At the Gasworks during the first set of their FLive 2025 comeback gig newcomer bassist Rory Gill, a jazz alumnus of Dublin City University known for his work with Bourbon Street Jazz Trio, son of the blues band Sidewalk Boogie guitarist Cris Gill (Rico Rodriguez, Ben Waters, Gaz Mayall), showed his mettle anchoring the band in for the band’s “godfather” – as singer Mo Collins dubbed the habitually pork pie hat wearing – Roni McManus.
Best bit of a first set that took a little while to settle was easily the tune that ended the opening segment, an arrangement of ‘Dark Eyes’ that jauntily took us on an unexpected ska journey where rhythmically keyboardist Caolan Hutchinson playing a Korg electric piano added a certain dynamism roused by an on-form Des Campbell at the kit.
