Paws For Thought Invades 2uibestow [Part 3]

This week Jennifer Doherty, the writer of the popular blog 'Paws For Thought' is the guest blogger. I'm really excited about this because I don't know many people more passionate about music than Jennifer.




Guest Post 3


The revelation that The Frames are brilliant didn’t occur to me until half way through the year 2001. I remember hearing ‘Revelate’ on the radio and thinking it was catchy. I remember Uaneen Fitzsimons interviewing the band. I knew the name Glen Hansard and knew he was the lead singer with The Frames, but I have no idea why I didn’t pay proper attention to them until 2001. Lay me down was getting a lot of radio play and I discovered it was beautiful. During the next few months I heard their live performances at Witnness and in sessions and it hit me like a train how amazing they were live. I found their message board and wanted to find out as much about them as I could. I recognised a lot of their songs from Uaneen’s show, and I should have known when she liked them that they were good.



‘For The Birds’ and ‘Breadcrumb Trail’ were the first albums I bought, and I couldn’t wait to see them live. They played their first ever gig in Letterkenny in November 2002. I spent the day entertaining kids on a bouncy castle at my nephew’s fourth birthday, but secretly I couldn’t wait until it was over so I could get to the gig. The only friend who might have possibly liked the frames at the time heard a couple of songs and told me they were “shite”, so I persuaded my thirteen-year-old cousin to come with me. There was a good chance she wouldn’t like them either, but she was delighted to be allowed out without adult supervision so I bought her the ticket.



I can still remember more about that gig than a lot of gigs I’ve been to recently. The audience were quiet and Glen sounded nervous as he opened with ‘Plateau’. Colm’s electric violin started and gave me Goosebumps, and I knew it was going to be special. A few songs later and Glen had the audience captured and charmed. He even asked a girl in the front row to zip up her top because it was distracting him (only Glen could do that without causing offence!)
The Frames lived up to their great live reputation, and my cousin and I came out knowing that it would be the first of many Frames gigs for both of us.



Discovering The Frames has introduced me to so many great people, both at gigs and online. I have brought some of my friends to see them, and they usually come away with the same reaction as I did after the gig in Letterkenny in 2002. Even the friend who dismissed them at first has seen them lots of times since. I have found new bands and artists and rediscovered old ones. I have tortured Glen’s head many times at this stage I’m sure, but he has always been genuinely appreciative, friendly and sincere. There is a magic and an energy in Glen’s performances, whether it is as a solo artist, with The Frames or The Swell Season, and no other performer will ever match that for me.



Here's a video clip of 'God Bless Mom' and a short interview with Glen and Dave on No Disco presented by the late Uaneen Fitzsimons.


Comments