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Kerbside’s Shack attack
by Daniel Carey, Athlone Voice
THERE WAS a large and enthusiastic turnout for the launch of Kerbside’s debut album Anything Strange at The Shack on Friday.
“We were thrilled with the turnout,” said Sean Lightholder, who with his wife Kimberly makes up Kerbside. “You couldn’t get in or out of the place. We were delighted with how the night went.”
Kerbside were accompanied by Fergal Milton and Ross McDonald, and supported by My Fallen Empire (Eddie Keenan, Veronica Moran, Michael Dempsey and McDonald) and Sunny (Fergal Cox, who had Milton alongside him). The warm-up acts were also well received in the packed venue.
Having arrived in Athlone from San Francisco three years ago, the duo are by now a fixture on the local music scene. They have spent much of that time playing cover versions in local pubs, “sneaking in” a song of their own “when no one was noticing”, as Kim puts it with a laugh.
“The most encouraging thing,” says Sean, “is to go back to a pub and have somebody walk up to you and ask ‘can you play that one?’ And you realise they’re talking about a song of your own that you’ve managed to slip into a set. That’s the best feeling ever.”
Indeed, two songs on the album (Indian Dance and 10 Minute Anniversary) started getting requested in local pubs. But on Friday, there was no need for subterfuge. Kerbside gave the audience a taste of what they can expect on Anything Strange, and Sean’s songwriting talent and Kim’s extraordinary vocal range went down a treat. Sales of the album were brisk, while demands for a fresh batch of CDs met with a wholehearted cheer from a crowd unwilling to let the pair escape without an encore.
Kerbside have just returned from the Cambridge Folk Festival, and are due to return to England in November. They’re also heading to Cork in October and are in the process of setting up gigs around the country. Closer to home, they’ll be in Sean’s Bar this Friday, the Hodson Bay Hotel on Saturday and The Tack Room on Sunday. The CD will be available at all of their gigs as well as www.kerbside.ie. It should be in local shops two weeks from now.