The heart of the street corner

On some days Portobello Road in Nottinghill is more crowded than usual. Immediately the signs that read “Beware of pickpockets” become more dangerous than they already are. But having found out the reason for the bigger crowd, the fear goes away.

The reason is four guys who look like escapees from a Cameron Crowe movie making folk music, an acoustic version of Fleet Foxes, Mumford & Sons and Grizzly Bear. One guy with curly hair and wild beard is sitting on a Cajun, a wooden snare-drum-sound producing drum, the other three stand, guitars in hands. Two guys with long hair, one with an acoustic guitar, the other with a steel guitar, flank the man in the middle. The man, whose band this is: Ryan O’Reilly. And the four guys are The Ryan O’Reilly Band.

Seeing bands play on the streets is nothing extraordinary, least of all in a city like London. But – of course there is a ‘but’, there always is – The Ryan O’Reilly Band is one of those bands that are different. They don’t belong in the sea of mediocre street musicians.

Warm sound that shoots out like rays

That is not only because of their sound that brings folk to another, several-voiced, steel-guitar level. It is mostly because their music glows, you can see the warmth that shoots out like rays, even though – this is London, remember? – cold rain comes down like someone spilled the Thames over this Nottinghill street corner.

Actually, the rain goes with the emotionality of music and lyrics. “I know I’m not good enough, but I’m still in love with you”, O’Reilly sings in the song “Good Enough” and it seems as if people minimize the distance between each other. There is another quote, from the song “November”: “You’ll never change the world with your songs and your guitar”, O’Reilly sings, although he just proved himself wrong.

Their live album is a revelation

They have recorded one album so far, but not in the studio. It’s a live album, but that suits them more than a studio album could. “Live At The Half Moon” is a revelation and it breaths the spirit of the street corner.

Their first studio recording, the EP called “Emily”, unfortunately doesn’t meet the expectations you get from having heard them live. It sounds ridiculous, but The Ryan O’Reilly Band should only record live albums. It’s how they keep their magic alive and sizzling. It is this magic that leads to stating that if one thing can be said with absolute certainty, then it is, that you will definitely hear from The Ryan O’Reilly Band in the future. If not, the Earth will implode and drift into the bitter darkness of space.