Thursday 22/05/09 The Red Jumpsuit Apparatus, Sherwood @ The Hub, Dublin

Californian five piece Sherwood opened up the show to a half full venue consisting mainly of kids with feather haircuts and drainpipe jeans. This small venue lends an intimacy even when not at full capacity. Sherwood have the sunny Californian sound stamped over their indie pop sound. The crowd, as is the curse of the young, seemed to have a very low attention span but Sherwood endeavoured against this wave of sporadic apathy. Their affability and discerning nature shone through and they also have some good songs to boot. Most notably a dancey keyboard heavy stomper called ‘Give Up!’ On a different night Sherwood would have had an audience eating out of their hands, damn those kids. 

The Red Jumpsuit Apparatus may have a completely ridiculous name but what they lack in that department, they almost make up for it in passion. "**** the label, EMI sucks" bellows lead singer Ronnie Walker at the labels apparent inability to release his bands album in Ireland. He then launches into ‘Pretences’, a rather stock post punk number. This song really sums up The Red Jumpsuit Apparatus, they are just like any of this type of band, and it just seems too familiar. ‘Guardian Angel’ though is a song with genuine emotion, standing out completely from the rest of the set. The band though seem to have a bond with the three quarters full venue, they may not have an album out in Ireland but their songs are sung back at them by the majority of the crowd. Guitarist Elias Reidy encourages the crowd to a commendable degree of success and Walker displays real connection with his minions. A pint of Guinness even appears from the crowd for the lead singer, a gift from the throng. The band do their best to defy some constraining curfew and in the end, despite the mediocre music, everyone seems happy.