Dom Martin and Seafoam Green at the Tue Night Music club.

Review written by Nigel Foster and shared with his permission.

Images By Ken Jackson

Dom Martin With Special Guests Seafoam Green – The Tuesday Night Music Club – 24 March 2026 If Elles Bailey is the prodigal daughter of TNMC, then Dom Martin is very definitely the prodigal son, and his return tonight, to quote a song title of a fellow Irish band, was a Sort Of Homecoming. Whenever Dom returns to the club, it is special, but tonight was special and then some, and for the third time in two weeks I define this as an ‘I was there gig’ for me and a sell-out crowd.

Well, why so very special? Well, because Dom’s performance was sublime, of course, but also because he, Ben Graham, Audrey and Fenton Parsons introduced us to the beguiling music of Seafoam Green, an acoustic duo of Dave O’Grady on vocals and guitar and vocalist Muireann McDermott Long, who also added some percussion. Note: In my header I refer to the band as ‘special guests’ because, witnessing this one performance, they are nobody’s support act, not even Dom’s, and he would be the first to acknowledge that.

Indeed, had Dom unfortunately fallen ill at the last minute, leaving Dave and Muireann to fill the void and carry the whole gig, nobody would have been asking Richard for a refund. The duo performed a 45-minute set of original songs that were firmly in the Americana and Roots space, and listening to them, I also picked up blues and gospel reference points. Although only two, the duo are very visual too, and you could see there is an unspoken deep connection between them, and that gave the set real depth and expression. From the opening chords and words of Small Town Love, we were all pulled in to Dave and Muireann’s musical soundscape.

The rising and falling passages of acoustic guitar weaving between the beautiful vocal harmonies. Dave introduced Working Man as a tribute to his dad, and the lyric evidenced that the relationship had its challenges, but the father-and-son bond was always there. Again, the vocal harmonies swept the lyric along with the added sounds of the acoustic guitar underneath it all. ‘Honey’ followed, and that is a totally apt description of the beauty of the song.

Muireann’s voice was as luxuriant and velvety as fine honey, whilst Dave’s was whisky-soaked. ‘Whisky’ is the title of a song, and as the duo sang it, the descriptive pull of the lyrics had me painting pictures in my mind. This was poetry within the structure of a song. On record the guitar maestro Derek Trucks contributes guitar on Mine All Mine, but of course he could not be in Coulsdon, so when required, Dave played with more verve and authority, providing the rock-steady foundations for Muireann’s more urgent voice. Then without warning Muireann pulled right away from the microphone but continued her vocal delivery, and there was a genuine power in the voice that filled the space.

To end their quite brilliant set, the duo dived into the driving gritty Hiss with its urgent rhythm created by the sharp guitar and Muireann’s foot stomps, lifting up one final perfect vocal harmony. As the last notes fell away, we rose to our feet to show our deep appreciation for Seafoam Green. When did that last happen anywhere for a guest act? Richard, of course you are right.

Seafoam Green are my favourite new band, and I think that will apply to many. After a short break, which served as a chance for many of us to go and buy Dave’s and Muireann’s merchandise, Dom was introduced to the stage, and immediately he looked at ease, taking a seat and picking up a beautiful Spanish guitar and opening the music into the powerful and emotive The Fall. The Fall is anthemic, a broad vista of free-flowing, searching guitar notes that rested perfectly just beneath the trademark heart on the sleeve voice.

Next in line was Belfast Blues, and this is and was an aggressive song with the hard-edged guitar riff butting against the almost growled voice. Then Dom’s little intro told us the beautiful echoes would open out before us, and it did. Dom’s intricate and delicate fingerpicking guitar playing was jaw-droppingly good, so much so that a vocal wasn’t really required, but Dom’s voice matched the subtlety of the music. And then I said, ‘God bless Robin Trower’ as Dom covered his glorious Alethea, and for the first time ever for me, the boot pressed down on the Cry Baby Wah Wah pedal, emitting those evocative pained tones that pressed against the melodic voice.

At this point Dom invited Ben Graham to join him on stage, and once perched on a stool, Ben picked up his beautiful Hefner bass, and the duo performed two beauties together. First up, The Rain Came; Ben’s evocative bass lines hummed beside Dom’s stretched-out fretwork, laying a platform for the passion-fuelled vocal delivery. The duo then carved the melody in two and swept into a powerful, writhing instrumental passage of hooked, taut guitar and thick, incisive bass. Then, to finish, an incredibly original cover of Albert King’s dirty blues anthem Born Under A Bad Sign.

Dom and Ben gave it a complete makeover, with Ben pumping out incessant and funky bass beats while Dom draped over this flamenco-style finger picking. Stunning in execution and creativity. Of course we stood to applaud and cheer, and this led to an encore of one of my favourite Dom compositions, the edgy and aggressive vibe of 12 Gauge. This one really is mean, moody and threatening. We rose to our feet a second time, letting the guys know they had delivered brilliantly. There you have it: another memorable night at The Tuesday Night Music Club. As I stated at the top, this was an ‘I was there’ gig, and we all thank Richard, Ros, Dom, Ben, Dave and Muireann for making this happen and giving us a permanent memory.

Review by Nigel Foster