Local Natives (live in Dublin)

Local Natives (live in The Village, Dublin)

Review Snapshot: LA Hipsters Local Natives roll into town to play a work unfriendly Monday night at The Village in Dublin, the reviewer can't help but be reminded of sunnier times the previous July.

The Cluas Verdict? 8 out of 10

Full Review: Ado decided to drive in so I sat in the house watching Australian Masterchef waiting for the lad to pull up outside the door in his ridiculous PlayStation-like BMW. The phone rings. It's himself, too lazy to get out of the car and knock on the door and, to be honest, when it is this cold I don't blame the buck one bit.

Local Natives all the way from California playing The Village on a Monday night. I got into them during the summer in my uncle's vacant house on the Aran Islands, my girlfriend from Montreal was playing albums on her iPod for myself and two friends while we drank wine in the long grass and watched the sun set out over the west coast of Mayo. Happy memories that seem so far away as we spin down the N11 into Donnybrook on a bitterly cold November night.

We made our way past the group of shivering, nicotine-addled hipsters with enough time to grab a bottle of O'Hara's stout and pick a position in front of the awful overhang which is the curse of the Village as a venue. The trick is to get far enough forward so you can't hear the chattering from the peeps who shelled out 20 odd quid to talk at the bar.

The band walk on reflecting a straw poll of the audience themselves: comical tashes, low cut oversized tees and skinny jeans-a-gogo. They launch into the percussion-driven 'Camera Talk' (scroll below to listen to it). The first thing that hits you is how loud they are playing. Having not seen them before this was unexpected. The second thing that hits you is that these guys really can sing. And not just one of them. They all seem fit to hold a note, with the exception of the enormous bass player.

Next up is 'World News' which starts off as a thumping footstomper, immersed in vocal and strung-up hooks that evolves into another shout-out loud vocal singalong. A Talking Heads cover followed by a string of songs from their debut album Gorrilla Manor. After 3 or 4 songs I would imagine it would be impossible not to be completely taken in by these guys. They are impressively tight, something which comes from two years or so on the road. The hooks are plentiful and the boys can more than just hold a note. Kudos must also go to the crowd for this gig. Sun Hands in particular involved a 'sing along' which required the lead to sing a bit louder to be heard over the Monday night hardcore indie element.

We left The Village as far awaty as ever from a summer's evening on Inis Mor but very happy nonetheless.

Phil Gill

Camera Talk by Local Natives

More ...

[Read More...]