David Keenan gig review

David Keenan in

The Olympia

On the 13th of January 2020 just three days after releasing his debut album “A Beginners Guide to Bravery” David Keenan headlined his first show in The Olympia in Dublin. Keenan first appeared on the scene in 2015 being noted for his rendition of El Paso. My first experience with the poet was when he and his band opened for Snow Patrol in Malahide Castle in 2019. I remember being captivated by a performance that was not in anyway comparable to shows I had seen before. Keenan stood brave with an acoustic swinging from his neck that would provide as an outlet for him to beacon his poetic technique. I had seen him twice  after that performance, just last week I attended the intimate gig in Tower Records on the day the album was released. I felt like I could appreciate the acoustic session more so than the Malahide or Electric Picnic due to the fact that everyone who attended was not only there to see David specifically but also to support him. The excitement for The Olympia was prevalent.

David Keenan has an inexplicably tender way of drawing a beautiful crowd. Everywhere I turned there were collectives of adolescent smiling faces awaiting further travel that has come with A Beginners Guide to Bravery. Although I attended the gig alone, I felt part of a community that has been in the works for a long time. There is something about gigs I find a great comfort in being there alone sometimes. You often end up on the phone for days or even weeks out begging for one of your good friends to attend and often if they do, due to the fact there is a lack of desire to be there on there part there can be a sense of spoiling the moment. I know many people would have loved to have been there on that night and I would have loved nothing more than to have them there. But as Keenan would go on to say “The person beside you may not have been your friend on the way in, but they are now.”. Never a truer word spoken and to the man next to me who knew every word, I got home fine if you’re reading this.
Keenan started the gig with just himself and an acoustic guitar before introducing his band who came on to support the rest of the show. From both talking to and watching David perform there is an obvious love for Irish music riddled throughout his veins. It was during one of his own songs I noticed an above board, respectful nod to Irish legends, Horslips with a chorus from Bím Istig ag Ól. A very subtle gesture that proved his worth in my opinion. I was purely captivated to the point of no return. This island is dangerously good at producing beautiful artists. One man I deem the top music producers in the country, Gavin Glass was behind this new record and even played piano on a few songs such as Evidence of Living.

This gig went down as pure, pure ecstasy to the crowd who hung on David’s every word. The Dundalk man managed to bring a few fans from the Oriel down to the big smoke for a night, as sprinkled chants of “C’mon the town” echoed around the theatre, a modest chuckle came from Keenan. As the songs progressed through the night I enjoyed the new and old which were often accompanied with pure honest and brutal performance and a few songs that the chorus could lead to a revolution on pure strength alone. “Occupy the City, with Original Ideas” was being repeatedly chanted for the last song of the night, Subliminal Dublinia. The final straw which lead the entire sold out crowd to throw themselves at David under waves of confetti. The song drew to a close and Gavin Glass raised David’s hand proudly in the air, in my opinion a perfect ending to tribute the meaning of this momentous occasion and as David Keenan drew a tear, so did I.
By Darren McNulty
@darrenmcnultysmh
#creators.ie
📸 @carlmcgrathphotos