Bambie Thug emerged in 2024 as an essentially unknown alternative musician before cementing her status as an Irish household icon, vaulting onto the national scene as an established alternative pop sensation, equipped with her own distinct sound, style, mesmerising moves, and her signature use of witchcraft. Reminiscent of a character from a Tim Burton film, she hails not from a cinematic fantasy, but Macroom, Co Cork. Bambie Thug has equally fascinated and polarised her audience since her introduction to the limelight just 10 months ago.
From the leftist quarters demanding Bambie refuse her participation in Eurovision, to those disapproving of her unabashed expression of queer identity from the pulpit, she has weathered criticism. Yet at the all-ages Academy gig, it’s hard to picture that the non-binary pop star had encountered such censure.
Bambie Thug’s fanbase, affectionately known as “the Coven”, is incredibly diverse. Within it, LGBTQIA+ advocates waving their flags, parents attending with their children, Eurovision followers, goths, and those dressed in Halloween attire, all unite in an appreciation of Bambie.
Following an entrancing warm-up act by Limerick’s Hazey Haze, the lively venue falls into a tranquil hush. Glowing white crosses adorn the stage, setting the scene for Bambie’s breathy introductory address that welcomes the attendees to the Coven.
Dressed in an extravagant cape, adorned with Maleficent-inspired horns, a fairy outfit (last seen in her Eurovision performance), and vertiginous platforms, the gothic artist commenced with the Halloween-appropriate hit, Hex so Heavy. Unexpectedly, her performance had a distinct pop slant, alluding to a more obscure and darker embodiment of Lady Gaga, and the choreographed routines seeming appropriate for a larger-than-life stage.
Aided by two powerful dancers adorned in balaclavas and short tops, an uncanny show was given by Bambie during the performance of Kawasaki. Bambie Thug made a subtle protest that surprisingly proved far more impactful than any boycott of Eurovision.
There was a genuine compassion underlying the show’s ostentation. The performer showcased a fresh original track named “Children Should Be Laughing,” a commentary on the conflict in Gaza and Lebanon. Bambie draped themselves in the flag of Palestine, introducing a sober moment amid the seething excitement of hyperpop.
The Cork-born artist also showed a knack for audience engagement. Water guns were used on spectators lacking the necessary fervour, signed pictures gifted to those who nailed the star’s Fangtasy dance, and even a teasing undertone in a comment before the encore “you know what to do if you want me back on stage”.
When they made their comeback on stage, they chose to conclude the evening with the highest charting Eurovision song from Ireland since 2000, Doomsday Blue.
An up-close rendition of the arena show was offered to the audience and saw Bambie exorcising their dance devil draped in a bikini inspired by the transgender flag. An amalgamation of metal, screamo, and pop was performed with a dash of neopagan witchcraft – a mashup that was chaotic yet somehow harmonious. A classic Bambie Thug style.
The Academy will see Bambie Thug’s return on October 31st. Subsequent shows include the Limelight in Belfast on October 28th, Róisín Dubh in Galway on November 2nd, and finally City Hall in Cork on November 7th.