My winning ways continue this fall, as I scored free tickets to Little Green Cars. This folk-rock quintet from Dublin, Ireland played to about 250 people on a Sunday evening at Turner Hall. Despite being a young band, their fan base was extremely diverse as high school kids to men and women in their 60's came to check out Little Green Cars.
Drawing primarily from their debut record, this year's Absolute Zero, Little Green Cars put on a solid, nearly 90 minute set. The show started slow, with softer down-tempo numbers, but then picked up quicky. "Big Red Dragon" was an energetic tune that started a real upswing in the show.
While all members of the band sang, often beautifully, the vocal duties were primarily handled by Stevie Appleby and Faye O'Rouke. Of the two of them, Faye's lead numbers stood out as stronger tunes, playing off of her powerful, yet not overbearing voice (which echoes the range of Dolores O'Riordan of fellow Irish rock group, The Cranberries). "Love Took Me Down to the River to Silence Me" was a beautiful number that showcased Faye's range an the band's ability to blend both rock and harmony together.
While I went into the show only really knowing one tune, "Harper Lee," thanks to 88.9 Radio Milwaukee, I found that this was at best a mid-set tune, and that the band has better music to offer. The overall highlight of the show, was set closer, "The John Wayne," which told the story of Stevie Appleby having a few drinks and "falling in love" with a girl, only to end up back at his parent's house watching The Quiet Man and getting scolded by his "massive pops" for being loud. It is in Appleby's storytelling that showcase his skills the strongest.
For their encore, the band literally came out into the crowd to perform an acoustic number without microphones. This is a very fan-friendly, band who is accessible in all ways, especially with their sound. I see Little Green Cars as a band with a very bright future.
Harper Lee
The John Wayne
Grade: A-
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