Rolling Blackouts Coastal Fever – Whelans, Dublin – Live Review – 21/08/18

Despite an unwieldy name, Rolling Blackouts Coastal Fever are making waves both in Australia and elsewhere. For their first visit to Ireland they played a SERIOUSLY packed Whelans, it really was breathing room only. Support came from Dublin band Melts, who, with two left-handed guitarists, played an intense set of propulsive Echo and the Bunnymen style rock. Particularly strong were In Person which featured an impressive bassline and powerful closer Echoes.

RBCF came on stage to huge excitement. Concentrating on the faster songs in their back catalogue, they powered through a mixture of songs from this year’s Hope Downs album and older songs from their EPs. After sprinting through the likes of Clean Slate and Talking Straight, the first of many highlights came with a rousing version of An Air Conditioned Man (which Whelans decidedly had none of). The band, with three guitarists on stage, came off as a ball of nervous energy, so much so the bassist broke a string. There was no let up in the breathless, breakneck speed as the band progressed, Julie’s Place felt like the Strokes at 1.5 times speed.

In a set that actually got better as it went along, the climax was a pair of songs which allowed the band to flex their musical muscle. Not a band that really deals in singalong choruses, it’s the interweaving guitar work that really shines. A towering version of Fountain of Good Fortune was followed by possibly their strongest song; The French Press, which saw both electric guitarists pull out some serious guitar licks, whipping up the sardine-can-like crowd into a frenzy. A brief encore of Heard You’re Moving concluded the night, though the band were detained at length at the merchandise table by the happy crowd. Suspect this will be one of the more talked about shows of the year, with many lining up to say ‘I was there’.

Set List –

1. Clean Slate
2. Talking Straight
3. Wither with You
4. The Hammer
5. Sick Bug
6. An Air Conditioned Man
7. Time in Common
8. Exclusive Grave
9. Colours Run
10. Bellarine
11. Julie’s Place
12. Wide Eyes
13. Mainland
14. Fountain of Good Fortune
15. The French Press

16. Heard You’re Moving