Still Adored: The Stone Roses: Phoenix Park: 05-07-2012

After a rather subdued build up to their first live performance in Ireland since they played in Cork at Feile 95 The Stone Roses took to the Phoenix Park stage at 9.25 on Thursday night. "Brothers and sisters, we need your assistance" declared frontman Ian Brown who was dressed all in black. The sold out crowd did not need to be asked twice once the opening chords of I Wanna Be Adored were struck. It doesn't matter that this genius of a song has so few lyrics especially when 50,000 people are singing every word.

The Roses played every song from their debut album and those 11 masterpieces proved to be the highlights of the night. It didn't always matter that  Brown sounded hoarse on some songs because everybody around me knew every lyric to  beauties such as Waterfall, Made Of Stone and (Song For My) Sugar Spun Sister. However it was also one of the singles from The Second Coming that provided one of the best singsongs of the evening. Ten Storey Love Song is one of my favourite tunes from this band but hearing it live was absolutely spine tingling.

Brown is an impressive front man and regularly walked to both sides and to the front of the stage to engage with the adoring audience. John Squire was his usual nonplussed self and why shouldn't he be when he can play like he can? Bassist Mani appears to be the spiritual leader of this band and he regularly pumped his fist in the air to encourage the crowds assistance, while Reni just bangs the drums like nobody else.

After a splendid opening few tracks there was somewhat of a lull in the middle with a lot of people just talking and standing around during Standing Here and Something's Burning. However once Waterfall kicked in and Ian Brown amazingly sang backwards on Don't Stop, it was inevitable that we were going to have a thrilling climax .

The home run began with the psychedelic This Is The One which was another song that Brown did not need to sing. She Bangs The Drums was quite emotional before predictably they finished with the majestic I Am the Ressurection. This is the ultimate Stone Roses song and it remains their finest moment both in the studio and live on stage.

So after 90 minutes of a set which disappointingly but ultimately not surprisingly did not feature any new material Manchester's second best ever band were giving a heroic ovation by a crowd which varied from the very young to the middle aged. There were plenty of hugs among the four band members with Ian Brown declaring that his band would return to Ireland. Let's hope that they do but that they will provide us with some new music next time.

Setlist

I Wanna Be Adored
Mersey Paradise
( Song For My) Sugar Spun Sister
Sally Cinnamon
Where Angels Play
Bye Bye Badman
Shoot You Down
Ten Storey Love Song
Standing Here
Fools Gold
Something's Burning
Waterfall
Don't Stop
Love Spreads
Made Of Stone
This Is The One
She Bangs The Drums
Elizabeth My Dear
I Am The Reurrection


© Seamus Egan 2012