Codes play the Roisin

It is always special when you see a band that you know will rock a crowd of 20,000+ some day, play an intimate venue like Roisin Dubh. I had such an experience on Thursday, February 25th when the up-and-coming Irish quartet Codes played what was to be, front man Daragh Anderson ably informed me, their sixth gig at the venue.

Their rise to superstardom (which took all of an hour) was embarrassingly apparent by the fact that they were able to enjoy the support act, Southampton-based Delays, without being recognised. Contrast this to the post-show atmosphere with hysterical fans pulling promotional posters from the wall and black markers from their handbags to get these much coveted autographs. Indeed some even advanced with all the caution of a stray cat approaching a saucer of milk, afraid to inconvenience these (who had, in the last hour, become) rock-gods.

Codes took to the stage with the now familiar Malfunctions/This is Goodbye double-play that works so well as a set opener. Playing

a beautiful mix from their debut album Tress Dream In Algebra, Codes wound from the mesmerising Starry Eyed, to current single and title track In Algebra, and onto the stunning You Are Here. The band played their complete catalogue, pausing briefly between songs, to engage in witty banter with the sizeable audience that was before them. They also introduced a new song, The Known World, which is, going by first listen, a new degree of excellence and a reason to be genuinely excited by what is to come from this band.

Speaking with the lads after the gig, they were genuinely shocked by the reception they received at this show, only too delighted to do an encore when begged, and judging by the number of autograph hunters post-show, they have picked up a huge number of Galway fans since their last gig in December. The lads hung with the fans for a few drinks and pictures before heading off to Cork for a radio slot at 9 the following morning. As the song goes “We take flight, first light/ Somewhere, starry eyed”.