Irish folk singer, Fionn Regan, brought his O Avalanche tour to a sold out Strange Brew. It’s his first gig in the city in almost 13 years, following his 2011 Trinity show.
It’s a peculiar set up in the venue with around 100 or so seats in front of the stage and then other ticket holders standing and huddled behind the chairs. Fionn’s understated arrival initially goes unnoticed by much of the crowd with chatter persisting for slightly longer than is comfortable. Fortunately, this changes the second he begins strumming the opening notes of ‘Hey Rabbit’. It’s the first of five songs played from his 2006 debut album, ‘The End of History’, with more than a third of the setlist taken from that breakthrough record. Featuring an extended harmonica solo, it’s a perfect opener to the show; loud enough to grab everyone’s attention but restrained enough to set the tone for what follows.
There’s very little interaction with the crowd with Fionn only occasionally introducing a song by simply stating its title. This minimal approach is precisely what fans have come to expect over the years, with the songs firmly taking centre stage. Given the strength of the songwriting, it’s really all that is needed.
‘Babushka-Yai Ya’ is a rare uptempo moment, ‘Hunters Map’ gets the biggest crowd cheer when introduced and ‘Put a Penny in the Slot’ is as strong now as it was almost 20 years ago.
The crowd are fully immersed throughout the entire set with none of the usual Friday night talking over deep cuts. It’s clear that everyone in the room is here to listen to Fionn’s traditional and timeless songwriting. It’s possible that including some seats at the front of the audience has encouraged this polite and attentive atmosphere. Equally likely is that Fionn’s songs and performance style create a mindful listening experience.
Interestingly, only three songs from his latest record were played, and they were bunched together in the second half of the set. Some of his strongest material in years, they do not create a ‘new-song-lull’. He dedicates them to his “friend, Anna” who we can assume is the actress, Anna Friel, who contributed to the songwriting and vocals on the album.
He invites the audience to sing the chorus of, probably his most popular song, ‘Be Good or Be Gone’. What begins as a respectful, hushed singalong develops into a much louder choir by the end.
The show ends with an encore of sorts; Fionn simply walking to the side of the stage and then back on again for ‘Euphoria’. He then unplugs his acoustic guitar and moves away from the microphone to the stage front for an unplugged rendition of ‘Abacus’. It’s a real treat to hear such a simple but beautiful song played in such an intimate way.
This was a wonderful opportunity to see a consistently excellent but underrated singer/songwriter deliver an authentic and well-appreciated set. We can’t allow Fionn Regan to wait another 13 years before coming back to Bristol. This show was a reminder of his talent and the audience’s deep appreciation for it.
