Finn Fang Zoom!
Cavan is certainly no stranger to the madcap musings of award-winning director Finn Keenan using the county as a unique backdrop for whatever music video and band he's now working with.
From Charlie Fay's drapery with The Strypes, to creating a mass riot for Louis Berry in the Townhall, and filming the Wombats by the side of the road at night in Crossdoney- even still there is something quite unique about his latest shoot with with Dublin punk-grunge outfit, Fangclub.
Keenan even admits as much himself.
To get to where the outlandish video is today, it all started with a 7am start on a dampish morning in late March by the shore of Rann Lake, recalls Keenan.
Joined by trusted producer John McKeown, Keenan explains: “The plan was just to hit the road and see what happens. We had a few ideas for stops but we hadn't rang anybody ahead. I just thought if we drive from Rann through Cavan, hit Cavan Town for a bit, with these guys and all this equipment, then we'd definitely find somewhere to film.”
Garret Maguire of Maguire Media is meanwhile credited on the video for adding “VHS wizardry” to the green screens post shoot. Additional footage was provided by Glen Bollard.
Despite the local angle on Keenan's latest work, the story behind the song itself and the video is a razor sharp critique of the fake culture today.
“Essentially, its showing that no matter how cool something might look on screen, with a background, pan out even a little and the rest is totally mundane. Its a crack at how everything these days seems so very curated, from what you see on TV to what's put up by people on social media. Everyone looks at rock n roll a certain way, but if you zoom out they're just a bunch of lads standing by the side of the road next to a herd of Alpacca.”
The release of the video for 'Vulture Culture' has been neatly timed to coincide with the Fangclub's eagerly awaited sophomore album of the same name hitting stores this month.
The band’s debut album charted in Ireland at no.5 and received a nomination for Choice Prize Album Of The Year.
Since then they've gone on to support bands such as Pixies, Muse, Biffy Clyro, and most recently Smashing Pumpkins and Metallica at Slane Castle.
For more Fangclub videos, including several by Keenan again- visit http://vevo.ly/e7hSVg
To see more of Keenan's own work with other bands- visit https://vimeo.com/345907529