WORDS & PHOTOS BY NICOLETTE CUNNINGHAM

A chilly, February night in Los Angeles. The Wiltern, a legendary Art Deco landmark. Dermot Kennedy and SYML. An evening I will not forget…

The Wiltern theatre is no stranger to great talent; from Willie Nelson, to Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers, to fellow Irish singer-songwriter Sinéad O’Connor. Dermot Kennedy was sure to fit right in.

The house was sold-out, every space filled with excited fans buzzing from the wine and ale. Slowly the lights dimmed and the letters “S Y M L” appeared as a backdrop for the opener, Brian Fennell (SYML, pronounced “sih-mul”). Fennell wrote his first song at 18 so creating gorgeous music and lyrics is second nature to him. Playing the acoustic guitar and accompanied by a violin and keyboardist (also named Brian) Fennell played songs from his latest self-titled album (SYML, 2019) like “Everything All At Once” and new releases like his latest single “Flags.” Fennell’s work “continues to create minimal soundscapes that find power in their relatability and emotion” and with that he fit right in with the Dermot Kennedy crowd.

SYML wrapped up his set and the room buzzed even louder with anticipation for the headlining act.

Once more the lights dimmed… This time blue lights flashing, slowly. Almost like a heartbeat anticipating the coming vocals. Thanks to Dermot’s brilliant lighting designer Dermot Kennedy appeared as if from thin air. Center stage, angelic, “An Evening I Will Not Forget” ringing from the stage. The song builds, the lights illuminate more of the stage and Dermot’s band comes into view; Johnny Coote, Kieran Jones, and Micheál Quinn. Dermot’s set was about an hour and a half long and it feels like it went by in seconds. Dermot played some of my personal favorites like “Redemption,” “Lost,” and “Moments Passed,” but I wished he would go through his entire discography. There was a particular moment during the set that reminded me just how genuine Dermot is. Before playing an obvious crowd favorite, “For Island Fires and Family,” Dermot invited everyone to envision a place or a feeling of home. A person, a place, or a moment. Whatever it may be to feel this song and the meaning that it brings; welcoming everyone to truly embrace that feeling during the song because that’s what he does too.

Dermot Kennedy writes and plays music that gives people the courage to feel. To remember that love, life, loss; they’re all moments to be felt and understood. That in the end, no matter what, “you won’t go lonely.”