I myself have been gigging since I was 15 years old (see dodgy pic below – I think I’m actually 21 in that 😂). The result of this is that I’ve played in pretty much every type of venue you can think of – barring massive arenas (watch this space). As a result of this sometimes frenetic approach to singing my songs for anyone who evenly remotely comes into my orbit, I’ve come to realize that the environment you perform in is as important as other obvious factors such as the vibe of the audience or quality of the act.

Play the wrong venue, like one where there is a football game on a massive plasma screen directly above the stage or a radio blaring from a downstairs venue creeping into your ears and you won’t remain a mild-mannered guitar slinging, synth singing hip guy or girl for long.

However, play the right venue and you can be transformed. Whether it be the backyard of some slam poet’s apartment complex in the Bronx or one of the lovely theaters we have in Ireland. When the trinity of space, song and spectator come together harmoniously, it is a joyous thing to experience for all involved. Often something people will want to relive over and over again.