The Waterboys - 3Arena

Photo: Graham Hopkins

The Waterboys - 3Arena 

Words: Corey Grange

The Waterboys are a band who seem to have existed since music began. Hit after hit after hit after hit, they've kept going a lot longer than most. However, having loved their music for so long, I'd never caught them until their Fisherman's Blues Revue show at the 3Arena. Touring gives life to these guys, as you would never believe the album was 40 years old with the way they perform it. Mike Scott sounded as if he'd built a time machine onstage, particularly while performing the 80s output. The show opened with an explosive performance of 'Don't Bang The Drum', the opener of the iconic This is the Sea. Scott noted that this is a Fisherman's Blues show, but there were hits to play too. 'A Girl Called Johnny', 'Glastonbury Song', 'The Whole of the Moon' and the rest. The tunes from Fisherman's Blues were tremendous. 'We Will Not Be Lovers' may have been my highlight of the entire show, with the amazing Steve Wickham taking to the stage with the beautiful band of rip-roaring raggle taggle gypsies that are the Fisherman's Blues Revue: Mike Scott, James Hallawell, 'Brother' Paul Brown, Aongus Ralston and Eamon Ferris. Steve Earle joined them midway through, blasting through some of his own songs with the band. 'Copperhead Road' was great, but I could've done with a bit less of Earle, to be frank. 'This Is The Sea' would've been lovely, but 'The Raggle Taggle Gypsy' and 'Strange Boat' into 'Blackbird' by The Beatles were as beautiful as it ever could've been. 'Dead Flowers' by the Stones was a welcome surprise too, they tore through that. Cracking.