Koncert Review: Twin Peaks Play First Irish Show at Whelan’s in Dublin

Twin Peaks stormed the stage in Dublin this week with a set sprawling across the band’s albums, eras, and musical genres.

Originally from Chicago, the boys of Twin Peaks touched down in Ireland for the first time this week. Consisting of guitarists Cadien Lake James and Clay Frankel, bassist Jack Dolan, multi-instrumentalist Colin Croom, and drummer Connor Brodner, the five-member indie rock band released their fourth album titled Lookout Low at the tail end of 2019. Off the back of this most recent album, they embarked on a European tour, which contained a Dublin show that was highly anticipated by both band members and fans.

In our interview with Cadien ahead of the show, we talked about the album demonstrating a clear shift from previous releases such as Sweet ’17 Singles and Down In Heaven. If this change in tone emerged on the album, it stood in relief during the band’s set in Whelan’s. Launching into the performance with “Under the Pines” before jumping back into “Getting Better,” the band set the tone for the night. It was a sprawling set – nearly twenty songs – with tracks moving fluidly between the band’s albums, eras, and the distinct sounds associated with each. With the performance peppered with thrashing rock – particularly during the band’s thundering instrumentals leading in and out of the encore – funky riffs, and dreamy intervals, it proved what everyone in the room already knew: Twin Peaks have their hands in many different cookie jars, a feat that’s only possible from a band with four distinctly talented songwriters.

Bar a few calls to “go wild” and “have a great time out there,” the guys didn’t talk much on stage between tracks. But they didn’t have to, the dance moves – on stage and off – said it all. Between incessant headbanging, a sporadic moshpit and what can only be described as the occasional boogie, neither band nor crowd let up through the entire performance. And when, eventually, Twin Peaks stepped off-stage following the presumed final song, the cries for “one more tune” could likely be heard from the street outside. Returning to play a slow, acoustic intro back into the set, the band closed the night with “Oh Mama” from the latest album. Slipping off stage while waving to and thanking the crowd, we’re hoping they found their way down the street to Temple Bar, landing on some more Guinness and indeed, some Irish fiddling.

Want to know more about Twin Peaks’ new album? You can read our recent interview with Cadien here.

Twin Peaks’ latest album Lookout Low is available to stream on Spotify.

Featured Images: Cooper Fox