Mundy peppered his hits throughout an enjoyable gig at the Factory Theatre.
Mundy at the Factory Theatre, Sydney
Saturday, May 25
Reviewer rating: 4/5
Mundy has a knack for writing radio friendly tub-thumping tracks. July and Mexico are the unofficial theme tunes to the Irish summer – and his cover of Galway Girl still dominates the airwaves at home.
But behind the big attention seekers this unassuming Birr man has a catalogue of quietly beautiful tunes.
Mundy is acutely aware that the three songs are his calling card and on stage he jokingly referred to them as the “jelly and ice cream package”.
But he set the right pace for the gig when he opened with the subdued Mayday. The aching softness in his voice can be easily forgotten in the big crowd-pleasers and with Mayday it was instantly back in front.
Sadly, the start of the gig was disrupted by some ‘emotional’ members of the audience, and when they eventually left the energy in the room was transformed. Mundy instantly got the crowd punching in the air and he somehow orchestrated an instant choir with the entire room harmonising to the gorgeous By Her Side.
When the band launched into a Thin Lizzy jam the fans weren’t just waiting for Galway Girl anymore.
The country twang of Love and Confusion was a great introduction to the “higher calorie end of the gig”. July was an explosion of Irish sunshine and 10,000 Miles Away (From Harm) was brought to a high energy crescendo. To You I Bestow provided a romantic throwback to the start of his career and with a thank you to his “homies away from home” he broke into Galway Girl.
The song is like fairy dust for set dancing and when the whirling was over he left them shouting for more. After a short break filled with cheers of ‘Ole, ole, ole’, Mexico ended the night on a high. Support was provided by Jenna Murphy and Mick McHugh.
Sadly, Murphy also had to contend with disruptive audience members too. Despite the distraction, Murphy delivered a set packed with gorgeous melodies and covers of chart classics. She also performed a sweet folksy version of Nelly’s Hot in Herre spliced with Kelis’ Milkshake – proving that nothing is impossible.
Dubliner McHugh radiated the sunshine of his adopted home of Byron Bay and smiled his way through a stunning set. McHugh is a unique artist. Supporting another act can be a tricky station, but McHugh’s easy banter and honest lyrics won Mundy’s fans over instantly.
He brought the audience with him on a journey through his songs about positivity and love – and they didn’t want him to leave the stage. McHugh hits all the warm fuzzies perfectly without melting into syrupy territory and his confidence on stage is infectious.
