Gig Review: Blue October – O2 Academy, Dublin (23rd April 2023)

As I was leaving Dublin’s Academy after the Blue October show with my recently converted other half, and my new best friend, Carol that I met and passion-bonded with at the gig, I heard myself utter the words, “The best experience I’ve ever had at a gig in my life was the first time I saw Pearl Jam and that just surpassed it.” My other half nonetheless looked at me in disbelief; “Really?!” That’s “hands down favourite band of all time” level for me and he knows it.

Just earlier that day while walking over Dublin’s River Liffey, I’d recounted my own tale of seeing Pearl Jam (ie my first ever Dublin gig) at age 15 in 1997. Here I am, back at the scene of the crime 26 years later, still the biggest Pearl Jam fan I know, and with the tattoos now to prove it. I’ve been to hundreds of gigs since; countless of which were in Dublin and several were further Pearl Jam shows, but somehow the experience in question and tonight’s feel connected and I’m not sure why yet.

Things have changed a lot in 26 years. The pandemic has irreversibly changed the landscape of the music industry and concert culture, and after so many disastrous crowd deaths at rock n’ roll shows over the decades, health and safety is tight, and reckless abandonment within venues has become a thing of the past. All that being said, I was buzzing for the night ahead.

I got into Blue October about nine years ago when I was going through a particularly dark time and made me feel seen, heard and understood as I was being re-born and facing a lot of the same difficulties as Justin Furstenfeld. Safe to say Blue October made it into my top five favourite bands of all time pretty swiftly as I absorbed all their albums, watched the documentary; tracked Justin’s story, struggles and strength on social media and; revelled in their lyrics and music waiting for an opportunity to see them live.

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I had an opportunity to buy tickets to a show in Glasgow. Finally I was going to see them live. Alas, circumstances did not allow me to travel at the time. I began to lose hope of ever seeing one of my favourite bands. As my life moved onto a better place, Blue October moved onto their Spinning The Truth Around tour. I bought the tickets, I converted the boyfriend, I booked the babysitter, I begged and borrowed the money to go, and circumstances provided: not only by getting me an upgrade to a better hotel for a better price courtesy of a friend in the category of “who you know”, but by granting me a press pass to take photos courtesy of Moshville Times and Blue October.

Opening their show with “The Kitchen Drawer”, followed by “This is What I Live For” and, “Oh My My”. Well, that’s as much news to me as it is to you, as not only was I wearing my photographer’s hat for the first three songs, my reviewer’s hat went right out the window due to a combination of ADHD hyper-focus trying to get the best shots and my mind being in awe at not only finally getting to hear my heroes live but being so up-close and personal with them after waiting nine years to see them at all that it felt like a surreal outer body experience.

Once my time was up and the job was done it was time to do what I really came to do- enjoy the show! And what a performance! Blue October not only played their set seamlessly and with the camaraderie and closeness of a happy family, but with a peace and joy rarely seen on stage. Not only was it obvious that this band love playing live, but as the song says, it clearly is what they live for.

For a relatively soft alternative rock band, Justin with his innate confidence, charisma, humility, and authenticity, was able to command the crowd with an authority on a level with Corey Taylor. A born poet and as such, a man after my own heart, Justin was able to move the crowd with spoken word as effectively as through music, as well as telling us when to be serious. A few songs later he was able to make us cry. He later told us to stop crying and suck it up, which had me drying my eyes immediately and doing what I was told, only to find myself being allowed to cry again as the set drew to a close. It was his show and we would cry if he wanted us to. The set list consisted of all the songs I wanted to hear: “Home”, “Hate Me”, and “I Hope You’re Happy” and like any gig worth its salt, some I didn’t know I wanted to hear until I heard them; “Fight For Love” and “Moving on (So Long)”.

As well as leading the entire show with his somewhat grungey Peter Gabriel-esque vocals and mesmerising stage presence, Justin played guitar along with new live guitarist Suz Vasquez; who seemed as at home with the band, and comfortable on-stage as if she’d been with the band from the get-go; co- founder, old friend of Justin’s and violinist, Ryan Delahoussaye; whose signature strings are integral to Blue October’s sound and charm and were as beautiful live as on any studio album; bassist, Matt Noveskey, who was as cool, composed and chilled out as ever and Justin’s brother Jeremy Furstenfeld, who was in his element drumming with a huge grin on his face for the best part of the show, having been on his own journey from disappointment to peace, within the band.

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However, the two main aspects I’ll take away from Blue October’s first time in Ireland and my first time seeing them live at home, are that I have never cried as much at a gig in my life and I have never danced as much at a gig in my life. And it’s not like I haven’t had the opportunity! Similarly, I’ve never truly cried at a gig like I did at Blue October. Not just at one particular point but the whole way through the set as one song segued into another. Tears were streaming down my face and I didn’t care; tears of sadness, tears of joy, tears of cathartic release. At the end of the show I not only felt elated and satisfied but lighter; like a weight had been lifted off my spirit. The night was nothing short of beautiful, magical; you could even say, spiritual. I’ve danced to “Sway” many times in my own kitchen but I don’t think I truly got what it was to sway until that night.

Unfortunately this review was delayed as I was struck down with the flu and laryngitis on my return from Dublin, possibly not helped by singing at the top of my voice and screaming from the bottom of my lungs at the gig in question. The delay may have been another blessing, as it’s really given me a chance to question what I said leaving The Academy that night. Did it really surpass Pearl Jam in The Point in 1997? Or was it recency bias, being high on life for getting out to a gig for the first time since December or the effects of having a real Irish pint of Guinness earlier or my first glass of wine since New Year’s Eve?

I waited eight years to see Pearl Jam as a girl and it meant everything in the world to me at the time. I waited nine years to see Blue October as a woman and it has meant everything in the world to me at this time. So in answer to Davy’s, “Really?!” I don’t think it necessarily surpassed it, as 15 year old Sarah’s Pearl Jam experience and 41 year old Sarah’s Blue October experience aren’t really comparable. I’ve come to the conclusion that it was the latter day equivalent though, which after the way I’ve lived for live music in my life tells you everything you need to know.

After Pearl Jam, I refused to take my front pit access wristband off until it fell off. It was made of paper and I think I made it to two weeks before it disintegrated! I still haven’t had the heart to take my press pass off my Hate Me T shirt and I’m not sure I ever will. Wristbands and press passes aside though, I’ve rode the Pearl Jam wave where it took me ever since that 1997 Dublin gig. I’m still riding it and I always will be. But now, even when I’m discouraged, I’m swaying too. I’m 42 next week. Must be time to get my first Blue October tattoo…

Photos by Sarah Nuttall

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