Lisa Hannigan / Jape

All the great words begin with the letter E: exquisite, ethereal, enthralling. If you were to break down the components of these words and infuse with a hypnotic and poetic narrative, you would surely be left with the refreshing delights of Lisa Hannigan. A breath-taking singer songwriter from County Meath; Hannigan's haunting melodies and captivating lyrics manage to bypass reason and shatter your emotions on impact.

An air of anticipation filled the room, further fuelled by the intimate and welcoming nature of the venue. The quirky artwork for Hannigan's debut album 'Sea Sew' was displayed on a wall to the right of the stage with protruding organ pipes looming overhead, creating the ideal backdrop for Hannigan's magical acoustic folk-pop set. Support came in the form of an acoustic solo set from the impressive Jape; definitely one to watch for all those mourning the hiatus of fellow Irishman Damien Rice.

Opening with the beautiful 'Ocean and a Rock', Hannigan echoed her album artwork as she took to the floor looking as bright as a button. With the backing of her band playing strings, brass and glockenspiel, Hannigan effortlessly managed to entice the audience from the first track, inviting them to join her and lose themselves amongst the soft lights and even softer harmonies. Next came the addictive 'Pistachio' one of my personal favourites from an album which doesn’t even contain the word filler. To refer to Hannigan's voice as anything short of a gift would be a misleading description of the spellbinding instrument itself; an antidote for the senses against the chaos of today, it is little wonder that our Irish and American friends have fallen in love with this artist, sending 'Sea Sew' in to platinum realms after just three weeks of its release.

The band seemed to be having the time of their lives throughout the set, regaling the audience with tales of windswept skirts along the Curry Mile in Rusholme and burgeoning band love on a top and tail tour bus. Hannigan was sweet and intoxicating and appeared to be genuinely surprised at the level and warmth of audience appreciation, a sure testament to her unassuming and unmistakably Irish character. The melodic 'Splishy Splashy' and 'Venn Diagram' followed; the latter which I felt displayed a hint of the early soft-rock stylings of The Cranberries. Amazing instrumental performances accompanied 'Keep it All', and 'Courting Blues' and it was here that I likened Hannigan's voice to that of Bjork in its intensity and urgency.

I am a subscriber to the school of thought which believes that music can and indeed should move you, inexplicably and irrevocably; maybe it's the Cancer traits in me which explain why I often compare a melody or lyric to standing on a windswept beach whilst gazing out at the moon... yes, that probably is just me. However, such was Hannigan's pull; the audience collectively appeared to be still yet somehow magically elsewhere, transported through her stories to a place every bit as tranquil and tortuous as each word spoken. A show tune next in the form of a rock version of 'The Lady is a Tramp', I imagined Hannigan and her band would be able to turn any track on its head and make it sound completely unique.

A piercing and powerful vocal on 'Teeth' helped to build anticipation for the two best known and best received album tracks: 'I Don't Know' and 'Lille'. 'I Don't Know' is endearingly innocent and I defy anyone to not fall in love with the message behind the lyrics. 'Lille' was Hannigan's debut solo single in Ireland and the US and is, in my view, the most beautiful and striking love song I have heard in years. A haunting ballad with glockenspiel accompaniment, 'Lille' is pure bliss and the audience clearly agreed as Hannigan received rapturous applause and a standing ovation from several members of the crowd. I can only hope that this track remains a guilty pleasure for her fans and doesn't end up on an O2 advert or similar.

The set was closed with inspiring re-workings of the John Martyn track 'Couldn't Love You More' and the Iron and Wine classic 'Free Until They Cut Me Down'. The applause was deafening and constant and as I left the venue, after bearing witness to Hannigan's allure and staggering talent I echoed the words of one Mr Simon Cowell as he berated Will Young on Pop Idol, in describing Hannigan's performance as exemplary compared to so many other 'distinctly average' contemporaries.

FUTURE GIGS

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