For one night only last Thursday, Whelans turned into an amalgamation of sorority/fraternity parties usually seen across the Atlantic rather than on a grey December night on Wexford Street. The catalyst was the affable and hyperactive Gregg Gillis aka Girl Talk. The man is a complete loon – dressed in high-tops and looking like a hobo, laptop covered in plastic to stop drunken spillages, a stage invasion within 15 minutes of starting and crowd-surfing meant sweat and booty-shaking was on the menu for tonight. Being a mashup DJ means there are no rules but to entertain and dropping Ace of Base’s “All that she wants” along with some more recognisable Girl Talk material such as the Grizzly Bear / Clipse mashup encouraged normally reserved boys and girls to abandon their clothing and ride the beat.
It all got a bit messy towards the end but it was worth it. Unfortunately, a pleasant Christmas Party meant I missed the night’s hors d’oeuvre – Owen Pallett’s third night in a row in Dublin but others have assured me, he was more relaxed than Tuesday night in Vicar St.
Niall Byrne is the founder of the most-influential Irish music site Nialler9, where he has been writing about music since 2005 . He is the co-host of the Nialler9 Podcast and has written for the Irish Times, Irish Independent, Cara Magazine, Sunday Times, Totally Dublin, Red Bull and more. Niall is a DJ, founder of Lumo Club, club promoter, event curator and producer of gigs, listening parties & events in Dublin.
hahaa bananas night
looks great but laptops just don’t look coo!
the juck with no top on behind him deserves a right fucking puck in the gob.
I was really looking forward to this gig and like yourself Nialler split from a work Christmas bash to leg it up to Whealans in time for the gig. I shouldn’t have bothered.
I thought this was the most souless forced atmosphere I’ve ever experienced in Dublin. I’m all for people having a good time especially in Whealans but why aren’t these people going nuts at any other gig. There was such a rush to get up on stage before things even got going you would have thought he was giving out free coke or something.
I felt like I was at a frat party in UCLA…now I realise thats what Girl talk is all about!!!
Like totally a major disapointment you guys.
i saw him in barcelona earlier this year…it was one of the worst gigs ive ever been at – cheesy party music, admitedly with a great amount of skill and flair in his mixing.
anyway, anytime he nearly whipped up a frenzy, he dropped some nostalgic tv theme tune like dawsons creek, or some really bad novelty song.
I understand that this is what he is supposed to be about, but im afraid it does nothing for me.
and when he went crowd surfing at the end with some self indulgent rap, i really never felt like punching a performer so much before.
i really wanted to hit him.
My friends and I had a brilliant night at Girl Talk… the atmosphere was excellent- everyone just went crazy… We actually said afterwards that it was one of our best nights out in ages!
Met gregg afterwards and he was genuinely lovely…
And from what I’ve heard from previous gigs of his it was nothing out of the ordinary so don’t know why people went and then didn’t enjoy the ‘frat party’ vibe!!!
Ah guys, c’mon, “soulless and forced,” “wanted to hit him”? Seriously, whats with the scrooge factor? Why for once can’t fun just be fun, plain and simple. Like people just going nuts for the sake of it? I’ve never felt less soulless and forced in that place in yonks!
[quote post=”947″]Ah guys, c’mon, “soulless and forced,” “wanted to hit him”? Seriously, whats with the scrooge factor?[/quote]
straight up – i wasn’t at the gig (so i probably shouldn’t even open me gob, but when has that ever stopped me eh?) but i just don’t get the cheesy mixes. doesnt do it for me, so this is why I didn’t bother going. fair enough though, some people didn’t enjoy it. i’d like to see what people who attended both dan the man deacon and girl talk thought of the contrast between the two – crowd, music and performance?
Well if Dan Deacon and Girl Talk toured North American together I don’t see why you would attempt to seperate both into acts that attract different crowds, one with better tastes than the next. I wouldn’t be surprised if it was the exact same at both.
At least when I saw both of them on the same night it was equally a frat party for both, I mean its fucking Girl Talk – what sort of idiots are expecting something else from a man that blends so much cheese together in lightening fast time to crunk/snap beats.
Its drunken party music, he may claim its slightly more yet stupid fun is exactly the point. Unless you think all these people are just copying videos on Youtube when they go out then really its unfair to ask why aren’t people going nuts at other gigs, maybe that question should be put to other acts and bands rather than the bored fans at their shows.
this party rocked !
… and owen pallet was very charming beforehand.
i am not normally one for cheesy mixes but kelly clarkson totally won me over. then again, that song means a LOT to me. oooh yeah…i can breathe.