would've hung around on stage to put up with that!

I was at the Whelan's gig and it was a bit packed beyond capacity and a little uncomfortable but I still thought it was quite good but maybe that's because I was down front and not up in the balcony, I dunno.

Let me clarify a few things about The Frames' London Calling appearance here. First of all: the festival is a showcase kind of thing, which meant that the band was only supposed to play for about forty minutes anyway. Secondly, and this is hard to verify, but as a regular and 'professional' concert visitor I can safely assume that no one in the crowd took offence at Glens' comment that The Frames 'are not from London'. In fact: I don't think anyone noticed his introduction in the first plave. The majority came out to see the much hyped Libertines and couldn't care less about the other bands. Sad but true. Sadly also, the Dutch public is not exactly well behaved, much less so when drunk and that's what a lot of people where. Even taking the reverie for The Frames in Ireland aside, you can hardly blame the band for being pissed of with the disinterest they had to put up with. Even I was shocked and I'm used to it. Finally, the large and roomy Paradiso main hall didn't help getting the tender songs from 'For The Birds' across. Bad choice perhaps, to play a set largely drawn from their last album, but there is only one way to find out isn't there? I feel sorry though, for the excited Irish fans I overheard in a nearby pizza restaurant eagerly anticipating seeing The Frames abroad. They would have gotten far better value for their money the following Thursday when The Frames again played the far smaller upstairs hall of the Paradiso and took revenche with a stunning performance. A very loud one, this time, and much longer too.

By the way: anyone who is interested in seeing the ill fated Frames' gig (and/or Apples In Stereo and The Libertines) for themselves check: www.fabchannel.com

Basically the Frames and Glen Hansard are pretty s**t to begin with. Their recent "success" is based purely on them aping other far more creative but equally risible US alt.folk "artists" - Irish audiences are always easily bought by this kind of third-rate cloning. Joe Dolan, Jack L, Brush Shiels, anyone? To be fair in the past the Frames were a lot more angry and sincere in their work, but not very musically good either. I can't really explain their recent popularity in any other terms than above. It's no surprise to me that they are unheard of, and unheralded outside of Ireland.

Oh my God, here come the militants. If people enjoy The Frames why should you be insulted? It doesn't mean other acts aren't worth listening to. And perhaps you missed out on the fact that The Frames' records didn't get a proper release in most parts of Europe until recently? They may not get the worship they receive in Ireland (thank goodness for that, the hypes get tiresome) but most reviewers in The Netherlands at least, like me, considered 'For The Birds' an honest piece of work worthy of attention. You'll have a hard time convincing me otherwise, and I'm definitely not Irish or in any other way biased towards Irish bands. But I'll go and check out the names you mention. There's a good chance I'll like those too.

the frames flop? seriously guys, if you think that, go check out one of their gigs this week. these guys are on top of their game.

Agreed! And Vicar Street is a great venue for them. Just avoid Glen Hansard in Whelans. Is there any reason why they do not play the Ambassador - they can certainly fill it.

But I'll go and check out the names you mention. There's a good chance I'll like those too. I very much doubt it :) As boring as the Frames are now, at least they're not attracting an audience comprised mostly of middle-aged housewives just yet :) If they were Dutch middle-aged housewives that would be ok, but sadly they're of the Irish variety (sigh!)

who cares. Can we please get over analysing every mini-event in the dreary timeline of this band? If I wanted that, I'd just go read the Ticket.