Bôa
National Stadium, Dublin
★★★★☆
Last year saw the welcome return of the British indie rock band Bôa, who, after gaining a fresh young fan base, burst back on to the scene following a near two-decade hiatus with a tour and the release of their new album, Whiplash.
Part of the alternative-1990s zeitgeist, Bôa are best known for their single Duvet, from 1998, which was used as the opening theme for the cult anime Serial Experiments Lain. Fast-forward to 2021 and lockdown-induced nostalgia saw the track regain popularity on TikTok, ultimately spurring Jasmine Rodgers (vocals and guitar), Alex Caird (bass and guitar) and Lee Sullivan (drums) to re-form the band.
On Saturday night, eight months after playing Whelan’s as part of their comeback circuit, they take the stage of the National Stadium in Dublin. The evening gets off to a strong start, the first two songs – Deeply, from 1998, and Whiplash, the title track of their new album – providing some contrast between their old and new sounds.
Rodgers’s immense, bewitching voice is bolstered by an impressive arsenal of instruments as a swirling red haze of smoke wraps around the band: alongside the usual drums-and-guitar backdrop, a violin, tambourine and keys also make an appearance.
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The singer explains her lower-than-normal register by confessing that she has a cold. If anything, her slightly raspy tone melds well with the music, especially on grittier new tracks such as Strange Few.
“I’m going to do something vaguely performative,” she announces midway through this intimate gig, taking a spoonful of Boyne Valley honey to soothe her throat. “Your energy is incredible. There was no way in hell I wasn’t going to do this show with you,” Rodgers tells the crowd as a gaggle of new listeners press up against the barrier.
The band move seamlessly between familiar tracks from previous albums and their new songs, fan favourites such as Elephant and Twilight rousing the audience to sing along. The blend of floaty folk and angst-driven songs is met with a sea of heads approvingly bobbing along from start to finish, even when it’s sometimes evident that people aren’t familiar with the lyrics.
To the audience’s delight the band perform a three-song encore. It culminates with the highly anticipated Duvet, which rocks the crowd into a dreamlike trance, enveloping everyone in a comfort blanket of sound before they return to the wet streets outside.
