Modernlove at The Deaf Institute | Review.

This was my first time attending The Deaf Institute, and it met every one of my expectations! The venue had a very relaxed and friendly atmosphere, with seats at the back, and an area for those who want to stand.  One thing that stood out to me was how despite being relatively new, Modernlove has already established a solid fanbase. As I joined the queue there were numerous people wearing the band’s merch, and a few people told me this was their second or third time seeing the band live. 

The Performance:

Modernlove, consisting of Barry Lally (vocals), Cian McCluskey (drums), Graham Fagan (guitar) and Daniel Rooney (bass) were very excited to play at the famous venue, which has hosted countless accomplished bands, such as The 1975 in the early days of their career. Travelling from their hometown in Drogheda, the band kicked off their set at The Deaf Institute with their latest single ‘Plans.’ It was clear that this was already a fan favourite, despite being released less than a month ago, as the crowd did not miss a word. The band played a few songs from their EP ‘Nightlife’ released earlier this year in March. This included ‘Only Ever Only You’, ‘Take Me Far Away’ and my favourite song from the EP ‘Solipsis.’ At the end of the show, the band announced that they would be at the merch stand to take photos and have a chat with fans. 

 Modernlove’s music perfectly encapsulates being in your teens/ early twenties. Lyrically honest and nostalgic, their pop-rock sound is reminiscent of the 1975 meets Blink 182. Their live performance was just as impressive as their recorded songs, and they were very engaging with the crowd. Their energetic stage presence made it seem like performing came naturally to them. They know how to entertain a crowd! 

Modernlove Highlights: 

For me, the highlight of the night was hearing my favourite song ‘2 Missed Calls’, which I first discovered the band from. This track is one of the band’s more ‘pop’ songs, in comparison to ‘Take Me Far Away’ and ‘Only Ever Only You.’ Their performance of this song was even better than the recorded version. Another highlight of the night was the crowd and the atmosphere in the Deaf Insitute. It was clear that the crowd was extremely excited for Modernlove, especially one group in particular who spent the whole night with their thumbs up trying to get the band’s attention, and gladly cheered when they received a thumbs up back!  

Image credit: photo by Eleanor Murphy.

The band then went on to finish their tour in the UK and Europe, before heading on to the US to support Yoste on their US tour. I hope to see the band again in the UK soon! 

Featured Image Credit: Photo by Eleanor Murphy