Live Review | the olllam @ Bristol Beacon

---

Monday 29th January 2024

Bristol Beacon, Bristol

---

---

Global collective the olllam bring their experimental-tinged Irish folk to the newly refurbished Bristol Beacon

For those of you unfamiliar, the olllam are an international collective, inspired both by traditional Irish folk as well as more experimental post-rock. Leading their sound are pipers/whistle players John McSherry and Ross Ainslie, who are backed up by an incredibly talented band.

Perhaps, like me, you are familiar with the olllam from their bass player, legendary funk musician and central member of Vulfpeck, Joe Dart. You might be surprised to see the funky-headed and forever sunglass-wearing bassist in a band so far removed from his funk roots, yet once you see how he fits into the full picture, it all falls into place. 

For the entirety of their performance in the classically beautiful and newly refurbished Bristol Beacon, they entranced the crowd with their hypnotic melodies and complex rhythms, transporting you to a distant land, as magical and other-worldly as it is grounded and human. 

When you listen to an olllam album, the first thing you will notice is how much their sound is carried by the incredible pipe and whistle performances. This is unsurprising; they are an unusual choice for lead instrument in much of modern/non-traditional music and their sound is mystical and adventurous. 

Placed facing one another at front and centre stage, McSherry and Ainslie are completely locked in with one another, often playing some of the most complex melodies you have ever heard in complete synchronised unison. The staging made the performance incredibly tense, like watching two perfectly matched warriors fight a battle in which neither will ever lose; they are both that good. 

In order to keep up with the ridiculous winding melodies occurring at the front of the stage, the rhythm section had their work cut out for them, which they managed with awe-inspiring ease and style. To witness such a tight, talented and experienced group of musicians perform with the cool nonchalance of a jam band was a complete pleasure. 

the olllam are more than likely a genre departure for much of our readership but I implore you, give them a chance. Yes, the music is heavily inspired by traditional Irish folk, but it is played with the ferocity and complexity of a math-rock band. And, if you’re somehow still sceptical by the end, you will still get treated to a funky bass solo from Joe Dart himself. There is nothing to complain about. 

Listen to ‘elllegy’ here:

---