Mickey Chaos Turn Beyond The Pale’s Outpost Stage Into A Surf-Punk Party – Review
By Mickey Chaos Live at The RTÉ Outpost Stage
Another standout from the RTÉ Outpost stage came in the shape of Mickey Chaos, whose exhilarating set quickly turned curious onlookers into devoted converts. Imagine if The Ramones and The Beach Boys shared a rehearsal room overlooking the Pacific and you’re somewhere close to understanding the band’s infectious sound.
Fuelled by jangling guitars, breakneck rhythms and an infectious sense of fun, Mickey Chaos fused punk-rock urgency with sun-kissed surf swagger, transforming the RTÉ Outpost stage into the festival’s most unexpected beach party.
Kicking off with ‘Italy’, ‘I Guess We’re Skeletons Now’, ‘Heart Full Of Piss’, ‘Lucky Magic Smooches’ and ‘I Love U Steve Wallis’, Mickey Chaos wasted little time winning over the RTÉ Outpost crowd. But it was the second half of the set where things truly caught fire. A blistering run through ‘Mermaid’, ‘I Fell In Love In A Trashcan’, ‘Shay’s Surf Song’ and latest single ‘Sunblock Lobotomy!’ sent the crowd into overdrive, each track landing like a surf-punk classic keeping the audience bouncing from start to finish.
Verdict
Mickey Chaos are the kind of band festivals were made for: instantly likeable, endlessly energetic and armed with songs that refuse to leave your head. Tracks like ‘I Fell In Love In A Trashcan’, ‘Mermaid’ and ‘Sunblock Lobotomy!’ lingered long after the set had finished, the mark of a band whose appeal extends far beyond the festival field. Judging by the reaction inside the RTÉ Outpost stage, they won’t be playing crowds this size for much longer. This was a gloriously chaotic reminder that some of the festival’s most exciting moments come from the bands still on their way up.