Neurophone – The Stag’s Head, Dublin – Sun 19th Aug – Review by Killian Laher

Irish band Neurophone have reformed after 19 years to release an EP Beauty Twisted and play some shows.  They had recorded an album Hate, Love, Desire, Dreams back in the late nineties but never released it.

Support on the night was Claire Bonass who, accompanied by a skilled guitarist played a jazz-tinged set which was a mixture of some originals and a couple of well-chosen covers, including The Girl from Ipanema and a very relaxed version of John Martyn’s Over The Hill.  The set finished up with an impromptu jam with a couple of guests including Neurophone’s Niall O’Riordan.

Four-piece band Neurophone came on for their first show in Dublin in 19 years.  Opening with the claustrophobic sound of Sealed, they played a set of mostly downbeat, heavy indie.  Fronted by singer/guitarist Niall O’Riordan, his mannered, slightly lower in the register Jeff Buckley-style vocals played well over a controlled set which included Pleasure Placebo and Poppy Seed.

Towards the end of the set (in what O’Riordan described as the ‘hate’ section), the band kicked it up a gear for a much needed change in pace, before finishing off with a flourish, with the relaxed closing songs.

For more, their EP is available for download here.