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SOMA #2: Pale Rivers @ Cyprus Avenue, Cork 07/09/2018

Two months on from their debut in Cork, SOMA returned to Cyprus Avenue, this time bringing Pale Rivers and Pretty Happy with them.

Pale Rivers frontman Eoin Hally @ Cyprus Avenue. Photo by Jina Estrada.
Pale Rivers frontman Eoin Hally, during a mesmerising set at Cyprus Avenue. Photo by Jina Estrada.

Returning to Cork last week and about to debut in Galway this week, SOMA is slowly taking over the country.

This time SOMA brought Cork bands Pale Rivers and Pretty Happy along with them for the party. Starting the night were the trio of Pretty Happy, who’s sound was loud, with emotions all over the place.

Pretty Happy @ Cyprus Avenue. Photo by Jina Estrada.
Pretty Happy opening the night in thrilling fashion. Photo by Jina Estrada.

Pretty Happy’s indie-meets-punk sound meant one minute we were hearing playful melodies and the next, sheer aggressive riffs. Guitarist Abbey Blake’s, phenomenal style of play created a mammoth sound that engulfed Cyprus Avenue.

Pretty Happy’s charismatic frontman Aaran Blake, at Cyprus Avenue. Photo by Jina Estrada.
Pretty Happy’s charismatic frontman Aaran Blake, at Cyprus Avenue. Photo by Jina Estrada.

Aaran Blake, Pretty Happy’s frontman charmed the crowd with his sharp wit in between songs. However, his standout feature was how he painted a picture with his songs, through the words or just the pure passion emitting from him as he sung.

The energy in Cyprus Avenue was electric as the trio struggled to contain themselves to the stage, with Abbey eventually crowdsurfing during their impromptu encore, closing with the thrilling ‘Dogs’. Pretty Happy with the start? Pretty ecstatic more like it.

With plenty of material behind them already, Pale Rivers heavily teased what to expect on their first EP.

Pale Rivers frontman Eoin Hally at Cyprus Avenue. Photo by Jina Estrada.
Pale Rivers frontman Eoin Hally, during their headline set at Cyprus Avenue. Photo by Jina Estrada.
Pale Rivers @ Cyprus Avenue. Photo by Jina Estrada.
Pale Rivers brought SOMA’s second Cork event to a stunning close. Photo by Jina Estrada.

The five-piece band took Cyprus Avenue on a rollercoaster, with exciting and quick paced alt-rock and then stripping it down with heart-wrenching ballads like ‘Montparnasse’, a song which had elements of Sigur Rós to it.

Frontman Eoin Hally, was captivating with his enchanting vocals, while the melodies were dreamy, sweeping the crowd away. Pale Rivers took Cyprus Avenue on a journey with heartfelt indie rock and it was a beautiful way to draw the night to a close.

Given they haven’t released an EP yet, they play with a quality that some acts with years of experience fail to ever find.

Pale Rivers frontman Eoin Hally, at Cyprus Avenue. Photo by Jina Estrada.
Pale Rivers frontman Eoin Hally, during SOMA’s second Cork event at Cyprus Avenue. Photo by Jina Estrada.

SOMA are taking over Galway’s Róisín Dubh on tonight, with Oh Boland and Bob Skeleton set to perform.

Photographs taken by Jina Estrada. Check out her Instagram for more by clicking here.

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