In recent years, we’ve seen many outstanding bands emerge from Ireland, and Gurriers is no exception. The post-punk quintet had a roaring debut with their 2024 album Come and See — a furious and unapologetic response to the state of the modern world, marrying high-energy melodies and rhythms with sharp, powerful lyricism.
I first came across Gurriers when they played at Ritual Union earlier this year. On stage, they appear larger than life, bewitching their audience with ease. Not even five minutes after their performance, I was itching to see them in action again. When they announced a tour, including a stop at Strange Brew, I — like many others — was immediately interested. The show sold out long before October, thanks to the growing allure of the band and the release of their new single, Erasure.
Strange Brew itself almost acts as a support act — the venue feels like one massive art exhibition. Paintings and sculptures cover practically every surface, and it’s as if you’ve stepped inside a kaleidoscope. Despite appearing deceptively small when you first walk in, by 9 p.m., when the band was set to play, the venue was packed.
Enshrouded in darkness, a recording of Can’t Take My Eyes Off You began to play, evoking chuckles and a murmur of singing from the audience. The tension in the room was palpable as we awaited the band’s arrival, Frankie Valli’s voice serving as playful foreshadowing. Taking the stage to ripples of cheering, Gurriers wasted no time launching straight into Erasure.
Once again, I was taken aback by the pure magnetism this group possesses. It’s indisputable that stage presence is a must for any successful live band, but Gurriers truly demonstrate the raw power that charisma can have over an audience. Not everyone can stand confidently in a sea of judgmental eyes, but Gurriers take the stage as though they’re going to conquer it.
The setlist was primarily built around Come and See, but also featured other tracks, including Erasure and an unreleased song titled Nothing Happens Twice. The band showed incredible stamina throughout the set; many of their songs are intensely high-energy, yet they remained unrelenting. Standouts included Dipping Out, Sign of the Times, Top of the Bill, Approachable, and Des Goblin.
Dipping Out — a song about the band’s friends leaving Ireland — was performed under orange, green, and white lights. The penultimate line, “No tax, no VAT, I love living in the UAE,” hits especially hard in person, and you could see the impact reflected in the audience. Sign of the Times, Approachable, and Des Goblin are all aggressively dynamic tracks, calling the crowd to jump and dance — even the Radio 6 dads couldn’t resist.
Top of the Bill stood out for striking a slightly different tone from the others. It’s not necessarily slower, but its haunting guitar motif and the contrast between the almost spoken-word vocals and the instrumental sections create an enchanting effect that resonates even more when played live.
Overall, this was by far one of my favourite gigs of the year. Gurriers’ energy is infectious, and the electric atmosphere of their shows is undeniable. I’m sure I’m not alone in eagerly watching to see how they evolve — and where they go next.
