A Lazarus Soul – Vicar Street – Live Review – 18/04/25
by Killian Laher

A Lazarus Soul – Vicar Street, Dublin on April 18th 2025

A return visit to Vicar Street, about six months on from their last, A Lazarus Soul played what has become a rare live show for them.  Support came from Niamh Regan, who played a short solo set accompanying herself on guitar on the likes of Madonna and Long Haul.  Regan was on form, taking the piss out of herself while entertaining the receptive crowd.  Her guitar technique was excellent, particularly on Freeze Frame.

Those who read No More Workhorse will know that A Lazarus Soul are something of a favourite of ours.  But that’s no reason to pass them by, Joe Chester has shown himself to be a highly accomplished guitarist, while Brian Brannigan has become something of a spokesman for the marginalised through his excellent songwriting.  They haven’t so much as made a dent in the mainstream, but that was irrelevant to an audience who was enraptured right from the opening with Brannigan singing Midday Class over Chester’s droning guitar.  The rhythm section of Julie Bienvenu and Anton Hegarty joined them for the first of many mass singalongs, the propulsive Black Maria and The Flower I Flung Into The Grave which showcased Joe Chester’s bright guitar work.  Glass Swans was dedicated to the late Niall Crumlish, while Diver Walsh had the most glorious guitar throughout.

Acoustic renditions of Lemon 7s, Black and Amber and Long Balconies delivered lumps in the throat by the dozen.  Brian Brannigan, in particular, was having the time of his life.  We Start Fires, dating back to 2011, has become a really big song for the band, climaxing with Brannigan roaring “this country’s cursed!” over and over as Julie Bienvenu pounded drums and Joe Chester’s guitar raged, all held together by Anton Hegarry’s bass.  As if that wasn’t enough, the frontman threw in snatches of Joy Division lyrics, which worked seamlessly.

They featured older material, The Day Harry Left and Graveyard of Burnt Out Cars, but it was newer songs such as G.I.M. that had the crowd singing lustily along.  The set climaxed with Factory Fada, arguably their finest song.  A highlight of any set, the midsong dramatic crash was thrilling, a moment as good as you would get at any gig.

They returned for a gorgeous rendition of The Dealers, which had some in the audience wiping their eyes.  A Tar Road was dedicated to all the refugees before a rousing Funeral Sessions, but they didn’t stop there.  They finished with an incendiary Ghettoblaster which slipped into a cover of the Jesus and Mary Chain’s Reverence, Brannigan belting out “I wouldn’t sell my soul but I’d hang for this”.  It was quite an ending!

It’s to be hoped that this band will get the attention they deserve.  Though Brian Brannigan is not trying to be anyone’s messiah, he is a true Dublin voice, and it’s expressed through some brilliant songs.