Kodaline Online: Livestreamed gigs revisit the Irish boy band’s back catalogue

Kodaline’s full band stream of In a Perfect World started with a quick Q&A that popped back up occasionally throughout the rest of the stream. It was conversational, personal, and provided their fans with a couple of inside jokes that they could keep for themselves. The concert itself was classy, well-coordinated and very relaxing. There was a contrast between the way they softly and casually addressed their fans and the passion that they put into their actual performance.

Steve Garrigan’s vocals were well supported by the band’s harmonies. The visual presentation was simple but it did its job; despite the limited palette they used for the lights, they still managed to tell different colour stories with every song. The set list had an odd synergy with the current lockdown. It was based on the actual record, but the lyrics directly coincided with themes of longing for things you can’t have, letting life pass you by, and wondering how you will look back at this particular moment in time.

One of the best vocal performances of the night was All I Want, with its cool blue lights reflective of the touch-starved hum of the lyrics. Brand New Day was mellow with consistent melodies. It really made you miss that memory of a certain summer. All Comes Down was the one song that let you enjoy all the different aspects of Kodaline; the soft and slow progression of vocals and harmonies, the visual marvel of the lights, and the steady guide of the instruments. It vibrated with winter and summer tones.

The night closed with Way Back When, a whimsical piece of mirth wrapped in pink melancholy. The multiplicity behind the song was overwhelming to think about; the possibilities of the coming future, of life after lockdown and looking back, and reminiscences of what once was in terms of their music. The concert overall was not like your typical recreation of a live physical concert. Rather, it was an intimate love letter to their fans, evocative of that longing to be outside, of wanting to bask in their physical presence, and missing the taste of indie sun and fun.

Mae Trumata
Photo: Kodaline at the Roundhouse in 2019 / Virginie Viche

Kodaline are playing a livestreamed gig every Saturday until 19^th September 2020. For further information and future events visit Kodaline’s website here.

Watch the video for All I Want here: