How was it for you? Irish Examiner writer Eoghan O'Sullivan picks his highlights of 2020
2020 picks by Eoghan O'Sullivan (centre) include Marc Maron, Fontaines DC and Phoebe Bridgers.
I was lucky to go to Fontaines DC's Rock Against Homelessness, which featured eight acts and made some €70,000 for charity, and the Choice Prize live event, which also featured eight short sets, within two days of each other back in March. It was a bit much, really, but I've been able to dine out on the memories for the rest of the year. Northern Ireland rappers Kneecap's raucous set at the charity gig was the standout.
There was a brief reprieve for small indoor gigs during the summer in some venues around the country, and I was delighted to see Junior Brother at the Kino in July. He played a new 18-minute song which I know blew some of the 50 or so socially distanced minds in the room that night.
At the launch of Quarter Block Party upstairs in the Roundy in February, young Cork metallers God Alone played a spell-binding 'acoustic' set that shouldn't have made sense but would've been on my best-of list even in a normal year.
Despite the withdrawal of live music, I think it has been a phenomenal year for music. From Phoebe Bridgers' pop culture domination on the release of second album Punisher to Fiona Apple's discourse-demanding Fetch the Bolt Cutters, to, closer to home, pals Pillow Queens and Ailbhe Reddy releasing debut albums without a fortnight of each other, the year belonged to women.
My favourite was Waxahatchee's Saint Cloud, a country-tinged reflection on sobriety and associated feelings that proved a powerful listen. OK, one nod for the men - Dublin's Kean Kavanagh released his debut album Dog Person a few weeks ago. It's a short one but has no wasted moment.
It was good/strange seeing so many acts, no matter their status, figuring out how to livestream at the same time. Dundalk trad trio Mary Wallopers on St Patrick's Day was what we needed - their regular shows have been of the highest quality. Make sure you've got a can of Beamish/Harp to hand for their Christmas special on December 23. Lankum at the Abbey Theatre in August was superlative, their power echoing across the empty seats. Other Voices deserves a special mention. Denise Chaila's performance in the National Gallery, in particular, felt like a moment.
With the dearth of live sports from March to June, I found myself reaching more for basketball and soccer books during that time. Ethan Strauss' The Victory Machine, about the rise and fall of possibly the greatest NBA team of all time, the Golden State Warriors of 2015-18, and the would-be GOAT Kevin Durant, was short but fascinating. My favourite novel was Naoise Dolan's Exciting Times, an effortless whirlwind of 'modern' relationships. It was great to see Doireann Ni Ghriofa finally release her debut novel: A Ghost in the Throat defies genre, offering something uniquely powerful and new.
Rewatches this year included The Wire and Seinfeld (always Seinfeld), with the sheer volume of 'peak TV' output putting me off a lot of shows. The Last Dance on Netflix, chronicling Michael Jordan's final season at the Chicago Bulls, arrived when we needed it most. A brilliant soundtrack, some might say it was too drawn out, but I couldn't get enough.
Being able to work from home has meant I've always got something on in the background. As the days bled into each other, I found myself holding out for Annie Mac's Friday night show on BBC Radio 1. It's been a tonic of feel-good pop bliss.
Where is George Gibney? was often difficult to listen to but it's resonated for telling stories that needed to be heard. Also from BBC, I loved Ecstasy: The Battle of Rave, a potent mix of great tunes and crazy drug stories. WTF with Marc Maron I found bleakly compelling following the shocking death of his partner, filmmaker Lynn Shelton in May. Over the rest of the year, he hasn't shirked his twice-weekly show, his intros admitting to his grief and trying to just get through the day.
The most satisfying moment of the year was finishing The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild. It thankfully took hours of my life during the first lockdown and after literally three months of playing (I'm most definitely not a gamer, I've found out), the feeling of seeing those end credits roll was like no other.
Gigs, festivals, the whole live experience. I just want one to look forward to something again. It's been great seeing the likes of Pillow Queens and even newer acts such as CMAT doing so well despite operating pretty much from their bedrooms. I can't wait for these acts to really get going, though, and reap the new and big opportunities they deserve.
