SPILL LIVE REVIEW: THE MARY WALLOPERS @ THE DRAKE, TORONTO

THE MARY WALLOPERS

@ THE DRAKE, TORONTO

MARCH 20, 2023

The first night of spring, and the best way to celebrate the new season is to hang out with the sellout crowd to see The Mary Wallopers at The Drake. They came with a full band and a set full of music, mostly from their debut album, The Mary Wallopers.

Kicking off the night was the opening act, Ivan Rivers, who was joined by Heavenly Devin Staple and his Fender guitar. His style of country and western is refreshing and very enjoyable. He had the difficult task of opening for a band who had a hardcore loyal following waiting for them to hit the stage but he succeeded. He was personable, funny, entertaining, and played some very amazing songs. “I’m Still Here (For Ernest)” was a particular highlight. The duo played for about 30 minutes, but they could have played longer. However, they got the job down and warmed the audience up.

Then it was time for The Mary Wallopers, based around brothers Charles and Andrew Hendy, along with Seán McKenna. Here is a band that demolishes all boundaries between band and audience. Tonight, the audience was part of the band and show. This was a tight, well-oiled band who created traditional music with a great deal of respect.

THE MARY WALLOPERS ALBUM REVIEW

The band also seemed surprised and very happy that the audience sang along with a number of songs, especially “Building Up And Tearing England Down” and “Cod Liver Oil & The Orange Juice”. The band tore into the songs with a great deal of passion and was feeding off the audience’s reaction. These were emotional and stirring moments during the night. Other highlights included Andrew’s performance of “John O’Halloran” and the disturbing “The Night The Gards Raided Owney’s”.

Though this is The Mary Wallopers’ debut, they perform like seasoned professionals. And what was clear is that the next time they play Toronto, they will not be playing a small intimate venue like The Drake. No, the next time they play Toronto it will be a much larger venue, as they are playing in Ireland and Europe. On this night, fans were treated to an incredible set by a fantastic band on the brink of breaking out from cult status to fame.

(Concert Photography by Louise Taylor)

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