“I started living in Claire’s wardrobe without her knowing, and slowly integrated into the house and band. It’s all going quite well!” This is just one side of the I Dreamed I Dream (IDID) origin story, as told by Niamh Hayes. Ultimately, though, the Cork-based quintet – comprised of Hayes, Claire Aherne, Elle Kelleher, Julie Landers, and Laura Dineen – came together through a mutual love of music, which united them at various gigs over the years before becoming buddies let alone bandmates.
Formed in 2022, the band have quickly become an exciting live proposition, opening for the likes of Silverbacks, Sinead O’Brien and fellow Cork act The Altered Hours and the Frank & Walters. At the time of writing, the only recorded example of their visceral sound online is a demo of ‘I Play The Bass,’ an intensely immersive composition echoing the eerie nocturnalism of Joy Division and Sonic Youth (the latter provides inspiration not only for their arrangements but their name, too.) Across IDID’s five members, their musical influences cover everything from My Bloody Valentine to Beach House and Cocteau Twins to Warpaint.
The band’s influences cover everything from My Bloody Valentine and Beach House to Cocteau Twins and Warpaint. The impact they have on each member, from igniting a curiosity to pick up instruments and create a sound all their own, has instilled a sense of connection both internally and within the group dynamic. “I didn’t know myself once we started making music,” notes Dineen. “It was like I got introduced to not only a new side of myself but a new side of the five of us.”
This sense of community extends to the perpetually thriving DIY scene in Cork. IDID have an immense appreciation for the boundless support they’ve received not only from the many veterans of the underground scene but from their peers, too. “For a long time, Cork has been facing a serious venue crisis, says Kelleher. “So a lot of people, especially the younger bands, are running fully DIY gigs. They’re booking function rooms, not gig rooms, renting PAs and just filling those rooms. It’s class to see them just go for it.”
Already, 2023 is shaping up to be a busy one for the band. Off the back of playing with the legendary Gina Birch of the Raincoats, they’re set to support The Thin Air’s Spring issue cover stars M(h)aol on 13th April and head into the studio to capture the energy of their live shows. Zara Hedderman
Photo by Celeste Burdon
