LIVE REVIEW: Belle and Sebastian, The June Brides, 3Olympia Theatre, Dublin, 05/04/2026
Photo Credit: Kevin O’Sullivan (8th April – Royal Albert Hall, London)
After a very long day of travelling from Glasgow to Dublin, what better way to wind down the weekend than an evening with Belle & Sebastian where they would be playing two complete albums on alternate nights. Last night it was Tigermilk and tonight it is the turn of If You’re Feeling Sinister, both released in 1996 and we have all gathered to celebrate the 30th anniversary of both albums as well as a selection of other tracks. Looking around at the ages of a good proportion of the crowd around us, we realise that the young and hip generation have caught on to the music of Belle & Sebastian, maybe some parental influences going on here?
First up though we have The June Brides, a band that were formed originally in London in 1983 but only lasted a few years before reforming in 2012 with original members Phil Wilson and Simon Beesley still at the helm. We couldn’t help but notice a comment on The June Brides socials that they haven’t played in Dublin for forty years, that’s a long time to wait for a return! The indie pop band were the perfect starter for what was to follow later, standout songs were Just The Same and Every Conversation. 7/10
Before Belle & Sebastian take to the stage the introduction video from Ciara MacLaverty who proudly appeared on the cover of If You’re Feeling Sinister has the attention of the whole Olympia Theatre which is an absolute delight to be in tonight. This old building just oozes history and no wonder – it was opened way back in 1879 as Dan Lowry’s Star of Erin Music Hall. Five of the original band line-up from the 1990s are on the stage tonight including Stuart Murdoch, Stevie Jackson, Chris Geddes, Richard Colburn and Sarah Martin, bass player Stuart David left the band in 2000.
Stuart Murdoch and co have been very busy with touring of late, after a very successful tour in Australia in August 2024 the EU/UK tour really began in the Ayrshire tow of Troon on 19th& 20th February, and why not as it is only a few miles from where Murdoch was brought up in sunny Ayr. It is always great when a band decides to play an album in original track order, it helps with understanding the flow of the album. There are nine musicians on the stage tonight for two separate sets, the first one covering the If You’re Feeling Sinister album and the second part being a selection of hits. The set opens with The Stars of Track and Field, Seeing Other People and Me and the Major, already there is a joyous feeling amongst the audience with the atmosphere being palpable.
The highlights for us from the first set were The Fox In The Snow and The Boy Done Wrong Again but all these tracks take you back to a different time and make you wallow in nostalgia. The band are back on stage almost immediately for another nine songs including Wrapped Up In Books and I’m A Cuckoo before a rendition of happy birthday is sang by the whole theatre to a fan up in the balcony that just happened to be in Dublin the same time as Belle & Sebastian were playing, it really was a very touching moment. For a section down the front of the venue fans needed a wristband and when they played the timeless classic The Boy With The Arab Strap we soon found out why … wave after wave of fans suddenly appeared on the stage dancing alongside the band in a great show of self expression, this must have been so memorable for those fans involved. Sleep The Clock Around ended the main set and it was Lazy Line Painer Jane that ended a night of very touching music.
Double shows at the Royal Albert Hall in London and The Albert Hall in Manchester ended the UK leg of the tour, after a short well earned rest the band then head over to Mexico, USA and Canada for a lengthy tour in May but the good news is that they play two sold-out homecoming shows at the Kelvingrove Bandstand in Glasgow in June, now that’s something to look forward to. 9/10
Written by: Alan Brown
