Willy Mason

@ The Grand Social, Dublin

By Marky Edison

We first became of aware of Willy Mason in 2004 when ‘Oxygen’ flooded the alternative radio airwaves. That protest song was his debut single and it wasn’t long before he was collaborating with The Chemical Brothers. ‘Battle Scars’ is a highlight of the We Are The Night album and we have no idea how he dropped off our radar after that.  (Apart from this guest spot on Isobel Campbell & Mark Lanegan’s album in 2010).

Tonight is only his second gig in Dublin, which is surprising when he’s been touring for so long. He must feel some connection with Ireland, given that a recent album of remixed tracks had a title in Irish.

The singer-songwriter is supported by the elegant vocals and sparse hollow-body guitar work of Amy May Ellis. When she started playing, there were 20 people by the stage. By the closing number, the beer garden had emptied as word had spread about her hypnotic, charming, and haunting set. A little artsy for our tastes but she certainly brought the audience on a journey.

We are perched up at the bar for the main set. The unassuming trio take the stage to a polite and understated ovation. The welcome is in keeping with the music. Mason is either very chilled, or very shy. There are a few thanks muttered but no banter between songs. They move quickly from each song to the next. The presence of the rhythm section elevates the performance from what’s been committed to tape/hard drive. It even allows Mason the chance to experiment with guitar sounds and rock out a bit. The aforementioned ‘Oxygen’ and recent single ‘Youth on a Spit’ are delivered with swagger and panache.

They’re organic and rootsy. Even when they skip between genres and throw in a country number, it’s played with well-earned confidence in their abilities and in each other. Mason may not be chatty onstage but he puts a lot into his performance and it pays off with the crowd. They’re happy to sing along, reflecting his verve back to him. It’s a rare combination to be able to write songs that enlighten and affect people while putting on an entertaining and dynamic show but Mason has it, and he’s not afraid to use it.

Tyler Costolo returns to his Ghost Fan Club project with an aching self-titled EP for Knifepunch Records. Set to be released on July 5, the haunting ‘Shoulders’ single launches today.

Florida’s Tyler Costolo first started making music in 2017 under his own name. After a few haphazard folk tracks, he adopted the moniker Two Meters. After two bedroom pop EP's, he began to experiment with heavier and more dissonant sounds for labels like Very Jazzed and Knifepunch Records.

Seeking an outlet to release material on the softer side, he debuted the Ghost Fan Club project in 2020. He released a handful of singles (including ‘Speak to Me’ which became a minor TikTok hit), and the Goodbye World, Hello Ghosts EP in 2021. Costolo then found himself in flux both personally and creatively, as he made his sonically harsh metal-inspired return to the Two Meters name in 2022, while slowly working on this upcoming self-titled Ghost Fan Club return EP.

While the July 5 release sees him return to his slowcore and bedroom pop influences, Ghost Fan Club has a new edge and greater urgency (thanks in part to the recruitment of drummer Tom Morris) as he tackles subjects like depression, grief, instability, and lost time.

‘Ghost Fan Club’ will be released via “gay working-class trans label” Knifepunch Records on July 5.