Canadian four-piece Wolf Parade rolled into Dublin's Vicar Street on May 20th on the back of the recent completion of their third album Expo '86. Songs off the new album, which is due for release at the end of June, would remain highly prominent throughout the show, with lead single "What Did My Lover Say? (It Always Had To Be This Way)," played mid-set, forged a welcome rapport with the strangely subdued audience. A pre-apology was uttered to the crowd for the revamped setlist by Dan Boeckner, one half of Wolf Parade’s song-writing core, and the warning was approvingly heeded by the tight-clothed, student-filled crowd.

 The duelling yet self-complimenting vocals of frontmen Dan Boeckner and Spencer Krug have always been a highlight of the championed indie-rock band, and on the night they remained pristine and appropriately dusty. Crowd pleasers came from their debut Apologies to the Queen Mary with tunes such as "Dear Sons and Daughters of Hungry Ghosts", "I'll Believe In Anything" and "It's a Curse" providing vital staying power for a band hungry to move on to their third effort.

  New tune "Yulia" validated the conception that the new album was an upbeat affair, which they had previously been hinting at, with Boeckner stating in an interview: "[it's] definitely the most fun I've had recording a Wolf Parade record." Another highlight was opener "Soldier's Grin" which blistered in the mixed song format and provided some initial familiarity for the crowd. The three-song encore provided their excellently belted out largest hit to date "You Are a Runner and I Am My Father’s Son", and they closed the set with the ten-minute-short "Kissing The Beehive".  Although the song is painfully long on their sophomore record, the live treatment is certainly a positive experience.

 Opening action on the night came from Joensuu 1685, a Finnish outfit that never really got any love from the slowly filling venue. For a band who proclaims "I'm not in love with the modern world", the future remains overtly bright for Wolf Parade (even if they have already arrived there before the fans). A self-confirmed Electric Picnic slot is due on September 5th and the Parade continues to Belfast on the 6th for the beginning of a second 2010 European tour.

Photos by KDamo on flickr.