The Riptide Movement at Olympia Theatre (Review and Photos)

On Friday 24th of May, self-managed Dublin rock group The Riptide Movement played the Olympia theatre. They are about to go on tour supporting The Rolling Stones.

The well-known Dublin group elicited a phenomenal roar from the crowd when they came onstage in a blackout to The Rolling Stones’ “Satisfaction”. A slow build of lights and sound dove us straight into their popular single “Hot Tramp”; a high energy number got the crowd dancing from the beginning of the set.

Bassist Ger McGarry promised the crowd at the intimate a gig that ‘We have the place to ourselves, so let’s have a fuckin’party!’- And that is what The Riptide Movement delivered from start to finish. The music was loud, energetic and catchy and the crowd atmosphere was one of the best kinds you can get with everyone on their feet and singing along. The hall was torn up by strobe lights, shredding harmonica and a brass section that made you feel like you were at some sort of street party.

The band played some of their better known songs, such as the slow-starting Hard to Explain and the overwhelming “Shake Shake”, as well as new track “Animal” – a power jam with energetic brass support, and the not yet released “You and I”, an easy on the ears tune.

Among the highlights of the evening was their personalised cover of Beyoncé’s Halo, a band favourite, which went from a melancholy opening to build in soulfulness with rhythmically southern elements and a deliciously bluesy horn section. Another high was when the audience were drafted in to sing as a replacement for the missing string section.

The band even took time in their pleasantly long set to make introduction including of their supporting choir and brass section, allowing all band members and performers individual solos a little reminiscent of the conclusion of film “School of Rock”. A really enjoyable section of the night.

The night ended on a phenomenal high with Keep on keeping; on. Between the frenzied crowd taking over the vocals and the party canons this was the point in the show where the gig was most clearly a party! The crowds left the Olympia with the music still buzzing through their veins and their ears ringing (as well as covered in confetti!).

Throughout the night the atmosphere was kept constantly up and the band absolutely fed off the crowd’s energy making the night truly excellent. The Riptide Movement bring a unique twist to the genre of Irish rock and indie, with elements of country, blues and even jazz combined with fantastically Irish vocals, lyrics and harmonica. The lads themselves also have an attitude and an energy that really connects with their Irish audience and make the gig all the more intimate and all the better craic.

Review by Kat Clinch

Photos by Chris Charousset