Caught Live: Hypnotic Brass Ensemble

The last time Hypnotic Brass Ensemble were in Ireland, they left many an Electric Picnicker standing in the rain, peaking into a packed tent where early Sunday morning revelers were being whipped into a frenzy by friendly banter, good tunes and a healthy dose of crowd surfing. Hailing from Chicago, the nine-piece brass band of brothers (well, all but one of them are!) brings an irrepressible and unrivaled mix of raw energy to the stage, and tonight they take up exactly where they left off at Stradbally eight months ago.

From the opening swagger until the last callout, everyone in Whelans is enraptured by their high-tempo display. They tell us they want to make tonight's show "just like a Chicago basement party" and, by creating a suitably intimate, sweaty and energy-filled atmosphere, that’s exactly what they succeed in doing. From the horn-driven 'Mars' to the rap-laden 'Hypnotic' and bona fide funk of 'War', there's something for everyone in tonight's set, while the candid chatter, high-fives and crowd interaction all fall just the right side of brash, keeping the audience fully involved.

Aside from being a ‘basement party’, this show is a chance for the band to present songs from their new Heritage Tour EP, and nobody presents quite like Hypnotic Brass Ensemble. With a lot of tunes on the disc already available elsewhere in their back catalogue, tonight's not really about roadtesting new material, but instead working through songs that have been honed to perfection. It comes as little surprise then that - with swagger ever-present as the material drifts from jazz solos to soul music and back - the EP tracks blend so seamlessly into the set. Indeed, just watching these masters at work, it’s no wonder they’ve recorded with everyone from Gorillaz to Mos Def.

The whole evening is being filmed from a number of angles, cameras and lenses, with at least two photographers present throughout. Given the crowd’s reaction and, in turn, the band’s responses, Ragged Words is hoping this show might just feature on the long-awaited Hypnotic documentary. But then, we're pretty sure every HBE show is like tonight, nothing short of a humdinger. As the band say themselves: they "got the party started, but the crowd got the party jumpin'."

For a full photo gallery, click here.