Wallis shines at Arts Centre show

IT was a stroke of genius to invite Wallis Bird, native of Enniscorthy but residing in Berlin, to help celebrate the Wexford Arts Centre’s 50th anniversary. With her gloriously relentless rhythms and her way of engaging with a jampacked audience she quickly turned the theatre into a place of celebration.

Accompanied mainly by a drummer/harmony vocalist and an occasional guest, Bird became a font of sheer energy and excitement, with her impassioned vocal, fiercely rhythmic guitar playing and a bunch of songs that seem to be born of life lived and observed at close quarters.

After a quietly up-tempo stretch ‘As The River Flows’ was enriched by her high, piecing frantic voice, and ‘Go’ from her album Hands, was given a vigorous workout.

With a solo version of ‘Home’ she reduced the venue to complete silence, such was the emotional power of her delivery of a song described as a love-letter to Ireland. Guest Saoirse Duane added her hot guitar licks to ‘Fantasy’ and Bird brought her brother Stephen on to add his solid drumming to a segment that segued into a raucous version of The Beatles’ ‘Get Back’ and the Creedence Clearwater Revival hit ‘Proud Mary’. Rachel Grace joined her to lower the temperature on ‘ The Dive’ as a real party atmosphere took hold. It was one of those nights.

Before Bird landed in our midst we had a short but wonderful set from local singer Ayda. She shows a maturity in her stage confidence, her terrific vocals and engaging songs that belie her mere fifteen years.

Working with Gavin Glass has added a sheen to her performance, especially with ‘High School Crush’ and ‘ Tide of Tears’. She’s been compared to Susan O’Neill and Laura Marling and its’ quite clear why.