Words & Pictures: Louise Phillips / (C) Louise Phillips Photography
Playing a gig on a cold wet Sunday evening is always going to be a tall order, but nothing was going to dampen the atmosphere upstairs at the 02 Islington as Dan Byrne was in town! Dan has been creating quite a buzz on the UK music scene of late since the release of his critically acclaimed EP, ‘Beginnings’. A collection of four stunning tracks that has put him clearly on an equal footing with some of the best singer songwriters on the UK music scene right now, and showcases his truly remarkable voice.
Sam Millar
Support came from Sam Millar and his top-notch band! Sam looked every inch the rocker with his flowing locks and Gold Topped Les Paul and he played a great set with a classic rock sound. The ‘Killing Floor’ and ‘Chardonnay’ in particular were catchy as hell and definite crowd pleasers. Playing bass in Sam’s band was the brilliant Chris Norris who was next level good. Chris and Sam really bounced off each other and Chris looked like he was having nearly as much fun as the audience and that was one hell of a lot!
Sam Millar setlist:
The Killing Floor
Fooling Yourself
Something I’ll Regret
Chardonnay
Dancing On My Own
Déjà vu
Levi’s
Neanderthal Man
Dan Byrne
By the time Dan took to the stage, the audience were well and truly warmed up and the sound of their applause was deafening! Dan looked every inch the rockstar in his black westen style studded suede jacket and flares and his first track, the incredible ‘Harder To Breathe’ was absolutely magnificent! The track off of the Beginning’s EP was bursting with huge guitars, pumping drums and Dan’s powerful vocals! It was absolutely stunning and the excitement in the audience hit fever pitch! Dan had an incredible stage presence, and literally owned the stage, showmanship at its very best!
After his first track, Dan thanked his fans for coming out, which is him all over, because if there’s one word that sums Dan up, it’s grateful! This is not a man who takes his fans or his success for granted. Far from it, he is a man whose fans are everything to him who is enormously thankful for being on the stage tonight! Even after the show where some bands might disappear off to relax in the dressing room, Dan was out in the audience thanking his fans and posing for photos. Taking the time to talk to them and make them feel valued. So, it was no surprise that Dan’s devoted fanbase were out in force tonight and it’s not hard to see why he has such a devoted following, because not only is Dan’s performance absolutely magnificent from the onset, but he must surely be one of the humblest and sweetest musicians that you could ever meet!
But for now, let’s get back to the music! Dan had a stellar band behind him, especially his guitarist, the brilliant Glenn Quinn. Glenn and Dan had an amazing dynamic and their enthusiasm and fun was infectious! As a band they are tight as tight can be and Dan’s vocals were absolutely flawless. His setlist was a fantastic combination of his older material and his new stuff that really worked, but there’s no denying that the best tracks of the night were undoubtedly those off of his new EP!
‘Easier’, a song about long distance relationships that made the hairs on the back of my neck stand up was superb! The guitar on this track literally sings and there’s a raw vulnerability to the lyrics that could melt even the coldest of hearts.
Whilst there were too many great tracks to mention, the brilliant singalong tracks, ‘Temple’ and ‘Control’ certainly deserve a shout out, as does the beautiful acoustic rendition of the Lynyrd Skynyrd track ‘Simple Man’ which was captivating and really showcased the incredible power of Dan’s voice!
Dan saved the last two tracks off the EP, the visceral and damn right sexy, ‘Like Animals’ and the spellbinding ‘Death of Me’ for the end of the night! Dan’s vocals on both tracks had the kind of power that a young Paul Rogers would have been proud of! A blinding end to an incredible night!
With a performance of this calibre, it’s hard to believe that Dan Byrne will be playing the smaller stages for much longer, his voice is absolutely breathtaking, his songwriting is refreshingly original and authentic, his performance superlative! Dan Byrne is a true star in every sense!
Dan Byrne Setlist:
Harder To Breathe
Hate Me
Sentimental
Easier
Temple
Dan acoustic
Hemispheres
Wide Awake
Cherry & Leather (Black LP)
Control
Like Animals
Death of Me
About Author
