Stage Stories; Dylan Flynn and the Dead Poets live from Roisin Dubh

Dylan Flynn and The Dead Poets Mesmerize Galway with Anthemic Performance, Capturing the Unseen Voices of Ireland's Overlooked Youth

Dylan Flynn and The Dead Poets create music tailored to young adults in Ireland who often feel overlooked by society. These emerging Indie artists have gained over 500,000 streams on Spotify, secured opening slots for bands like NewDad and Milk., and performed to sold-out crowds throughout Ireland.

The five-piece band, merging Jangle-Pop and Alt-Rock influences, draws inspiration from artists like The War on Drugs, Bon Iver, Radiohead, and, one of my all time favourites, The 1975. Having met in college in Limerick, Ireland, the band explores themes of loss, relationships, and mental health through their music.

Gaining rapid recognition in the Irish music scene for their dynamic live performances and self-produced releases, Dylan Flynn and The Dead Poets released their debut album How Are You Feeling Today? in March of this year, the band is concluding 2023 with an all-Irish tour, and I had the pleasure of attending the Galway date on Thursday, December 7th.

Opening the night was New Beast. New beast consists of three friends, who are also multi-instrumentalists who create original songs that feel like rain in your brain. Their performance was seamless and well polished grabbing the attention of the audience from the very first note.

The second support act for the evening hailed from Galway, The Rosecaps. Comprising of Daniel O'Malley on guitar, Shane Fahy on keys, and Emmet Feerick on drums, The Rosecaps form a three-piece independent rock band and have been collaboratively creating music since 2019. They kicked off their performance with their latest single, Ocean Floor, immediately capturing the attention of the crowd. This dynamic and emerging band held everyone's attention with their ehilarating setlist. As a native of Galway myself, it's really cool to see talents like The Rosecaps emerging from our small city. This band is definietely one to keep an eye on.

Opening their performance with their recent release, When I was Young, Dylan Flynn and The Dead Poets captivated the audience's interest with a song that fuses elements of Country Rock and Indie Rock. The lyrics delive into the expereince of growing up and coming to the realisation that everything in one's life is evolving, all while attempting to cling to the past.

Transitioning seamlessly to my personal favourite from their debut album, Love, the infectious melody unfolds a narrative of a girl wrestling with the feat of life slipping away. Her doubts about love intertwine with the quest for reassurance of the boy's affection. The pinnaicle of the song, for me, lies in the anthemic final verse: "As the rain falls down on a cold, dark night, as she dries her eyes, do you believe in love?"

The tempo gracefully shifted with Fairfax, adorned with the alubm's titular opening line, embracing poetic lyrics accompanied by a soulful blend of piano and saxophone, enhacing Dylan's hauntingly beautiful vocals. As Dylan introduced Fading, a track carefully pondered before release, he shared their decision to release the raw version, expressing a hope that the audience would enjoy it as much as they enjoyed playing it. The anthemic, slow-pacing composition hints at a plea for assistance, highlighted in the lyrics: "I think I might need some help, but I'll call out before I get home". Featuring Chris's saxophone prowess, Aftermath made a captivating entrance with a solo sax before the drums joined in, creating a catchy anthem. The song subtly alludes to standing by someone even in the aftermath when everything crumbles.

The poignant narrative continued with Nowhere to Live, painting a picture of the bandmates' friends departing for distant places, prompting contemplation about whether to follow suit or if they're merely shadowing their friends due to a lack of alternatives. The song serves as a tribute to the challenges faced by young people in their twenties, capturing the essence of a generation at a crossroads, pondering where to turn when familiar paths seem to be fading away.

Closing the night on a powerful note was the song that first caught my attention- Running Away. Starting with moving lyrics like "I've been running away for a while, I've been running away from people I thought I knew," this uplifting tune perfectly embodies the band's mission to create music for young adults feeling overlooked in their country. The song explores themes of love and guilt, dealing with the complex emotions of losing someone close. Closing the show with Running Away proved to be a resonant choice, leaving the audience humming its tune well after the performance concluded.

In essence, the performance was a testament to the band's ability to capture the essence of a generation, provide a voice to the unspoken struggles, and leave an enduring impact on those fortunate enough to be part of the audience. Dylan Flynn and The Dead Poets emerged not just as musicians but as storytellers, weaving narratives that resonated with the collective heartbeat of the audience- a testament to the power of music ato transcend and connect.