There’s no easy way to introduce the band that is Binmen. They’re a unique powerhouse consisting of four members, two of whom are recent Trinity graduates! With Ryan McDonald on vocals, Tadhg Byrne on bass, Seb Wong-Cotter on drums, and Gavin O’Shea doing lead guitar, Binmen are an amazingly balanced and passion-filled band with a sound and stage presence that truly packs a punch. Having recently created a new set last year, this is one of their first gigs back—and I know I’m excited for more.
On January 18, Binmen took to the stage alongside two other groups at Sin é. The second out of the three acts of the night, they were arguably the one filled with the most character. They’ve recently reformulated their set, and I firmly believe that this new vibe they’re putting out is just what the music scene here needs.
Having mostly Talking Heads-esque songs such as Waking the Neighbours and Raspberry Jam, they combine their somewhat avant-garde, off-kilter lyricism with a strong musical backing thanks to Tadhg’s bass lines and Gavin’s guitar lines. Perpetual and Babycakes were on opposite ends of the stylistic spectrum: Perpetual is the one song they kept pre-reformulation, and it’s much more punk-ish sounding than the rest of the set; Babycakes takes on an almost 50s Americana sound with various riffs throughout. Their stage presence is nothing to sneeze at as well: Ryan’s expressions and some of the on-stage banter really round out the set perfectly.
Overall, Binmen are a great act to follow and are veritably a unique addition to the local scene. They are certainly not a performance you want to miss. Be sure to check them out on instagram: @binmen__!
