Fionn Regan - The Luminaire, 11th November 2009
“This is not a pub. If you’ve come to chat with your friends when a band is playing, you’re in the wrong place.” Thank Jebus for venues like the Luminaire. Their white on black warnings printed around the room prove they’re a place which exhibits musical talent for people who are there for genuine appreciation.
Danny and the Champions of the World were the only support act on the night. A band whose folky, rock ‘n’ roll songs intertwined in such harmony, that they only paused three times during the set. Brief, but highly appropriate snippets of The Temptation’s My Girl and Bruce Springsteen’s Dancing in the Dark were sneaked in mid-song, giving them a vibe of a band that you’d love to have playing at your local on a Friday night.
It was to everyone’s surprise when the same group of lads returned to stage in preparation for Fionn Regan’s set, and struck up an introducing, bluesy instrumental, which Fionn soon joined – looking modest and chewing gum. With most people anticipating a quiet, solo acoustic affair, it was with great intrigue when the first few songs showed a pumped up, five piece display of folk rock.
The songs were new, tight and punchy, with Fionn’s ever-ironic take on the world being delivered via his beautifully Irish, poetic voice. We were no doubt hearing previews from his second studio album, The Shadows of an Empire, which is due for release in February 2010. Expect the same critical out-look on life, but with a lot more pace, angst and power.
Cheers grew louder from the crowd when familiar songs The Underwood Typewriter and Hunters Map were played. Although structurally the same as the versions on The End of History, the band offered a fuller alternative to the stripped down acoustic normality.
They left Fionn to his own devices for Put a Penny in the Slot, and whilst watching this earnestly boyish singer-songwriter (who is clearly wise beyond his years) play through songs he must have played 1000 times before, you can still feel the sincerity in the words he sings and the belief they entail.
With the band returning for the remainder of the show, more songs from the upcoming album were displayed, as was the renowned comparison between Fionn’s music and that of Bob Dylan. Although his words can be full of arrogance, there is a modest side to his stage demeanour, evident when he briefly interacts with the audience. “You’re the best!” screamed an excitable girl in the front row. “No,” replied Fionn. “You’re the best. I know you know.” Even his conversation is poetic.