Blizzards rock the home crowd

Over a thousand fans turned out on Monday night of last week to see local favourites, The Blizzards, play their home town. And what a show it was!The air of excitement was palpable as the crowds filed into the Greville Arms, with everyone in high spirits and ready to be rocked by the five lads, who have always stayed true to their Mullingar fans.First up was Dublin band Bipolar Experiment, followed swiftly by another band from Mullingar, Not Men But Giants, who have really begun to make a name for themselves on the local scene.Bipolar Experiment members Brendan Moran, Colin Rock, Aidan Magee and Keith Marshall succeeded in getting the crowd suitably worked up, putting on a very together and tight performance.Then as The Blizzards took to the stage as the clock turned twelve, the screams of euphoria from the crowd were deafening, as people rushed from all directions towards the stage.Frontman Niall Breslin said how good it was to be back playing in front of the people who have followed the band faithfully right from the beginning. But, as always at their home gigs, the six-foot-something-and-then-some man conceded how the nerves were getting to him and his fellow band mates ahead of a gig like this. Not surprising when the crowds included not just the die-hard fans and true lovers of The Blizzards" rocking good pop songs, but also close family and friends.The nerves weren"t, however in evidence, and the Blizzards didn"t merely live up to their reputation as providers of fantastically good and energetic sets, but they surpassed any performance they have ever given in Mullingar to date.Songs from their first album, 'A Public Display of Affection' such as 'Trouble', 'Fantasy', 'Dangerous Bitches', 'Superdrug' and 'Why do You Fancy Scumbags?', ripped the crowd into a frenzy, while from their latest album, 'The Domino Effect', songs like 'Silence is Violence', 'Three Cheers for Modern Medicine', the album"s title track, and of course their huge radio hit, 'Trust Me I"m a Doctor', almost took the roof off as the crowd rocked, bobbed and sang along with the lads.One very touching moment of the night - which yes, is possible even for these pop-ska punk rockers who have been accused of writing nothing only teenage angst songs - was when the boys returned to the stage for their encore with their song 'Postcards'. Dedicated to the late great Joe Dolan on the night, anyone who has listened to the song"s lyrics, 'These are Postcards from Heaven, giving me the chance to say goodbye,' will know that the Mullingar lads have moved to a different level musically.They are writing and performing better than ever before and are truly on top of their game. If Postcards doesn"t make it to number one in the charts when it"s released in the New Year, I don"t know what will.