Diva antics sour breathtaking show
The Gutter Twins
The Academy, Dublin
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Singer/guitarist Greg Dulli and singer Mark Lanegan of The Gutter Twins
Monday January 19 2009
They may be a relatively new band, but these guys are old hands at this game.
Greg Dulli and Mark Lanegan are both highly accomplished rock singers.
As frontmen of nineties acts Afghan Whigs and the Screaming Trees, they've been responsible for some sublime alt-rock moments.
Performing acoustically as the Gutter Twins, the duo ditch the Marshall stacks and home in on the raw bones of their tunes, dipping into their respective back catalogues and throwing in quirky covers of Led Zeppelin and the Everly Brothers for good measure.
So far, so good, but the mood sours a little when Dulli acts the total diva and lambasts members of the audience for talking and taking photographs.
Setting a few ground rules is perfectly acceptable, but arrogantly insulting the punters paying your appearance fee is not.
Allegedly, such behaviour was also evident in Glasgow the previous evening.
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Joy
Thankfully, there isn't too much of a bitter aftertaste and Lanegan's singing voice is a joy to behold.
Once memorably described as boasting a fine set of pipes that sound like Lee Hazelwood after sniffing glue, the guy could be up there singing nursery rhymes and it would still sound great.
His rendition of 'Resurrection Song' is a stunning stand-out.
They throw a curveball into the mix with a delightful version of 'All I Have to Do is Dream' by the Everly Brothers.
It's easy to forget just how tender and beautiful this song is.
Despite Dulli's almighty strop, the Gutter Twins deliver a breathtaking evening of skewered folk.
Just make sure you leave the camera at home.
- Eamon Sweeney
