Storm Jorge may have been raging outside, but New York trio Daddy Long Legs were brewing up their own gale at a well attended Sugar Club last Saturday night. Their Dublin show was the final date of their European tour and it was obvious that they fully intended to enjoy the experience every bit as much as the punters, who had braved the wind and rain to catch the band’s return visit to Dublin.
When the New Yorkers were made aware that The Trouble Pilgrims included three members Ireland’s first New Wave / Punk band The Radiators from Space, they booked them as support act. In previous bands, prior to the formation of Daddy Long Legs, guitarist Murat Arturk and drummer John Styles included early Radiators songs in their sets, so it was no surprise to find them at the side of the stage enjoying the opening set. It proved to be the ideal warm up, engaging the audience with their familiar drive and swagger. They featured material from their current album DARK SHADOWS & RUST, all delivered with maximum attitude. It was no surprise either, that Styles - with beer bottle in hand - joined the Dublin band on stage for his requested Radiators song Enemies. The song may be over forty years old but it was blasted out with as much energy and venom from Pete Holidai and his cohorts, as it was back in their heyday.
What followed was a scorching and relentless onslaught of blues driven rock and roll from the The New Yorkers. Togged out like a throwback to a 1960’s R&B outfit, they are made up of lead singer, harmonica player and occasional rhythm guitarist Daddy Long Legs (Brian Hurd), who struts around the stage like a demented Lee Brilleaux, ripping out harmonica breaks and machine gun vocals. Arturk on guitars (and classic shapes and poses) and Styles on drums complete the trio. Renowned for their no nonsense and full on live sets, they hardly drew breath from the onset and had the front of stage heaving with dancers three chords into that opening number. With the energy of The Ramones, the swagger of Dr. Feelgood and the stompy blues of John Lee Hooker, they blasted out song after song in rapid fire speed, including Evil Eye, Glad Rag Ball, Pink Lemonade and a host of others whose titles escaped me in the relentless frenzy. Through endless tours and full on performances like this, Daddy Long Legs have earned the reputation of one of the hottest blues/punk bands treading the boards these days. Their welcome return visit to Dublin certainly got the thumbs up for anyone that weathered the Storm Jorge to savour a stand out night of raw and no-nonsense rock and roll from New York’s finest blues stompers and Dublin’s Godfathers of punk.
Review and photographs by Declan Culliton