Nicotine Dolls Rock The Workman’s Club – Review
By Brilliant songs, big energy and a band that looks increasingly ready for the big time.
While the night may belong to The Nicotine Dolls, opening the show is Dublin singer-songwriter Lauren Wallace, whose indie sound proved a perfect fit for the evening. So much so, in fact, that by the time the Dolls take the stage, the room is already thoroughly warmed up.
Her set is packed with originals, with the one notable detour being an unexpected but hugely enjoyable take on ABBA’s The Winner Takes It All — a moment the audience clearly embraces. But for me, the standouts are Mr Saving Grace, a powerful, edgy number, followed by the bouncing Gap Teeth. Both tracks showcase not only Lauren’s vocal ability but also her talent as a songwriter, moving effortlessly between vulnerability and punch.
Backing her is a band who look to be having just as much fun on stage as everyone watching them. There’s an easy chemistry between them, giving the whole set an infectious energy that quickly spreads through the room.
As opening acts go, Lauren is seriously impressive. In fact, the only real complaint is that the set feels far too short — which, for an opener, is probably the best compliment you can give.
Follow Lauren Wallace
Taking the stage like kids let loose in a theme park, the Nicotine Dolls arrive with wide-eyed excitement, mischievous grins and barely contained energy. This is a band utterly at home in their element: fizzing with charisma, feeding off the room and armed with a bucketful of tunes.
Kicking off with How Do You Love Me, Sam Cieri’s voice hits the sold-out room like a shot of adrenaline — coarse, raw and utterly enthralling. There’s a frayed quality to it, equal parts grit and vulnerability, that immediately has the crowd lost in a blur of dance and noise.
And if that wasn’t enough to raise the energy, the guys drop a hammer with the recently released Here To California. It’s an anthem that grabs you by the collar whether you like it or not, guitars sparking before the melody kicks in and sets you loose.
In between songs, Cieri shares a few words with the audience about his time in Dublin. There’s an easy warmth to it — less like a band addressing a crowd and more like old friends catching up.
Wild, Next To Me, Gimme Sympathy, Backseat and To The Wolves keep the momentum surging, before the fabulous Till We Both Say changes the temperature. It’s intense and beautifully raw, a love song at its very best, with every word feeling like it’s been dragged straight from the heart.
Closing with What Makes You Sad before a little cover encore of Whole Lotta Love feels kind of fitting. The whole night has carried a sense of warmth and love — from the band to an audience that has given it right back.
And what an audience they are. But the band are something else. Cieri’s sublime vocals sit at the heart of it all, while John Merritt throws shapes on bass, John Hayes stays slick on guitar, Abel Tabares proves a powerhouse behind the drums and Anthony Cubbage rocks the keys.
The Nicotine Dolls don’t just perform; they deliver a show. Brilliantly crafted songs are intertwined with warmth, confidence and the unmistakable feeling of a band ready to take off. Tonight, they’ve shown exactly why the buzz around them is growing — and why, when it comes to the live show, The Dolls know how to rock.