A testament to Trinitones’s enduring appeal, the group are set to mark its fifth anniversary with a headline performance in Portobello’s Bello Bar tomorrow evening. Becoming a staple in Trinity society life, the group’s initially conservative expectations of their popularity have been repeatedly dispelled over the years: “I don’t think anyone quite imagined that Trinitones would gain much measurable success, to be honest”, director of the group, Neil Dunne, tells The University Times. Dunne attributes Trinitones’s engagement with self-deprecation and humour as the starting point of their growth some years ago: “To tell the truth, that “[Teenage] Dirtbag” video was a last-ditched attempt to get the initial group going. If it didn’t take off, they were going to call it a day … so it’s your fault for watching.”
Since then the group has grown in scale, scope and popularity, no doubt exemplified by more grandiose performances in more prominent settings. Dunne comments: “In more recent years, we’ve performed at larger venues and festivals which has set a nice precedent for the group”. Such precedent has influenced the that standard the group have set for themselves, a factor that has contributed enormously to the group’s enduring success both within the walls of Trinity and outside: “I guess we always want to improve on the work done by the previous group, and that will always remain our fundamental goal”, Dunne adds.
Tomorrow night’s performance is set to bring together Trinitones past and present, bringing the five-year evolution of the group full circle. Getting the band back together, though, has not been as straightforward as initially imagined, with Dunne explaining that it was “very difficult”: “Surprisingly enough, flying back and giving up a weekend of your time for an all male college acappella group is a tough ask.” Regardless, the return of former members adds extra nostalgia to an already significant event: “All joking aside, it’s been pretty exciting hearing so many old members getting on board and flying back.” The return of these special guests will inevitably mean a performance of the aforementioned “Teenage Dirtbag” video, but Dunne reiterates their presence as something more than that: “Needless to say, we’re all genuinely excited to have what is essentially some of closest friends from college getting back together for a big birthday party of sorts.”
The performance will mark five previous years of success for Trinitones, but with a fully funded tour of Australia ahead of them, there’s much more in store for the group: “Preparations are great. We’ve just found out that we’re performing in the Athenaeum in Melbourne as our final performance of the tour, a venue regarded in a similar light to the Olympia in Dublin. With a capacity of 865, it’s going to be the largest audience we’ve directly performed to so naturally we’re very excited.” The group’s performance on Saturday evening with past Trinitones alumni won’t be the last time though. A selection of further members will also accompany the current troupe on their excursion South: “We’re ‘getting the band back together’ for this as well, with five previous ‘Tones joining us for the tour”, Dunne adds, “The road trip will be one of the highlights, allowing us all to relax while soaking in the Australian scenery.”
Much to the band’s delight, the show in Bello Bar has sold out. However, this should come as no surprise given the outstanding entertainment Trinity has been provided with since the Trinitones’s beginnings.
