Words and Photos, David McEneaney
The Dublin based alternative pop fab foursome have been making a lot of noise of late, and if their show on Friday is anything go by, it is very well deserved and will only get louder in the not too distant future.
Before the band even walked on stage I could feel the energy from the crowd, who were all practically climbing over the barrier at the front so that their disposable cameras might get that extra inch towards frontman Mark McKenna and the rest of the ‘Milk men’.
I’m a huge fan of the tv show ‘Wayne’ (mostly because of the writing and how good the title star was) and was always disappointed it never got around to a second season, so the fact that McKenna is now fronting a band immediately got my attention.
To have been less than 2 foot in front of him with my camera was a very surreal experience for me. As soon as the band started, so did the fans. They seemed very familiar with the band, asking them for set lists and photos and speaking to them by name, and the band seemed to be delighted by this and replying with enthusiasm, which was quite refreshing to see.
They then began with a short intro which seemed to get everyone’s attention and in the mood, then went straight into their latest single ‘Human Contact’ and this set the crowd and the whole gig off. Their sound is what I can only describe as infectious and I found myself bopping from one shot to the next, getting into the music without even realising it.
They then went straight into ‘Treat Me’ before stopping to say hello.
It was at this point that I realised the impact these guys had on their fans.
As soon as McKenna started speaking to the crowd it seemed every action he made was met with deafening squeals and excitement, and he even reached out and took a pair of heart shaped sunglasses from someone and put them on for the next song.
I won’t lie, I thought this was a pretty cool move and in-between the smoke and neon lights, made for some nice pictures to boot. (So thanks Mark!)
Next up was ‘Hate the Way’ where at the start he stepped out and stood up on the barrier, standing there above many adoring faces holding the mic out to the crowd while the entire room sang the song back to him. In a more intimate venue like the Green Room, this somehow seemed even more powerful and meaningful than it would’ve been upstairs.
The band continued to play through what sounded like greatest hit after greatest hit, and even when they announced they were about to play a brand new song for the first time, everyone still seemed to know the lyrics.
What I saw here was the perfect storm of a charismatic frontman, a band of genuinely nice guys who love what they do and play off each other effortlessly and naturally, song after song of ear-worms that only leave your brain as the next one goes in and, probably most importantly, some of the most adoring and loyal fans I’ve seen in a long long time.
All of which has amounted to one of the best and most fun/engaging bands doing the rounds right now.
I predict this time next year they’ll be listening to a sold out 3 Arena singing their songs back to them, and hopefully I’ll be there to shoot that too.
If I were you I’d jump on the back of the Milk float and enjoy the ride, as I don’t see this momentum going sour any time soon.
Set-list:
Intro
Human Contact
Treat Me
Hate the Way
2
You’re So
Internets World
Might Bore You
In LA
You & I
A Little More
Don’t Miss It
Lost my Number
Don’t Mind Fallin’
Drama Queen
