Opening act, Lucy Wainwright Roche, performed a 30 minute set that was engaging and full of warm wit and gentle songs. Her latest release, Little Beast, was featured in between audience question and answer sessions that were full of fun and wry observations, all the time highlighting her easy stage presence and songcraft. She carries her father’s torch and certainly burns brightly with a talent that should not go unrecognised.
The Indigo Girls have always been about community; whether supporting activism through various groups and movements around environmental, political and socially conscious issues, or simply demonstrating the power of everyman on their breakthrough hit and video, Closer To Fine, where they play the closing song part while walking with a group of friends, the message has always been one of honest communication and speaking their truth.
Back in Ireland for the first time in many years, with two Dublin dates on the back of a Festival appearance in Sligo, the girls deliver on all fronts with a stirring performance that underlines the remarkable endurance and success that has been their trademark since first appearing to the greater media back in 1989; 30 years ago!
Well, some 14 studio releases later, plus a number of live albums, best of collections, rarities and retrospective releases and not showing any signs of quitting just yet (there is a new album due for release in early 2020), these world travellers are still a relevant force carrying messages of hope and transcendence to those who are open to hear the call.
Playing songs from across their career, plus a few new tracks, Amy and Emily play with an intensity and skill that is very impressive. Despite the need to change instruments, after every song, the momentum does not suffer too much from tuning delays and the girls display their dexterity across their catalogue of folk, pop and rock sounds on the numerous guitars used. Joined on violin by the talented Lyris Hung and support act, Lucy Wainwright Roche on backing vocals, the show lasts for just shy of 2 hours, giving everyone in the capacity crowd more than value for their money.
Old favourites such as Land of Canaan, Power of Two, Get Out the Map, Galileo and Ghost are all played, together with two new songs, Country Radio and Howl at The Moon. There is an extended violin solo from Lyris as an intro to the excellent live work-out that is Chicken Man and Amy also tells a tale about the time she went to see Damien Dempsey play locally in Dublin and the experience and energy she came away with. It also spawned a song, Damo, that is played to the very partisan home crowd.
A cover of The Roches, Hammond Song, is one of the highlights with the 3-part harmonies really showcasing one of the key components of their signature sound; those finely tuned harmony vocals added to the dynamic of the arrangements. Amy and Emily are very much yin and yang, the punk ethic, harder rock sound of Amy, against the more sweetly melodic tunes of Emily. Both write words with great insight and the balance just works so perfectly that it has enabled their careers to stretch this long and also allow both artists to pursue solo interests and projects over their time apart.
The Wood Song, Reunion, Love Of Our Lives, Able To Sing, Spread The Pain Around, Happy In The Sorrow Key and Go are other inclusions as the girls work their way into the encore and a vibrant rendition of Closer To Fine, which is sung by the audience at every turn, along with full appreciation by the musicians onstage.
Night two of these Dublin dates included a number of changes to the set list with a core of the same songs from the first night repeated to anchor everything. The many ardent fans that were there to attend both shows create an energy and warmth throughout, even if some of the more robust fans border on upsetting the balance of things with their constant cat calling and comments...
It is a mark of their comprehensive back catalogue that the girls can vary their set lists from night to night and still keep the high quality of their performance right on the money. Songs included were It’s Alright, Devotion, Hammer & A Nail, Kid Fears, Shame On You, Pendulum Swinger, Share The Moon, She’s Saving Me, Olympia Inn and Become You.
All in all, a very generous visit into the creative body of work that these two iconic musicians have created over their tenure in what has been an increasingly difficult industry for females to negotiate. The Indigo Girls stand up for much more than just their artistic muse and in backing causes for social change they have endeared themselves to millions of admirers. Two nights of standing ovations says it all. Two great shows and it was a real pleasure to have them back in Dublin again.
Review and photo by Paul McGee