Tickets There has never been good at arriving on time for anything. We’re so bad at it, people have actually stopped talking to us on different occasions because we’re so damn unreliable at turning up for nights out, days out and anything that involves being somewhere at a certain time. Despite heading straight into town after work to ensure a good two/three hours to get from Tara Station to the Academy, we still only manage to arrive at the venue just as The Aftermath were taking the stage at nine thirty. As TT standards go, that’s not bad.
From the start, The Aftermath are on fire. Johnny, Mick and the boys deliver their hits at rapid speed to ensure they squeeze in as much material as possible before the ten thirty curfew kills the joy. Opening with the classic Are You Not Wanting Me Yet, the lads play a set comprised of material from their highly acclaimed debut, Friendlier Up Here, aswell as tracks from their second album, which the guys are currently recording.
Considering it’s been a couple of years since the album first came out and almost a year since the band last played Dublin, there’s a pretty strong crowd in the Academy tonight and Wish My Love Would Die, Hollywood Remake and Northern Lingerie all help remind people what it is we love so much about this band. After opening with some of their hits, the band lash out some of the newer songs which go over extremely well before blasting into one of their biggest singles, All I Want Is For You To Be Happy which evokes it’s traditional sing along before One Is Fun ends the main half of the set.
Without going through the motions of leaving the stage, the band use every minute they have to play as much material as possible. They kick off their encore with the stomping, heaving weekend anthem, Six Days to Saturday before inviting a friend onstage to perform The Clash’s classic, I Fought The Law (and do a ridiculously good job of it). Before calling it a night, the band finishes things of with a storming rendition of Song of a Graveyard.
It may have been short but the band played a stunning set, thrilling all in attendance. After a very quiet 2009, Tickets There has officially ended it’s gig drought and what better way to do it than see one of Ireland’s most entertaining live acts at the top of their game. Judging by the new material, the lads have a great second album in store for us and hopefully it’s release will see the band get the attention they deserve from Irish people.
UK rockers, The Treatment have a ….no, no I won’t go down that route. Not on the first post in WEEKS!
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