Concert Review - Olympia in Dublin, Ireland
        By Michael Lemass
        June 1996

          There was a real buzz in the Olympia before the concert. The show was sold out so about 1350 people were there. You could feel everyone was waiting for something special. The sound mixer told me he had run out of channels so they got a little Mackie 1202 for the effects returns from stage - 37 channels in all!!! I said I thought the sound was great on Into The Labyrinth and he laughed and said "you should see what they use - an old Soundcraft mixer."

          What a great place to record in though - a church. George Martin is the only other I guy I know who does that.

          They all came on stage in the dark and the place went mad - and then bang all of a sudden the lights came on and they started into Neirika - the sound was great straight from the first note, they didn't waste the first song trying to get the sound right - very professional.

          The sound was very loud and maybe should have been pulled back a bit to make it nicer to listen to.

          Lisa has the most amazing voice, the range is incredible and the power, both in terms of feeling and volume is unreal - and it was all done live in front of me - nothing added but a bit of reverb. I'd say Ray Charles think there's 3 different females vocalists in the band!

          I had bought my ticket weeks ago and even then there were very few left. Every one recognized the songs after the first note - so who said they were unknown in Ireland? I'd say the next time they play Dublin they'll play The Point (4000->8000) though I'd prefer to see them in the Olympia.

          I was dissapointed they didn't say much to the audience but maybe thats their style in concert. Brendan muttered something about it being the first show and they were a bit inconsistant. I didn't really notice that - I think I was enjoying it too much.

          This was the Olympia playlist:

          Neirika
          Byla
          Rakim
          Song of the disposed
          Yulanga
          Snake and the moon
          Sanvean
          Dolphins
          Greek rembetiki
          Oman
          Indus
          American dreaming
          Cantara

          Encore 1

          Bolero
          Tanamakoa

          Encore 2

          Dreams made flesh - (Brendan playing the Dulcimer!)




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