Review: The Cranberries

Photos by Chris Oberholtz/The Star 

The Cranberries weren't one of the most influential bands of the 1990s but what they lacked in artistic sway and they more than made up for with hit singles and album sales. Born in the era when the notion of alternative music went mainstream, the Irish band spent a lot of time on the charts in 1993-96 by fusing their appreciation for various '80s bands (the Cure, the Smiths, R.E.M., Blondie, U2) into songs that were accessible and edgy.

This fall, the band ended a hiatus of more than six years by launching a tour that showcased many of those old hits and a new song or two. That tour stopped at the Midland theater on Sunday night, where many fans in a crowd of about 1,300 greeted the band like its stature was up there with Pearl Jam's or Nirvana's. Sometimes nostalgia is retrospection wearing rose-colored glasses.

Lead singer Dolores O'Riordan is 38 and a mother of four these days, but she hasn't lost much of her on-stage charisma. Her voice is still a strong, arresting mix of Sinead O'Connor's and Alanis Morrissette's, and she can still command a large room, even when she breaks into one of her dance tantrums. When it was time to shed the long white coat she'd worn through the first few songs, she turned the disrobing into a comical strip-tease -- an early sign that she was there for some fun and wasn't going to take anything too seriously.

During the band's 90 minute set, O'Riordan kept the mood in the room percolating by coaxing the crowd into several sing-alongs, by punctuating a few moments with a loud "whooooop!" and by dancing wildly, like no one was watching. She also played guitar several times -- lead and rhythm -- just to remind everyone she's more than a pretty face with a good voice.

The setlist included most of the band's biggest hits and best-known songs: "Linger," "Salvation," "Ode to My Family," "Free to Decide," "Zombie" and "Dreams." It also included two songs off "No Baggage," O'Riordan's new solo album: "Switch Off the Moment" and "The Journey."

The Cranberries have been on the road since Nov. 12; they had about a dozen shows under their belt before Sunday. As a rock ensemble, they are solid but static -- nearly generic: They don't showboat much; rather they stand back and let O'Riordan commandeer the ship, which she did, with animated aplomb.

As entertaining as it was, the show was nearly torpedoed by a bright, trebly sound mix that didn't suit some of the arrangements. During several songs, O'Riordan's vocals got washed away in the blare of drums, keyboards and guitars. Even some of her between-song banter was hard to pick up, a problem aggravated by her thick brogue.

The quality of the mix didn't matter much during songs like the headbanger "Zombie," which sent the crowd into another orbit, or the lullaby "Dreams," which closed the show and as well as any song expressed the mood that hung in the air most of the show -- nostalgia for a not-so-distant past: "I know I felt like this before / But now I'm feeling it even more ..."

| Timothy Finn, The Star

Setlist: How; Animal Instinct; Linger; Ordinary Day; Still Can't Recognize the Way I Feel; You and Me; Dreaming My Dreams; When You're Gone; Daffodil Lament; I Can't Be With You; Pretty; Ode To My Family; Free To Decide; Waltzing Back; Switch Off the Moment; Salvation; Ridiculous Thoughts; Zombie. Encore: Empty; The Journey; Dreams. 

Comments

[Gulliver Foyle, Jr.]

You know, from reading that perfectly fair and accurate review, you would think that no one had a good time and it was a decent night of 90s rock and roll from a singer you couldn't understand and a band that was competent but bland.
The fact of the matter is that a tight group, led by a charismatic and totally beyond description female, had the crowd in the palm of her hand.
Did you see the crowd in the upper balcony?
I have had the pleasure of seeing some charismatic, even legendary front men (Bono, Liam O'Maonlai, Bruce Springsteen, Shane MacGowan) the last three months, but Dolores O'Riordan's performance matched or topped them all.
You think that maybe some critics feel a need to bring people down, as if thinking it couldn't really have been that good, could it?
Makes me think of Alexander Pope's line, what was it?

[Delilah Brock]

I was there and it was great. I don't know what the critic was drinking. The Dolores and band were fey (in the sense it was otherwordly). Those who can't perform are only left to criticize.

[joeboo]

You do realize that your opinion of a performance is probably biased to a certian degree if you are a fan of a band, as opposed to being a professional journalist who may or may not care anything about the band on a personal level?

The review was pretty positive from what I can tell. The only gripes were about the production, not the performance.

I can't imagine being able to objectively critique performances of bands, artists, or even genres that I don't like personally. It would be rough.

[Discount Online Medical Marijuana]

yer freekin lucky the reviewer even went to you lil show, he skips a lot of real concerts these days.

[DiggityDawg]

Wow - if you thought THAT was a negative review...

Simma down, Cranberries nerds.

[Penny]

I'm sure it was great. Would have loved to have been there...

[Jerry Moore]

I was there and I was blown away. After going back to their music over the last year I can only say the live performance enhances every song. Seeing Dolores in person perform and hearing the songs live, changed from in studio, made for a performance of a lifetime. I agree, at times the volume for the hall caused a lack of pure clarity but that plus it was live right in front of you all added together to make it more intense. She is a charismatic showman that I feel lucky to have been able to see from the 24th row. I was dancing all night.

[DB]

I do agree with the comment on the sound mix, It was my only complaint of the night, Good songs, good vocals, tight band, poor sound especially from the 3rd row in the balcony. Also the warm up Griffen House was a nice way to start the evening

[actung Daughtery]

Deutschland, Deutschland über alles,
Über alles in der Welt,
Wenn es stets zu Schutz und Trutze
Brüderlich zusammenhält.

[Free WoW Time Cards]

never heard of this band... :|

[jerry]

YouTube "live in Paris"... Promises rocks

[Cranb]

Hey, Free WoW Time Cards: When were you born? 2001? I can´t believe anybody who was interested in music in the 90s missed the Cranberries!

[Maroussia]

It will be great to watch The Cranberries, i have bought tickets from
http://ticketfront.com/event/The_Cranberries-tickets looking forward to it.

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