Of all the bands emerging from the current guitar rock revival in Ireland and the UK, none are as enthralling or bursting with new possibilities as Westside Cowboy.
Formed in Manchester in 2023 after the members met while studying at the Royal Northern College of Music, the band — whose name derives from the cowboys enlisted to marshal newly built train lines in New York — blend rockabilly, British folk, and 1950s Rock & Roll into a new sound that they have dubbed “Britainicana”. Clad in converse, old jeans, white greaser tees, and striped shirts, Westside Cowboy are visually unlike any other group in the scene today, blending their influences into something unique.
Jimmy Bradbury (guitar), Reuben Haycocks (guitar), Aoife Anson O’Connell (bass) and Paddy Murphy (drums) — who began by covering Hank Williams and Elvis classics — have morphed into an exhilarating rock machine. They first emerged after winning the 2025 Glastonbury Emerging Talent competition and have not looked back since. Their debut single “I’ve Never Met Anyone I Thought I Could Really Love (Until I Met You)” blew the door off the hinges. Two EPs built on that promise, before their debut album “It Goes On” was released on August 21st, 2026. This is easily the best debut in years. Hands down. Concerning itself with the passage of time, a theme summed up nicely by the title, the album swings and spins from upbeat rockers “Kick Stones (The Boys)”, confident strutters “Dobro” and “Paperchains” and beautiful quiet ballads “Coyote” and “Take My Leaving As I Love You”.
Each of the band members share the vocal duties, creating an endearing, communal chorus. The instrumentation and production is organic and natural, devoid of synths and leaning into their folk influence. Murphy’s drumming is both controlled and explosive, driving his band from section to section. A notable feature of the music is Bradbury’s harmonic guitar squeals; a touch so simple, yet a key signature of the Westside Cowboy sound.
Westside Cowboy’s September 24th gig at Whelan’s in Dublin serves as proof that this group means business. Relentlessly ripping through their set, the band whipped both the audience and themselves into a frenzy (Murphy’s t-shirt could only be described as saturated with sweat by the end of the show). The quiet moments were real and authentic, with Haycocks making a mistake while performing “Take My Leaving As I Love You” solo, eliciting a wink and smile from the crowd.
It seemed as if every single person in Whelan’s knew every word, forging an unforgettable connection between band and audience. O’Connell’s environmentally-tinged lyrics in Coyote were particularly poignant (“This is the most beautiful place on Planet Earth / And I’m ruining it with every step”). Westside Cowboy left the stage with the swagger of seasoned veterans; a superb performance from a rising force in modern rock music.
The sheer joy on the faces of the band is a breath of fresh air after a decade of moody and overly-serious indie rock acts. Westside Cowboy are a beacon of light in an era of seemingly endless doom and gloom. Maybe all we need is a good singalong after all.
