The Frames (IE)

About

Also known as: The Frames DC

Formed in Dublin in 1990 by Glen Hansard, The Frames grew out of the city's early busking scene on Grafton Street and became a cornerstone of Irish indie rock. The band's name has a genuinely odd origin: Hansard collected so many bicycle frames in his back garden that the neighbourhood started calling his house 'The Frames house'. Six studio albums followed, with Fitzcarraldo standing as a fan favourite, partly funded by a loan from the Dublin venue Whelan's. Members have woven in snippets of songs by Bob Marley, Johnny Cash and Jeff Buckley mid set as a running tribute to artists they love. Hansard's profile exploded after starring in the 2007 film Once and winning an Oscar for 'Falling Slowly', but The Frames never fully stepped back. They still surface for memorable gigs, including a 2014 show at Whelan's where they bought every audience member a drink, a nod to that old debt. A documentary, In The Deep Shade, captured their 20th anniversary tour, and a 2022 live performance of 'Fitzcarraldo' at St. Patrick's Cathedral showed the band still very much alive.