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While I know very little about them – the odd song on Ucunt and Mojo cover CDs – they’re playing at Dublin’s 400-seat Linerty Theatre in two weeks so I thought what the heck, I’ll go.
Got their most recent album and will give it a listen over the next couple of weeks
So any HF aficionados in these here parts?
I have a few of their early albums and love them. Gothic alt-country. I have a live album of theirs (live at Stubbs?) and it’s great, with hilarious dialogue between the two.
Yeah really like then – just checked I have 6 of their albums. Twilight is perhaps my favourite but try and find Smothered and Covered which has some quirky covers but believe is hard to find.
Love the Handsome Family. They became a bit samey after Singing Bones, but I have all their albums up to that point. Last year’s Hollow was a terrific return to form though. Gothic country with a sense of humour.
E30 in a lovely intimate theatre – well worth a punt
Send a review @Jaygee
Ay well do so.
Watch this space
Another thumbs up from me.
The first season of True Detective used one of their songs on its opening credits. So when I was on a trip to the big city many years ago I picked up quite a few of their albums in a Fopp sale. Which led to this exchange once I got home:
Wife: What did you get?
Me: Ecstasy.
Wife: When in Glasgow, eh?
Me: No, the film Ecstasy, from the book by the Trainspotting guy. Also got several albums by the Handsome Family.
Wife (excited): The Mmmbop people?!
Me: No, the Handsome Family.
Wife: They did Mmmbop.
Me: No, Han-ddddd Some Family.
Wife: I love them. Mmmbop, dum de dum de doobop, diddly dum de doo.
Sometime later one of their songs was used in something else we watched (quick search finds it was an episode of Bates Motel).
Me: This is the Handsome Family.
Wife: The Mmm…
Me: Don’t!
Wife: Too late!! Mmmbop, do be do be doobop, dum de dum de mmmbop.
Next time their music is in something I’m saying nothing.
No, Han-dddd Some Family. Brett and Rennie Sparks.
Sparks? Oh, I like them. This town ain’t big enough for both of us……..
And so on.
I suspect you will enjoy the concert Jaygee. They have a fantastic back catalogue of songs to choose from and they are charismatic and amusing on stage,
Thanks for the tip on Hollow @boneshaker. I will give it a listen.
So much wine is one of the best Xmas songs ever. Not a reindeer or snowman in sight, but a very great deal of booze.
Another band for which I have to thank the Uncut “New West” compilations. I heard Weightless Again on one of those (was it the first one?) and promptly fell down the bottomless hole…
The asked-for review got a bit lost due to my not mentioning the HF in the subject line so here for anyone still interested are my thoughts
HANDSOME FAMILY, Liberty Theatre, Eden Quay, Dublin
Date: 03/05/2024
With nosebleed seats for Stevie Nicks upcoming 3 Arena show priced at a haemorrhage-inducing E151, Irish fans have plenty of reasons to whinge long and hard about obscenely high ticket prices. Yet search around and it’s still possible to catch a great gig without having to surrender your arm and leg when logging on to ticketmaster.ie.
With tickets costing just E30, tonight’s Handsome Family European tour opener at Dublin’s wonderfully intimate Liberty Theatre is a classic example. Probably best known for Far From Any Road (the theme tune for the first – and best – season of True Detective), Brett (vocals and acoustic guitars) and Rennie Sparks (bass, banjo, harmonies) have built up a small but fanatically loyal audience during their 29-year, 11-album career. Some 400 of that fanbase’s diehard Dublin chapter are out in force to see them and sidemen Alex McManus (guitar) and Jason Toth (drums) make a welcome return to the Fair City.
After some good natured joshing about the wisdom of seeing acts on the opening nights of their tours, Brett, Rennie and their sidemen start their 17-song set with Joseph, the opener from their 2023 album, Hollow. Offsetting Rennie’s endearingly eccentric lyrics against Brett’s earworm melodies, the song – apparently inspired by a scream in the night from Rennie during COVID – is as perfect an introduction to the band as you could wish for.
Interspersed with surreal banter from Rennie and irascible uncle-style grousing from Brett, the next 90-minutes simply fly by. In addition to inevitable favourites such as Far From Home and the Phoebe Bridgers-covered Christmas song, So Much Wine, highlights include established classics such as The Loneliness of Magnets, Weightless Again and My Sister’s Tiny Hands. While Brett professes himself to be no great lover of shouted out requests, he even find time to fit in rarely performed fan favourites like Tin Foil and Arlene during a generous three-song encore.
Despite knowing very little about the band before the gig, I came away greatly impressed. They’ll doubtless be playing another small Dublin venue a year or two from now and when they do, I might justbe among the extended family on hand to welcome them back.
Joseph
The Bottomless Hole
So Much Wine
The Loneliness of Magnets
My Sister’s Tiny Hands
Weightless Again
Shady Lake
Back in My Day
Far From Any Road
24-Hour Store
Frogs
Octopus
Two Black Shoes
Encore:
The Giant Of Illinois
Tin Foil
(Audience Request)
Arlene
(Audience Request)
Goodnight