The Mandela Hall was host to ultra-alternative band Tegan and Sara, and lots of teenage angst.

BY BEN FINCH

Supporting act, Oliver Cole, played a good set from his latest album ‘We Albatri’. Missing his band, Cole initially had to fight against the sound of the crowd. By the end of the set however, his tightly constructed and focussed songs had won many over. If only the same could be said for his rambling stories delivered in a gorgeous Meath accent. Cole’s songs are sometimes jaunty, sometimes country but almost always lyrically weighty, digging deep into life and love. Showing similarities with Damien Rice and Glen Hansard (even in looks) Cole’s largest influence is clearly Elliott Smith, his cover of ‘Miss Misery’ receiving the best reception of his night.

Tegan and Sara started slowly before cranking up the volume a quarter of the way through. Concentrating mainly on a set of hits as well as songs from their most recent album ‘Sainthood’, the twins’ voices worked perfectly together. ‘Walking with a Ghost’ and ‘Where does the Good Go?’ (famous from the soundtrack of Grey’s Anatomy) had their fans singing along. Tegan and Sara, known for their on-stage banter, between songs chatted about Belfast’s “cold” twenty degree weather and drew mighty cheers on numerous ocassions.

Despite some problems with tuning and a few mis-starts, Tegan and Sara barrelled through their set and it was impossible not to become caught up in their catchy, spiky songs.