Interference, the opening band for the evening, joined the Swell Season for “Gold,” the song from the dinner party scene in Once. It was met with a standing ovation — just one of many on the evening. And they were rightly deserved. As you watch these performers, especially at this, their last show of a tour, you can’t help but realize how much they love what they do. Their passion and honesty was apparent, and anyone who got to witness it received a gift of immeasurable wealth.

Full review is here

Opening acts don’t get much respect. Audiences who paid good money for the main course tend to linger in the lobby, taking advantage of the hour to suck back a few more Michelob Lites or house Chardonnays till the unknowns clear the stage and the “real” show begins.

All the lobby lizards who missed the band that opened for Glen Hansard and Marketa Irglova (stars of the little Irish jewel of a film, “Once,” performing as The Swell Season) on May 20 at Upper Darby’s Tower Theater will be adding that lapse to their “woulda coulda shoulda” list somewhere down the line.

The people who stayed were captivated, rapt, glued to their seats for the hour that Interference, one of Ireland’s most influential bands for the last two decades (say the musicians, like Hansard, whom they’ve influenced), commanded the stage. When I would occasionally glance down my row, I saw the ultimate compliment an audience can pay a performer. Not applause. Not a standing ovation. Smiles. A brightening of the eye. Body language that echoed the performers’—what experts call “kinesic communication.” Connection. These were the people who were out in the lobby at intermission, lined up at the Interference CD table like the band was selling $2-a-gallon gas.

Full interview available here

“While the All Your Life/Sweet Love mini-album is certainly a meeting of veteran musical minds, it’s perhaps most noteworthy for containing Fergus O’Farrell’s first studio recordings in an age. In fact, not since the self-titled album from Interference appeared in 1995 has O’Farrell’s majestic, soulful, hypnotic voice appeared on a disc. It’s taken Hyperborea co-founder and Still Rivers at Night creator David Bickley to draw the cult singer into a studio again for this session.”

“The supporting band, nobody but Interference, did sound better than well, even better than better than well. For most of the audience, this opening performance of an acoustic quartet led by charismatic singer and major author Fergus O’Farrell meant a surprise. As far as I know, in an official program there was not even a note about them. Interference is playing very very rare in last years, and but for Glen Hansard, they would hardly ever stray to Czech Republic. For O’Farrell & comp., the summer trip to the area of former Czechoslovakia a great experience, and also yesterday could be seen that he enjoys the performance for the Czech audience. Interference appeared in the same lineup as in summer: on violin, Finn Marja Tuhkanen, on cello, Bertrand Galen, and on guitar, songster Paul Tiernan. Among eight tunes also the title song of Tiernan’s album Belle was heard. In my opinion, in Tiernan’s rhythmic, but still accurate guitar, there is hiding – besides to the inventive string section and the absence of rhythmic – that unusual folk sound, produced by Interference. O’Farrell is, besides of a perfect diction, gifted also by the ability to talk between the songs in improvisation, but witty and accurate at the same time.. By and large, the Interference was such an experience for me, that I decided to go and see their gig at Dobeska the night after.

“All strings and Fergus O’ Farrell’s remarkable voice, not a drum nor a keyboard or a flashy gimmick in sight; that’s Interference. A cello, a violin, two guitars and a front-man who subdues with the calm intensity of his lyrics and his presentation. This isn’t just jamming or gigging, this is communication in a way that leaves its own mark and lodges messages in your brain for you to work on later.”