AFTER a highly energetic set on the main stage at this year’s Electric Picnic, the Strypes have announced an all ages headline show in Whelan’s on the afternoon of Friday, December 22.
After a whirlwind four years of non-stop touring, the four youngsters from rural Ireland released their fabulously diverse third album ‘Spitting Image’ in June of this year.
The songs effortlessly transcended their roots in R&B to present them as songwriters of skill and maturity beyond their tender years.
Clearly influenced as much by New Wave heroes like Squeeze and Elvis Costello, as by their formative fascination with the blues, these new numbers will propel them into the next stage of their career.
And in the studio, producer Ethan Johns captured all of their fizzing chemistry onstage, while also helping them realise their own songwriting potential.
Son of Rolling Stones/Beatles studio giant, Glyn Johns, and himself revered producer of classic albums by Tom Jones, Kings Of Leon and Laura Marling, Ethan emerged from the process full of praise for their talents.
“The Strypes are the real deal,” he enthuses. “Bands like this don't come around very often. I feel lucky to have recorded them.”
When the explosive combo first invaded across the Irish Sea in 2012-13, the British music scene was justifiably electrified by the sheer exuberance of these four 16-year-olds.
They were mesmerised by their spot-on update of a tradition that runs from Howlin’ Wolf and Muddy Waters in ’50s Chicago through to The Rolling Stones in ’60s London and Dr Feelgood in ’70s Essex.
In 2015, The Strypes released their second album, entitled ‘Little Victories’ which reached number 1 on the Irish Charts and number 17 on the UK charts and announced a tour to promote the album.
Still barely into their twenties at the time, their overworked tour bus eventually rolled up in their hometown of Cavan, just in time for Christmas 2015.
The first couple of months of 2016 were spent recuperating and taking stock, but the youngsters were writing, too.
In November 2016, the band announced a limited edition run of 500 vinyl only singles including Stefan Murphy’s ‘Down at the Radiotron’ on their website with all proceeds going to the teenage cancer charity Canteen.
The Strypes will bring their all age’s show ‘Spitting Image Tour’ to Whelan’s on Friday, December 22.