Unfortunately all good things come to an end! so it was the last show in this years series of shows at Ballykeeffe Amphitheatre Kilkenny bringing an end to eight fantastic nights of outdoor music that run through out July & August in what has been described by many bands as one of, if not probably the best outdoor venue in Ireland. Ask my opinion and I’ll say it is.
It fell on the shoulders of Dublin band Villagers to close things and in support were Kilkenny folk trio Sola who usually are a 3 piece but they had accompanying them another Kilkenny artist Ali Comerford on violin which brought a new demission to there folky harmonies.
The ladies opening first as just the three of them and then inviting Ali to join them, the thousand seater amphitheatre was already pretty full and some that were out at the bar & food area were enticed in to their seats once they heard the ladies start to play. Which they done for slightly over 30 minutes.
I reviewed a headline show of Sola’s back in November and that can be found here https://www.backseatmafia.com/live-review-sola-lothe-house-kilkenny-13-11-2021/
The sun was starting to set as the main act Villagers came on stage and any that were not in their seats quickly made their way to them. It was a very respectful audience as not much talking was heard and not to many mobile phones were to be seen , always a good sign as you can then tell people are there to see/hear the band.
The band played their way through a hit filled set of sixteen songs which included songs from the last album Fever Dreams which incidentally happened to be release on 20,08,2021 so that worked out nicely that the guys are in Ballykeeffe for the 12 month anniversary, the band had played Balleykeeffe before as Conor O’Brien mention at one point and saying that the people them were very good singers and wondered was the crowd here as good, so he had a single a long, another nice touch from Conor was him wishing a younger fan in the crowd a happy birthday which made the little girls night.
Once the band broke for the encore Conor came back out solo for the first song in the encore and then was joined by the rest of the guys to finish out the night with some of the audience choosing to get up and dance at the stage front for the last song.
So that was it another year done out in Ballykeeffe and its now wait with anticipation for the announcements for next years series.
Like always the thousand strong crowd left happy and impressed! as many do be with this venue and every band that plays it as the sound is always fantastic and I have yet to see a bad show in it, I’m sure Villagers will be back again! as will many of the crowd.
Set List.
My Lighthouse
Everything I Am Is Yours
Set The Tigers Free
Song in Seven
Circles In The Firing Line
Courage
Fever Dreams
Momentarily
Hot Scary Summer
Restless Endeavour
A Trick of the Light
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Nothing Arrived (Conor Solo)
Fool
Becoming a Jackal
The First Day
So Simpatico
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