REVIEW: The Virginmarys play first Macclesfield headline show of the decade
By Shannon Lee-Roebuck
29th Dec 2022 | Local News
Roe Street venue Cinemac hosted hometown heroes The Virginmarys on December 23.
It was their first home headline gig in five years, and their second in Macclesfield of the year.
The rapturous return was kicked-off with a rousing opening slot by frequent VMs collaborator Joel Gardner. With an energetic and joyful attitude, he bolstered the already forming crowd with an upbeat setlist and matching energy, encouraging dancing and garnering attention that was well deserved. With his performance of one of his older releases, More To Life,
It was impossible not to crack a smile as the audience was given pride of place in his performance, with an easy-going rapport making for an intimate feel to the performance for existing and newly formed fans alike.
Joel could easily have stolen the show on any other night. Still, there was no competing with the highly anticipated return of The Virginmarys to their hometown of Macclesfield after such a long absence.
The Virginmarys started their night with a few solo songs from Ally, the lead singer and guitarist of the duo, with the crowd enthusiastically cheering every song, new and classic alike.
This included a captivating cover of the 1988 Leonard Cohen song Everybody Knows.
When the duo united on stage, the excitement from the crowd couldn't be contained. Anticipation turned swiftly to uncontainable excitement as the two kick-started a powerful set with the 2022 single The Meds.
Moody dark shadows of smoke illuminated by red, green, or blue haloed the duo as they gave an enigmatic performance throughout.
Sudden flashes illuminated the crowd in time with heart-pounding beats from the drummer, Danny Dolan, showing their fans lit up not only by lights but equally by their reactions as every face was glued to the performance underway. Songs flowed seamlessly from one to the next, creating a non-stop party feel that was perfect for an all-night dance and rave. Hands were thrown up in the air as the crowd jumped at every opportunity to sing the words with the band, adding to the building energy of the gig.
Nostalgia and home pride for Macclesfield ran throughout their performance.
From bringing back a cover of Keep On Rockin' In The Free World, which the duo performed in their early days playing at The George. Fans fondly cheered on lead singer Ally Dickaty as he geared up for a solo performance at the start of the encore.
Judging by the reception, the Neil Young cover had undoubtedly become a firm favourite by the end of the night.
The encore continued to deliver a brilliant crescendo with Bang, Bang, Bang up as the next knockout performance.
The vocalist was quickly drowned out by the roar of the crowd as every person who knew the lyrics sang them back to the band, with the number of people joining in increasing with every return to the chorus.
The night came to an explosive end with another cover. Joined by guitar technician and the band's helper behind the scenes, Gareth Price, for a cover of AC/DC's It's A Long Way To The Top (If You Want To Rock And Roll).
They chose this final track after a fan poll on their Facebook, in which many Maxonians voted.
The event has gone so well for Cinemac, that they are considering more live concerts and even renaming the venue only for when concerts are on.
Missed the gig? The Virginmarys can be listened to on Spotify.
You can also follow them on Twitter or Instagram. View more of Jane's photos on this link.
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