Live Review: Dermot Kennedy, Gretta Ray

A late support change sees Gretta Ray, a hometown favourite, take the Croxton’s stage for the second night of Dermot Kennedy’s headline shows. It’s a sell-out crowd, the majority of whom seem to have walked straight off an Aer Lingus flight and into the bar line, and the back of the room is a hive of excited chatter. Despite the rabble, Ray and her band do a fine job in capturing ears, eyes and hearts with a set including When We’re In Fitzroy, Towers, Unwind, Radio Silence and Drive. Unlike Ray’s headline shows, where the crowd belts out her lyrics, a comparatively small contingent seem familiar with her work - but those that are sing loud, and those that aren’t no doubt will soon.

Punters rapidly vacate the smokers’ area as Kennedy’s set approaches, stubbing cigarettes and refilling pints. The room is packed and the reception loud when he joins the band. If you came for lilting, light-hearted banter you’d be disappointed – Kennedy is more poet than preacher, more demure than demanding and more powerful than you could ever imagine. He begins with All My Friends, A Closeness, Shelter and a new song called Lost. Whether playing guitar or simply standing with hands clasped at the mic, Kennedy’s voice is otherworldly and cuts through to one’s core. “Don’t get caught up in caution when love exists,” he softly sings on Shelter, and a look around the room suggests love well and truly exists. 

Kennedy thanks the crowd for coming, acknowledging that tonight was the first show to sell, then launches into Young & Free and Boston, the latter written, Kennedy says, about a summer when every chance he took, and everything he left to chance, worked out perfectly. A sign in the crowd asks, "Were we the inspiration for Boston?" He can neither confirm nor deny. 

The recently released For Island Fires & Family comes next, written about the people you run to for comfort. Moments Passed, Power Over Me and Dancing Under The Red Skies precede the epic An Evening I Will Not Forget, which suffers from technical issues but still induces goosebumps. He finishes with Glory and After Rain, encouraging the crowd to sing, “You won’t go lonely.” The audience, not wanting Kennedy to depart, demand, “One more time!” “Two more times!” and finally, “Give me your number!” With a final reminder that “you won’t go lonely”, Kennedy gives the crowd a thumbs-up and walks off stage with our souls like the thief in the night he sings about.