Meet the Irish rockers who’ve wowed Slane
From medicial school to playing Slane, Irish rockers Otherkin are a cut above...
TOtherkin
his was the year that many in Ireland responded to Otherkin with an ‘OK, now we get you’. OK was the debut album by the Irish indie rock band whose members hail from Dublin, Kildare and Meath. It went straight in at No.2 in Ireland and dented the charts in several other countries. The quartet opened for Guns ’N’ Roses at Slane Castle in May and although it was a soggy, miserable day, a good 25,000 came in early to see them. Some created a decent-sized circle pit and moshed in the muck to the punchy Come On, Hello and the anthemic React.
Later in the summer, I witnessed them at an incredible house gig in west Dublin in July with the equally-excellent TOUTS. They showed there they can cut it when you can see the whites of their eyes as they leap about like terriers on springs.
Otherkin’s shows in Dublin’s Button Factory this Friday and the gig in Galway’s Róisín Dubh are all but sold out, but bigger gigs are promised for 2018.
But back to that Slane show. It was particularly significant for lead singer/ guitarist Luke Reilly. He was raised in the Meath village and the myth and folklore of shows up at Henry Conyngham’s house form part of his musical DNA.
‘Growing up it was the main musical event that happened each year,’ the 26-year-old says. ‘I’ve gone to it every year since 1998 when The Verve played. It’s always been an ambition of mine to play Slane. But we wanted to make sure that if we ever got to play there, it was on our own merits, not because I was a local and we were given the slot as a favour.
‘We gave it everything and the positive feedback was phenomenal. People recognised us for being a young Irish band with good tunes. When we came off, we knew we’d done well.’
They didn’t get to meet Axl Rose or receive an imprimatur from the hard-rock divo. However, it was after that show that Luke and his parents felt vindicated in their decision to support his choice to swap a career in medicine for one in music. ‘Myself and David [David Anthony, who plays bass] graduated in 2015 from the Royal College of Surgeons,’ he says.
‘At the same time, we were offered a record deal and we thought: “Well, we’re not exactly passionate about medicine, why don’t we continue with the rock band?” I am lucky because I have the kind of parents who are happy as long as I’m happy. Living in Slane and having their son play Slane Castle was a big validation for them. I think that allayed any fears that they might have had that this could fizzle out. They know I have a degree in my back pocket from the RCSI and after that they just told me to do what made me feel happy and fulfilled.’
Given that he has that degree from the College of Surgeons, I jokingly ask him is it okay to say that their music is ‘visceral’, ‘incisive’ and ‘gutsy’ and Reilly laughingly agrees.
But it is true. Theirs is loud, sharp and direct; unlike too much, admittedly popular, Irish music around at the moment that is more balm than BAM!
‘We wanted to put out a straight-ahead guitar rock album that reflects what we sound like live,’ he says.
‘We resisted the temptation to embellish the sound to any great degree in the studio. We are already working on songs for the next album. We want to stay ahead of ourselves, if you like, when it comes to the next album. Some of the songs might have more of a groove, maybe a bit sexier,’ he laughs.
Reilly says they take their lead from bands such as Blur and Radiohead who progressed their sound when logic and commercial common sense would have suggested churn rather than change.
‘The likes of Radiohead and Blur established themselves with a certain sound, a certain feel and then just tore up their own rule book. That’s what I would like Otherkin to do,’ he says.
‘But Otherkin is completely democratic and the band as a whole will determine any change in direction.’
They may be headed in the direction of Slane Castle again in the future, maybe as headliners. Don’t rule that out.
Otherkin play the Button Factory, Dublin next Friday and the Róisín Dubh, Galway on Saturday.