A gig of two halves: The Frames and “For the Birds”
Jim Carroll
If The Frames have a spiritual home, it’s probably Dublin’s Vicar Street. While there are other capital city venues which could also lay claim to the band’s spirit – some would say the band and Whelan’s were always a perfect match – and there are other venues worldwide which have seen a string of great shows from the band, the Thomas Street hall has been there the band have always stretched themselves to the limits. During the last decade, it was the place where the band played some astonishing shows as they became the band they always were capable of becoming. On that stage over the years, the scrappy, ramshackle street warriors turned into craftsmen.
Thus the Frames playing “For the Birds” in full at Vicar Street last night was always going to be a red letter day for many who believe that the band’s fourth album, released in 2001, remains the pinnacle of their career. Nothing the band had done before that album had resounded with such beautiful, subtle, exciting grace. And, indeed, while they were hugely successful afterwards (especially with Glen Hansard’s ongoing Swell Season affair), “For the Birds” still occupies the throne in their back-catalogue. It is, as violinist Colm Mac Con Iomaire says in this recent piece about the album’s 10th anniversary, one of the band’s favourite albums too.
It was a sublime performance, every track taking you back a decade to when that album was first released and the growing realisation that Hansard and friends had become a very serious concern as a band. A friend of mine has a theory that most Irish music fans go through an 18 month period of infatuation with The Frames and mine was certainly around “For the Birds”. While I’d known the band from the early days, I hadn’t really paid much attention to them between their first and fourth albums. I remember seeing them for the first time in years in early 2001 at the tribute show in the Olympia for the late, great Uaneen Fitzsimons and being totally blown away by how much had changed during their first decade as a band. When “For the Birds” came out, I was ready to be hugely smitten.
Last night’s performance, though, wasn’t just about nostalgia. Sure, shivers ran up and down spines as “In the Deep Shade” began its slow, shy, tender entrance and you remembered how many times it had cast its spell on you. But the musicians hadn’t turned into their younger selves for the evening. They were approaching last night’s show with the experience and steel of a band who’ve been through some huge occasions in the last 10 years. This was about looking back alright, but looking back with hindsight on how “For the Birds” saw them turn a corner and pushed them down a new road on which they’re still trucking.
As they freshly unpicked every track, there were both familiar and unfamiliar discoveries in tracks like “Headlong” and “Fighting On the Stairs”. Both “Santa Maria” and “Disappointed” were mighty in scope and execution, while “Early Bird” still signposts how the band had worked out a new way of going forward. What made the gig all the more special was the superb playing throughout, especially from Colm Mac Con Iomaire and the re-Framed Dave Odlum. Here was a band responding to the occasion by playing out of their skins. They were majestic, magisterial and stately, a Wilco-esque performance in this room which has seen many great performances from this bunch of musicians.
Really, the night could have been – and should have been – left at that and we’d all have gone home happy. But there was more to come.
The second half of the show began with great promise with Roddy Doyle reading his very funny short story “Blood” and the band working their way through golden age classics like “God Bless Mom” and “Revelate”. Inevitably, more guests started arriving. Damien Rice rambled onstage looking for all the world like a man who’d gone out to the shops to buy an organic turnip and ended up at Vicar Street. Mercifully, he played just one song and wandered off again. Bronagh Gallagher and guitarist Conor Brady turned The Frames into a southern soul ensemble for a tune, which was sweet and definitely worthy of more time. Support act Interference came on for a song which reminded you once again that Fergus O’Farrell’s voice is one of our musical nation’s most unheralded assets. And then, Liam O’Maonlai arrived. I think O’Maonlai deserves a paragraph of his own.
For some reason, the unbilled O’Maonlai took over proceedings as if he was the main attraction. While the other guests had realised the audience had come to see a band and quickly vacated the stage after one song, O’Maonlai didn’t have the sense, gumption or grace to recognise this state of affairs. Instead, this inveterate attention-seeker rambled for over 20 minutes through three songs. It was a car crash performance, one you really didn’t want to watch, but you didn’t dare avert your eyes for fear of missing what the man on the stage with the red underpants (clearly to be seen, unfortunately) was going to do next.
On and on O’Maonlai went, whooping, hollering and dancing like Pappy O’Daniel in O Brother, Where Art Thou? as he kept that painful south county Dublin bogman schtick going for as long as he could get away with it. He led a self-indulgent version of “Seeline Woman” which could still be going on were it not for some of the musicians onstage deciding it was time to draw the charade to a close. It was one of the most excruciating, embarrasing, foolish and unintentionally hillarious things I’ve ever seen in all my years going to gigs. It also drew shouts of “fuck off Liam” and “piss off” from an audience who weren’t quite sure whether to laugh or cry.
The show closed with “Heyday” and a reminder that one guest was sadly absent. But, in truth, the gig had lost its sizzle some time before that due to O’Maonlai’s antics. The first half was sublime, the second half (thanks to that Hothouse Flower) was verging on the ridiculous. Truly, a gig of two halves.
Ian – I believe this is the Other Voices performance you mentioned: http://www.rte.ie/tv/othervoices/20060201otherv.html
Warning: requires woefully outdated technology
Only getting to read this now…I was at the show last night and really enjoyed it. I can see both sides though. The show was billed as a special For The Birds performance and that’s exactly what the audience got, it was wonderful, and really proved that the album has stood the test of time. Now, I had planned to go home after that but stayed until the last note was played. As did most of the people in the venue as far as I could tell, the place was still rammed at 12.30am.
That’s the bit I don’t understand, the doors were not locked, so what if O Maonlaoi and co were not to people’s liking – they had the option to go home. The Frames had played the album by then as well as a greatest hits set, so why didn’t people leave? Everything else was an extra.
I only have one album by the Frames; ‘For The Birds’. I love the record, I reckon it’s a (their), masterpiece. Never really gave a shit about the Frames as I always associated them with that cloying self indulgent twaddle that permates / permated certain parts of the so called ‘Irish Music Scene’. Anyways, ‘For The Birds’, made me sit up and take notice, and then I sat down again when they failed to follow it with anything else that piqued my interest.
Here’s the thing, I was at the gig last night, and I thought it summed up the Frames perfectly. The performance of the album was wonderful, the songs still stand up, and you can tell that the band know this album rocks. Brilliant stuff. (Headlong was astonishing).
And then the other side of the Frames rears its’ ugly head. I won’t go on about O’Maonlai, it’s all been said above. My wife also used the anology of the embarassing uncle at the family wedding. It was amusing for about 10 minutes, and then became an endurance. I left when I realised that his god awful ‘performance’, was diluting the magic from earlier in the night.
BUT! Glen was loving it, and therein lies my problem with the Frames. After delivering a powerful performance of their best album, they then completely change tack and present their audience with a rambling hippy peddling the same shit as 10 years ago, some soul music (not bad actually), and the disaster of Liam O’Maonlai. The gig went from sublime to rubbish, and I went home.
(For The Birds is still class though!).
Have to agree with most of what Ethel said. The Frames are a mediocre band end of they get adulation in this country simply because they are Irish. Last night would have been a great night to take all those clowns and chancers like Hansard,Rice and Flower number one out of it in one swoop.
Given that the last show I saw in Vicar Street – Ben Folds last month – still had a strictly-enforced curfew, I was just wondering how The Frames gig was able to go on as long as it did. The only other show I can recall going on that long in the same venue was Kevin Smith, but that was a spoken word event, and not likely to disturb the residents as much. Did they have to fork out a penalty fee, U2 Croke Park-style? Just wondering.
Agree with Derek M. Glen, the noddy headed tosser, leader of a sub-pixies cover band grrrrrrrrrr
Man, he boils my piss. As for the state of his takamine acoustic guitar
One of the above posters calls him a bastion or pillar of the Oirish music scene, cop on, we can do with out that twee twaddle dee dawdle shite
Damien Rice, Paddy Casey, St Glen, ye can all FOAD
We’ve enough problems in this country-emigrate and Sind songs about that experience
redframelight – news to me that there’s a “strictly enforced curfew” in the venue – I’ve been at tons of shows there which have gone on well past 10.30pm (which is usually the curfew in other venues because they have late-night clubs on) and 11pm. Most venues and bands have a curfew because people have to get the last bus or train home. If they could, most acts would probably prefer to come on at 10.30pm and play to 12.30pm
Just read all this now
Brilliant debate
And if it’s on Vin B tonight I’ll stay in!
Jim, Its The Big Bawdoon here, . Close off this badness already and set up a new post about how Elbow tore the 02 a new one last night, and how Guy Garvey made the o2 feel like Crawdaddy!
One thing i’ll say for Glen Is unlike before, at least nowadays he can fuck off and play music elsewhere around the world and be appreciated and not have to be stuck with this typical bollox cynicism that hangs around Irish music like a bad smell.
I suggest DepthChargeEthel goes and listens to ‘The ideal Crash’. You’ll hear a huge Frames influence on there (and funny enough, one of the Arcade Fire’s favourite bands are the Frames) Back in 97-99 the Frames toured a bit with dEUS and it definitely was a mutual appreciation society. Craig Ward, dEUS’ guitar player actually played on For The Birds so this might bring about a better understanding for you DepthCharge.
Big Bawdoon – just to be clear here (as if it’s not from the post above), I’ve NO PROBLEMS with Glen Hansard or The Frames – the performance of “For the Birds” was spectacular. If it’s “typical bollox cynicism” to review and express an opinion on a musical stage-invasion by an attention-grabber, so be it but it really was a gig of two halves. It’s not just Frames’ fans who get all high and mighty when reviews are less than 100% glowing.
It also drew shouts of “fuck off Liam” and “piss off” from an audience who weren’t quite sure whether to laugh or cry.
This is very embarrassing to think that people could shout out such abuse towards anyone performing on stage whether they liked it or not. Irish and no longer proud of it! This is what we’ve become
Simon – I don’t think the fact that the artist was Irish had anything to do with it! He was embarrasing, regardless of nationality.
david to suggest The Frames influenced dEUS is lunacy. I remember seeing The Frames open up for dEUS on The Ideal Crash tour and it was like a dEus cover band opening for The Frames. That record was clearly very influenced by dEus and others.
David, it’s already been stated that I’m a huge early dEus fan, meaning their first 3 albums, which is why I levelled some accusations of the Frames borrowing heavily from dEus’s sound. For the Birds has clear “influences” and markedly dEus like sounds from all 3 of those albums on it. It was a distinct sonic departure from their earlier stuff and from what you say then obviously they were inspired by it when touring with Craig Ward era dEus in the late 90′s.
When I listen to For the Birds I hear an unashamedly “borrowed” sound, I used to refer to it as The Frames dEus album; while it is audibly inspired by all of those early 3 albums Worst Case Scenario, In A Bar, Under The Sea and The Ideal Crash it is most definitely closer to The Ideal Crash. Headlong, Giving me Wings, Early Bird, Santa Maria, Disappointed and Mighty Sword are the standout dEuslite tracks and they hold more of an early dEus inspired sound than Ideal Crash era. I certainly wouldn’t see Ideal Crash as having a Frames sound, more like the sounds of a record company steering a slightly avant garde band to sound more accessible and marketable or alternatively the sounds of a good band starting to cross the line into imminent mediocrity…
Oops in previous comment that should’ve said “it is most definitely closer to The Ideal Crash in production values while the sounds used reflect an earlier dEus sound.”
For clarification purposes, imminent mediocrity refers to Pocket Revolution and everything else since…
Oh i know Jimbo, It was a really lovely review of the gig and fair play to you for It.Lovely bit of writing.
Was directing my comments to the 30 odd Hansard Bashers that posted on here was all.
O’ Moanlai actually turned up during “Grounds for Divorce” last night with a hurley stick and a Wheelie bin, Great craic, didnt get home til 5 to 2 with him!! Last I saw of him, he was bodhraning a Chipper Van outside the 02.
Bawdoon – ah, sorry, am stepping back again from the fray. Please carry on.
I have and love all those records and I really don’t hear the comparison at all. The Frames big dEUS period was around Dance the Devil believe it or not, if anything FTB sounds more like Will Oldham & that alt country thing that was happening at the time.. I don’t hear those comparisons myself but it’s a shame you do…Do you think dEUS have lost it? I’m not sure but that being said I haven’t gone back to them after Ideal Crash either so maybe they have?
And really more than a few well deserved stones could be thrown at dEUS for very directly ripping off Captain Beefheart so I guess it all balances out. I’d rather bands wear their hearts on their sleeves when it comes to influences but somehow put their own mark on it. Good artists borrow, great artists steal n all that.
who would have thought the commitments would outspan the frames in longevity.
(sorry)
The gig was superb … its great to see The Frames in such fine form … they were the star of the show for sure … and they deserve any accolades that are going around …
It a bit sad that there is so much fuss about Liam O’Maonlai … its not fair on The Frames and its not really fair on Liam either … while I agree he did hog the stage a bit … and he does appear to have a bit of an ego problem (forgiveable, since he would not be the first Irish musician to suffer from this) … the article above does not give a fair rendition of events as they actually happened …
From where I was sitting in the front of block A most people seemed to enjoy Liam’s antics, I heard no shouts or curses for him to exit the stage, in fact people around me were having a great time joining in the party … standing up, dancing and singing along …
I was at the show with my two nieces who had never heard of Liam O’Maonlai before … and they loved his set … so much so that they have written about it in their Facebook accounts as a highlight …
My own feeling is his voice was perfect for the first song, which I don’t know, but loved it all the same. His conductor act, seemed a little bit patronising, but was a lot of fun. More importantly – The Frames looked to me to as if they were enjoying it …
Liam also did a great rendition of “Cathain”, a song I love, though the drum/bodhrán bit was borderline silliness (but was initiated by Glen as a bit of fun) …
The “Sea Lion” (or whatever it was) bit was for me over the top and too long, but again people around me were having a lot of fun with it …
Finally the last song, a duet on the piano with Glen, was clearly performed at the invite of Glen (who asked Liam to stay on the stage for one more song) … so I can’t understand why people are so critical of this … the band was clearly enjoying their night, at that stage they had way more than delivered the goods to the audience, so they deserved a chance for some fun … they appeared happy with Liam on stage … most (maybe not all.. but a few rude shouts does not constitute a majority) of the crowd were too … maybe a few of the die hard Frames cult heads were upset because they could not hear “Fitzcarraldo” live for the 1000th time, but who cares?? … there’ll be plenty more chances to hear it …hopefully …
The fact is it was entertaining and spontaneous, jam sessions are not about being organised … they are about improvising …
I was enjoying reading the review until I reached the bit about O’ Maonlai deserving his own paragraph … it reads to me like the opinion of someone with a chip on their shoulder or some sort of personal vendetta … Clearly Jim Carroll is a good review writer … but I wish he had finished the article with some focussed efforts on good journalism and on the positive note that the show deserved … rather than venting his personal prejudice and showing typical Irish begrudgery
Simon – I have no problems with your comment up the last paragraph which is an attack on myself so I’ll reply to that part.
I was enjoying reading the review until I reached the bit about O’ Maonlai deserving his own paragraph …
I was enjoying the show myself until O’Maonlai appeared, so we have that in common.
it reads to me like the opinion of someone with a chip on their shoulder or some sort of personal vendetta …
None whatsoever – I don’t think I have spoken to him since the late Nineties. He has been off my radar for years.
Clearly Jim Carroll is a good review writer …
cheers
but I wish he had finished the article with some focussed efforts on good journalism and on the positive note that the show deserved … rather than venting his personal prejudice and showing typical Irish begrudgery
Maybe you should read the last paragraph again where I say that the “For the Birds” performance was superb and the O Maonlai stage invasion (or a guest slot which was, to quote your good self, “over the top and too long”) was the nadir. That’s focussed and positive. Or you mean it should ALL have been “it was AMAZING!” or “AWESOME MAN”? I find that people who go on about “begrudgery” and “good journallsm” only do so when someone has criticised their favourite act or has pointed out that the emperor has no clothes.
Jim, I think the people shouting abuse were embarrassing. I don’t care if the person was Irish, Chinese, Polish or from Outer Space, it’s rude to shout such abuse at anyone performing whether they like it or not. This is the way Irish people have become and the whole “proud to be Irish” quote can be flushed down the sewage pipe with the manners of anyone that was shouting abuse at that gig!
I was at the gig, too. Really enjoyed it.
In fairness to Liam O Maonlai, he only took up about 8% of a night of incredible entertainment. 92% of the evening involved others, so I dont really believe he outstayed his welcome. In other words I agree with alot of what Simon said above.
In fairness to Jim, perhaps 92% of his review was very positive, and I agree wholeheartedly with it. The bottom 8% I dont agree with. No big deal, occasionally people disagree about musical issues, as this blog occasionally demonstrates
Also believe Liam would have no problem selling out Vicar Street. Just my opinion, easy to say, when Im not a promoter, but I would bet a tenner on it JIm!
I think that, for the band, the first half of the show was very controlled, though highly emotive. They played an album from start to finish, with some flourish, but sort of scripted in a way. The second half was very organic. I really enjoyed the contrast, and wouldn’t have wanted it any other way.
I feel really grateful that there were so many musicians on the stage, many of whom I have admired at one stage or another. I also agree wholeheartedly with Jim that Fergus O Farrell is a rare and special talent. That band (and their magical string section) really were a beautiful support act.
Despite some of the comments above, I think this is going to be one of my gigs of the year. Nothing spoilt it for me.
Ok Jim … I’ll take you on face value and retract my comment about Begrudgery, I don’t know you so I can’t make the assumption … anyway let’s face it O’Maonlai does tend to attract the negative with his “big” personality.
You are being extremely unfair to me by suggesting I am taking the “AWESOME” approach in my comments. That is a poor attempt at a put down that only goes demonstrate your own cynicism even more…
The fact is – You did not finish the article in a manner that the show deserved.
Overall the entire show was very good, worthy of enthusiasm, even comments like “amazing”. The second half was very enjoyable and most of the crowd seemed to agree. Even Liam’s silly “Sea Lion” chant was fun.
I have no problem with you slating O’Maonlai, that’s your right and I’m sure many would agree with you. But as a journalist you should also be balancing it with comments on how the audience were reacting.
What I really object to is how you chose to finish. There may well be focus, but there is nothing positive or truthful about comments like the show had “lost its sizzle” or implying that the ENTIRE second half was “ridiculous”.
The show was deserving of a more enthusiastic note to finish the review.
The fact is, the O’Maonlai part was enjoyed by most of the audience. He was the only one who got the crowd on their feet in participation (apart from the standing ovation at the end of “For the Birds”). Personally I would have preferred more Frames, but it was still entertaining and the band seemed happy to be part of it too. Maybe as a journalist, presumably with access to the band, you should have included their opinions.
As a “nadir” O’Maonlai was hardly a deep gulley as your comments seem to imply, more a ripple in an otherwise flawless evening.
I also enjoyed The Frames performances of their own materials prior to the guests showing up in the second half of the show. Damien Rice was good, the duet with Interference was wonderful and Bronagh Gallagher sang very well … Most of the O’Maonlai performance was good … the Mic Christopher tribute finish was both touching and fitting … This was all in the second half of the show, in fact is was the overwhelming majority of it! You have even written with some enthusiasm about it yourself.
I object to the way you imply (whether by intent or accident) in your closing comment that half of the show was some sort of farcical let down, that is very disingenuous and even contradicts your own opinions.
Sorry to be so extreme in my language but I genuinely believe you have let yourself down very badly with that finish. I stand by my comment, the show deserved an article ending on a positive note, you did NOT choose to do this for some reason.
Finally – How dare you make assumptions about who is my “favourite act”!!! You have no idea who I am, nor do you have any inkling of my musical tastes. I can assure you that I am eminently qualified to comment intelligently on the subject of music, every bit as much as you are.
When it comes to artistic performance reviews; journalism is allowed to be subjective, so you are perfectly entitled not to like the O’Maonlai part of the show but to imply that the entire second half of show was poor is just plain wrong! You would have been better off giving O’Maonlai footnote treatment than making it the primary subject of the final three paragraphs of your review. That is not good journalism, be it objective or subjective.
When it comes to artistic performance reviews; journalism is allowed to be subjective, so you are perfectly entitled not to like the O’Maonlai part of the show but to imply that the entire second half of show was poor is just plain wrong….There may well be focus, but there is nothing positive or truthful about comments like the show had “lost its sizzle” or implying that the ENTIRE second half was “ridiculous”.
Simon – again, you miss (deliberately or otherwise) what I’m saying above – I’m not implying anything because I stated it above. I really enjoyed the bits of the second half where it was just The Frames onstage or some of the guests who stayed for a song and then vacated the stage to the main attraction. Read above what I have to say about Roddy Doyle, Bronagh Gallagher, Conor Brady and Interference. I’m not a fan of Damien Rice’s woe-is-me Cat Stevens schtick but that was just for a song. O Maonlai hijacked the show and I believe it would have been wrong not to say this and also say how much this took away from the brilliance of the first half. Indeed, I have heard from many people since that they wish they’d left at that stage but some of us had seen the set-list and knew the band would be doing “Fitzcaraldo” in the set and stuck around for this. O Maonlai’s self-indulgent tripe meant the band didnt have the time to do this (yes, there was no curfew but I think they themselves may have felt the crowd had enough aftet O Maonlai’s 20 minute boreathon)
You are being extremely unfair to me by suggesting I am taking the “AWESOME” approach in my comments. That is a poor attempt at a put down that only goes demonstrate your own cynicism even more…
Apologies if you thought this was aimed at you and you alone – it wasn’t. It’s aimed at anyone who thinks a review of a band or album should be all good, anyone who thinks that you’re better to ignore a sub-standard show or album rather than review it. It’s not all good, as that annoying cliche goes. Apologies though if you thought this was a salvo directed at you.
But as a journalist you should also be balancing it with comments on how the audience were reacting.
Actually, as a reviewer, I shouldn’t even be mentioning how the audience reacted at all! This was something which was drummed into me by various commissioning editors years ago and something I’d never have mentioned if this piece was for print. But this is a blog and more freeflowing and thus I mentioned that a sizable section of the audience (and yes, it was sizable) were not at all enamoured of old Red Underpants.
Maybe as a journalist, presumably with access to the band, you should have included their opinions.
Are you fucking joking? I’m a journalist not the passionate fanboy who read out that over-earnest piece before the band even started! It’s a review, a blog post. I’m not going to go hassling a band for comments after a gig when the last thing they want to do is talk to any journalist.
You have no idea who I am
Sigh. I know more about you than I know about some of my first cousins because you included a link to your website – http://www.simonfitzpatrick.ie/about_me/index.html – some of your nature photos are stunning, by the way.
nor do you have any inkling of my musical tastes
You’re a fan of The Frames. That’s a good start without calling round to look at your iTunes playlist.
I can assure you that I am eminently qualified to comment intelligently on the subject of music, every bit as much as you are.
So is every single reader of OTR, Simon. You don’t have to be “eminently qualified” in any way to comment about music. You just have to have a pair of ears and an opinion.
As a long standing gig goer/music obsessive I totally agree with most of the comments above, truly it was a gig of 2 halves and as mentioned elsewhere, many could have gone home well satisfied after “For the Birds” (well maybe after a few non FTB tracks as well!) but I was one of the majority who stuck it out to the very end.
Yes O’Maonlai has riled many of us over the years, even back in his Benzini Bros grafton st days (some of us are old enough to remember the ridiculous as well as the occasional sublime moments then)….and Wednesday night was no exception,,, we could have done without his ranting,,,,,but oddly I actually enjoyed his “Forever Young’ rendition, maybe it’s just because it’s always been a favourite Dylan song of mine, but i think most people around me enjoyed that one, even though he has well overstayed his welcome at that stage,,,,Now if only he had come on and left it at that???? Then again, if he had we wouldn’t be enjoying a lenghty (and I have to say somewhat enjoyable) discourse on O’Maonlai’s prancing in a piece which presumably was supposed to be about one of our true national treasures – The Frames!! lol
The ‘fanboy’ comment was really unfair. His was a really well written piece which raved about the music and not the band. So in effect he played the ball not the player. Something you seem to be having difficulty doing Mr. ‘Journalist’
I enjoyed this…
“You have no idea who I am”
“Sigh. I know more about you than I know about some of my first cousins because you included a link to your website – http://www.simonfitzpatrick.ie/about_me/index.html – some of your nature photos are stunning, by the way”.