Interview Hamsandwich: “We have to push the domino”

One of Ireland’s most enthralling live acts in recent times. Hamsandwich is well known for the incendiary live performances, which has established the group as one of the top touring acts in the country.

Featuring their signature calling card of Niamh Farrell’s powerful yet sweet vocal and Podge McNamee’s juxtaposing baritone, if ever there was a band to feed off their audience , it is Hamsandwich. Melodic, hook-laden, and heart-warmingly charming.

Hamsandwich continue thrive, having established themselves in the upper-echelon of must-see acts on the road today.

Frontview came on their road, after their energetic gig in the chapel on Vestrock(NL). A little chat with the easily amused Niamh and the always funny Podge. A couple of minutes after the interview, Podge jumped into a jacuzzi to play a live session for television.

First of all, Frontview Magazine gives the award to Hamsandwich for the most celebrating band in the chapel of Vestrock.

Niamh: ”Thank you very much!”

First to get to know HamSandwich, a short introduction please.

Niamh: “On stage, we have all our individual styles. We really make it our mission to enjoy ourselves on stage and hopefully the audience enjoy themselves. When the audience enjoy themselves, that feeds back to us.”

Podge: “Four or five members are always playing in the band. It depends , we have different session musicians (trumpet, violin, keyboards,....) We don’t expect that they have to play ‘super’, we know that when we carry the songs to the level we want, it will work.”

Niamh, when did you first realise that singing was your thing ?

“When I was younger, I was singing in choirs, and that stuff. Initially I wanted to be an actress, playing in a musical. I love Disney, I love musicals since I was a kid. Then I lived in Scotland for a while and got into a band, then I realised that’s the thing I wanted to do”.

Podge: “ It’s an interesting thing, I think anyone who is in a band, will totally understand this. It’s the weariest job in the world. Once you’re in there, it’s like you’re locked in this room.”

Niamh: “And you don’t wanna leave it then!” (laughs)

It’s an anniversary year, 15 years Hamsandwich!

Niamh: “ We released our first album 10 years ago. So now we had a couple of gigs in Ireland to celebrate that. We played some old songs, in a venue in Dublin, The Olympia”.

Podge: “ The venue is so old, I think Charlie Chaplin played there. Everywhere there are photos of artists who played there like David Bowie, Prince,.....”

Did you already played here in the Netherlands?

Niamh: “I’ve never been here before.”

Podge: “Hopefully , it’s a matter of time that we come back here , in Belgium. But it’s like a domino that we have to push.”

Frontview: “ You have to come to the well known Belgian festivals”

Podge: “You need a few to spread the word in Belgium, just trust me, I know there are crazy stupid names.”

Niamh: “When we get the oppurtunity, we run with it. We need to come back here, and we need to do more gigs here. It’s always good that people get in touch with us online and say, we saw you at the festival, when are you coming back? It gives us the drive”.

Podge: “When we play at a festival , it doesn’t matter how small or big the stage is, there is a different excitement, I feel that we turn on a switch in everyone”

Niamh: “ In Ireland we’re a little bit known for our festival gigs, because we just tend to go wild”.

Sometimes there’s confetti & balloons , falling on the audience during the gig. Also nice make-up, blinking creations. Has all of this a positive (celebrating)message?

Niamh: “Absolutely! We always want to have a party, that you don’t want to end. We want to celebrate and that people have a good time”.

But on the other side, there are darker lyrics.

Podge: “We don’t really like to rehearse, being planned. We are not 100% reliable, but we try to become reliable.”

How do experience the last minutes before you go on stage?

Niamh: “I think that when you don’t get nervous before going on stage, that’s a sign to stop be doing this. You need the nerves. When you turn in adrenaline, you are not nervous anymore. Tonight I’m a little bit nervous, but more relaxed”.

Podge: ”It’s always a psychological battle. Between the first and the third song, we look to each other and then we both know, ok we are good. We just need the confirmation of each other.”

You wear always beautiful unique dresses, your own choice?

Niamh: “ I’m very picky, I think I don’t need anybody else for advising me”

This evening, I saw you performing without shoes after the first three songs. When do you decide to perform barefoot?

Niamh: “It depends. Sometimes I take the shoes off after the first song. I depends how I feel the gig is going, when I feel that I get more energetic., when I feel I get more into it. I can jump a bit more and not fall on my face”.

Frontview: “And than Podge is trying to give the stylish shoes to the public.....” (laughs)

The hometown of Podge is Kells, tell us why we have to see Kells?

Podge: “It’s a city, full of priests and alcoholics. It’s a town with very friendly people, with not much going on. You have to make your own fun. When you go out for a drink , you’re gonna have a good time, people are so lovely there. I want that you print it on Frontview Magazine: people are lovely but.....they have 2 faces..... They can say: Oooooh! His hair is gorgeous and at the same time, his hair is disgusting!”

Did you already composed a Christmas song or a song that sounds like a Christmas song?

Niamh: “We did a couple of Christmas covers. There’s a lot of stuff in our music that might sound like Christmas. We use a lot of Klokkenspiel and bells. A lot of Children like our second album because of the bells. Their parents say that the children love that....that inky pinky planky sound”.

Podge: “We should write one! We didn’t write a Christmas song and the main reason is that we are from a country that holds probably the trophy for the best written Christmas song of all time. You know probably the answer?”

Frontview: “Mmmmmh......euh...”

Niamh: “Fairytale in New York” (she starts singing the song)

The last album was 3 years ago, can we expect soon a new album?

Niamh:”We are writing at the minute and recording it”

Podge: ”Writing new songs is ok, when it gives us a new fine energy or excitement, in a new swaggy style”.