Frank's APA jefe "Eoghan" encouraged us to see this band. And he was right, they are completely awesome. That said, never before have I seen such a mismatch between the quality of a band and the place they were playing in. The Antlers found themselves treading the boards in the upstairs Whelans' venue, somewhere that is very much like a couple of rooms in someone's house converted into a place for bands to play. Unfortunately, the room layout is still largely in place, such that it does rather feel like the band play in one room and the audience stay in another. The curtain walls are such that unless you are able to get right up to the front you feel very separated from the musicians. I disliked this venue so much that I intend to never visit it again.
Nevertheless, this was an amazing concert. Crystal Antlers seem to be a bunch of scaldy young lads with moustaches from somewhere in North America, but they are not afraid to rock out in the kind of uncompromising manner beloved of forward thinking people. Pretty much every song they play feels like a testimonial, that is how good these fellows are. I had to buy their (mini-) album after they finished. They are, thankfully, one of these bands who can deliver the goods live and on record, with the untitled album feeling like a bottled version of their freaked out music. 'A Thousand Eyes' would have to be a particular favourite.
See them now before success spoils them.
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