secret fireworks

It's the first night of the Trans festival and we've got a fantastic line up tonight- Cat Malojian, Two Door Cinema Club, Kowalski and the Welsh sensations Los Campesinos!.

The first act up tonight is the wonderful Cat Malojian, the wonderful folk/country duo from Lurgan. Their soft acoustic sound and the crisp, clear voice of Steve Scullion echoes a bygone era when Neil Young and James Taylor were at the top of their game. An unusual act to open the night with considering the other bands on show, but this wonderful stripped back performance by the lads has surely won them a few more fans.

A brief interval, and Two Door Cinema Club come to the stage. It’s an immediate contrast from Cat Malojian- within a few minutes the audience are dancing to songs with pumping basslines, adventurous guitar playing and some of the best vocals we’ve ever heard in the Waterfront Studio. The trio aren’t afraid to play new material either, which goes down very well with the crowd. They certainly aren’t the finished article yet, but in a few years they could be the next big thing from the North. An assured performance and certainly a band to watch in the next few years.

Kowalski take to the stage, wearing bandanas and various French related paraphernalia. (It is Bastille Day, after all.) It’s clear to see that they’ve brought along a number of fans tonight, but they’ve got the audience in the palm of their hand within seconds as they flood the studio with high tempo rock songs, featuring incredible drumming. Kowalski opened up for Snow Patrol at Ward Park last year and they’ve obviously learned from the experience- they fly through a solid set, only broken up by the “Bastille Day Song”. “Is it a pain au chocolat, or is it an onion?” is hardly a classic lyric, but it shows the lads are still up for some fun.

Finally, the moment we’ve all been waiting for. Los Campesinos! take to the stage to rapturous applause from the crowd, and they certainly don’t disappoint. To call the Welsh rockers “energetic” would probably be the understatement of the century- the lead singer, Garth, is like a three year old child on stage, bursting with enthusiasm and energy while jumping off various pieces of musical equipment. When the drummer starts a gig semi-naked, you know you’re in for some good music. The band barely pauses for breath as they reel off hit after hit from their album “Hold On Now, Teenager” and this addictive pop/punk/rock/dance sound takes a hold of us all. Too many times these days exclamation marks are used as a throwaway gesture- with this hand clapping, feet stomping gig this band certainly deserve to be called Los Campesinos!