From the outset everyone in the audience knew that, to be there was a special honour. It had been twenty years since Paul Brady had graced Kilkenny with his presence and many of the members of the audience answered positively when Paul asked 'was anyone in Kytlers about twenty years ago for my last Kilkenny performance?' He added, 'I suppose it's better late than never!' And I think everyone was in agreement on that one.
He started off his Kilkenny gig with a song from his Spirits Colliding album, 'I want you to want me' and moved quickly into 'Blue World' which he told the audience was about opposites attracting but at the end of the day one always tries to make the other more like themselves.
His band members included a keyboard player, Graham Henderson who also played the accordion at one point, and Bill Shanley from Clonakilty who played a series of guitars and the banjo. Both also provided backing vocals to Paul's dulcet tones on occasion.
The crowd was really beginning to warm up when he began the opening chords of 'Nobody Knows'. Paul told the audience that this nationwide tour was great as it allowed him to play a selection of songs that he hadn't played in a long time as any tour he had been on, he was promoting a new album. He then went into the title track of his first album in 1981 'Hard Station' and moved on to play 'Smile' from his latest album.
A popular number with the audience was a song he penned with Mystery Train presenter John Kelly, called 'Locked up in Heaven with you.' He said the people he wrote this song for were probably not here as they were at home baby-sitting their two young children having just been recently married.
The crowd was well-warmed up when he sang his signature tune 'The Island'. There was a dead silence from the audience throughout this much-loved song and rapturous applause at its conclusion. From there he sang 'Crazy Dreams and 'The World is what you make it' as his grand finale.
Following lengthy applause and much cheering from an adoring public, Paul made a reappearance for two encore numbers - one alone where he sang an enthralling version of 'The Lakes of Ponchatrain' and one final song with the band called 'The Homes of Donegal' where he also played the tin-whistle.
Paul is a hugely talented musician who quite clearly loves to perform to a live audience. The audience was an older crowd who were obviously firm followers of Paul Brady in his youth. His unmistakable voice has survived the passage of time and his individual style and vocals impressed as much today and they did in the 80's.
Paul has the power to sing haunting traditional tunes such as 'The Lakes of Ponchatrain alongside rock tunes such as 'Call Back to the Centre’. His haunting melodies and honest lyrics are as mesmerising now as they ever were. It's easy to see how Paul is selling out his Irish tour in every venue around the country.
Supporting Paul was Chiara Browne, an Australian singer/songwriter currently living in Ireland. She warmed up the audience with some mellow tunes which she sang and strummed out on her guitar. She also joined Paul for one song on stage towards the end of the show.
