Declan O' Rourke, we have somewhat of a history.
I first saw him live in Limerick in Dolans Warehouse in 2005 during my college days and 'Since Kyabram' rarely left the stereo.
My next ticket was purchased far far away in Northcote, Melbourne in 2008 where Declan O' Rourke was the perfect cure for a bad dose of homesickness.
And so to The Olympia Theatre on Dec 4th 2011, where yet again, I walked away with a good warm glow on a bitter cold night.
When "HI UNCLE DECLAN!!" came bellowing from the stalls, we were all welcomed into his world of family and music intertwined. He spoke fondly of his brother and their inspiration from the Collyer brothers of Fifth Avenue, to which they paid tribute to in their creation of Langley's Requiem. |
Galileo, a song which many connect to a certain in their lives, was dedicated to Becky Jones, reducing he lady behind me to floods of tears. His encore opener Marrying the Sea had the ever present 'could hear a pin drop'.
Poor Boys Shoes was the one that broke me. As part of his songs in remembrance to the Irish famine, O' Rourke sung from the heart of a man you would swear had experienced the story first hand.
If this has in fact become a pattern, then I'm already looking forward to where our paths will cross in 2014.
Olympia Theatre @
- Dublin @
- Sun 4 Dec 2011 @
Favourite moment: Had to be his tale about meeting Paul Brady for the first time. A lovely little ditty. @
Setlist: Be Brave and Believe, No Place to Hide, Slieve Bloom, Lightning Bird Wind River Man, Birds of a Feather, Your World, Time Machine, Sarah, Dancing Song, Galileo, Langley's Requiem, We didn't mean to go to Sea, A Little Something, No Brakes, Caterpillar DNA.
Encore: Marrying the Sea, No Place to Hide, Poor Boys Shoes, Old Man Crow @
Opening act(s): Ari Hest
A dangerous choice to warm us up Declan!
Ari Hest: Incredibly attractive, incredibly talented AND he even got us singing. I was rather disappointed to see him leave the stage... There's something I'd like to line my Christmas stocking. @