Thirty four years have passed since Horslips played their last full show in Belfast’s iconic Ulster Hall and few knew back then as they belted out a cover of The Rolling Stone’s ‘This could Be The Last Time’ and Charles O’Conner threw his mangled fiddle into the audience that was going to be their last gig together as a band for almost three decades.
Folk and Tumble were lucky to see the band earlier this year at the Solstice gig at Dunluce Castle and it’s fair to say that this unassuming bunch of aging rockers impressed us then with their musicianship, sense of humour and modesty. You just know they aren’t the type of band to invade your MP3 player with unwanted megalomania.
Tonight the faithful have assembled in their seats and the familiar chant of “Horslip, Horslips” fills the darkening hall. The band takes to the stage to a tumultuous roar of approval and break into the fan favourite ‘Loneliness’ An instrumental that we don’t recognise quickly follows and gives the sound crew time to complete final tweaks to the monitors and mix, but it also showcase some fine musicianship from all members of the band. ‘Power and the Glory’, ‘King of the Fairies’ and ‘Mad Pat’ all follow in quick succession and the gathered congregation lap it up. There’s a spiritual energy that’s flowing from both band and audience tonight that combines to add an electric atmosphere in the venue.
It’s easy to pigeon hole the band as Celtic Rock, but they themselves admit they started out as a progressive rock band that incorporated the sounds and styles of the traditional Irish music that they knew best into what they were doing. With Jim Lockhart’s flute playing at times they sound like Jethro Tull. Johnny Fean’s guitar solos played in harmony with the aforementioned flute or with O’Connor’s fiddle give a nod to Thin Lizzy. But, this is a band that have developed their own sound and sadly unlike the previously mentioned bands, never got the success or recognition they fully deserved.
Early on the band jokingly ask if the person who caught Charles’s mangled fiddle back in 1980 is on the house and give them 30 minutes to return the fiddle otherwise they’ll play all night.
‘Maeve’s Court/Charolais’ really showcases some deft playing once again by the band as a unit and show that despite the massive talent contained within there’s no egos as each member gets to shine. The early single ‘Furniture’ showcases some powerful guitar playing by Fean and clever inaction with O’Conner’s electric mandolin. It is only right that it gets a standing ovation.
By the time they play ‘Sword of Light’ the audience has had enough of sitting and the dancing begins, only to be quickly stopped by some over exuberant security personnel. ‘Trouble’ starts and the atmosphere in the hall is almost evangelical, this time the whole place takes to their feet, nothing or no one is going to stop them now. There are people here who were at that last Ulster Hall gig in 1980 and they are shedding tears of joy at seeing their heroes return to the stage once more.
Despite minor guitar and microphone issues ‘Dearg Doom’ is astounding. We might not be beside the black basalt columns of the Giant’s Causeway as we were at the solstice, but he power and vision of the song transports us away and as it reaches its final climax guitar, whistle and violin all combine in massive harmony to emulate the sound of a shrieking banshee reverberating around the hall.
The encore begins with a fantastic rendition of ‘The Man Who Built America’ followed by a balls to the wall rocking version of ‘Shaking All Over’. We leave with ringing ears.
The set list wasn’t much different to earlier this year at Dunluce, but the band took to the stage and delivered it with energy and enthusiasm that many don’t or can’t do. Many reformed bands when they tour have softened and gig by numbers or even worse play dinner dances! Thankfully there’s none of that with Horslips. As musicians they are certainly playing better than ever, but they’ve kept a rawness and an edge to their sound. And, for the second time this year we find ourselves leaving a Horslips concert feeling lucky to have been able to see a band of this talent and magnitude.
Many thanks to City of Rhythms promotions for hosting the show and allowing us access.