BY JOE GILSON
Drenge look like a band that should be playing to 25 people but they sure as hell don’t sound like it. They’re peeved at the turn out. Maybe they should be.
Bands who play to small audiences sometimes take it out on the few that have come. Die-hard fans. Thankfully Drenge know this crowd want to see them, have paid good money for them and love their self-titled debut album.
They show their appreciation by rattling heavy through album hits such as ‘Dogmeat’, ‘Gun Crazy’ and ‘I Wanna Break you in Half’. Songs that, yeah, take a hefty amount of influence from the noise rock bands of the 90’s like Sonic Youth and Nirvana, but take them to a new level. The audience responds; they are hyped, they are sweating already and they are loving the sheer distorted craziness spewing from frontman Eoin Loveless’s amp. It’s rock ‘n’ roll that brought The White Stripes to greatness: Loud, ferocious, daunting, brilliant.
‘Bloodsports’ – the first single from their self-titled debit album proves to be the highlight of Drenge’s set. A raucous blues rock stomp that obliterates the Limelight 2 with sheer power.
Surely these guys are destined for bigger things.