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Great Bunch Of Lads?
"Surprises are to be found in the shape of John D'Arcy and The Great Bunch of Lads. D'Arcy will be a familiar face to many, having gigged consistently over the last few years in various different formats, from the earnest folk troubadour, to the playful indie-rocker.
Whilst he has proved adept at fitting into various situations, this chameleonic capacity has also proven to be a potential weakness; an indistinct blurring of identity. As we see him going from gig to gig, swapping genre for genre, we feel compelled to ask, "Just who is this John D'Arcy fellow anyway?"
His latest incarnation might just answer those questions. Operating within the confines of a punchy three-piece setting, once familiar songs are given a new lease of life, kicked into shape and all the better for it.
With D'Arcy prowling the edge of the stage looking like a young Joe Strummer, comparisons with Give 'Em Enough Rope-era Clash soon spring to mind, with the dexterous bass playing and crashing Telecaster guitar chords taking us right back to '78. However, it's not long before D'Arcy's contemporary lyrical references, and Belfast-centric song locations soon remind us where we actually are.
It's a strong performance, and old favourites are unleashed to an appreciative crowd, but one gets the impression that this new band have yet to find the songs that suit them best. They're an impressive musical unit, and are able to shatter the first impressions we may have had with some of these songs, but with the prospect of new material on the way, surely the best is yet to come?"
Steven Rainey, BBC Radio Ulster - Across The Line. July 2010
Contact info@johndarcy.com