I have never been the biggest The Cranberries fan. I really loved some of their songs and I always enjoyed their music in the background but I never knew all the lyrics to all their songs and never owned an album.

However, I am addicted to 90s rock and there was no way I’d miss a chance to hear Salvation live- which happens to my favorite Cranberries song ever. In fact, it is one of my favorite songs of all times.

Dolores O’Riordan (singer) and the rest of the band (Noel Anthony Hogan-guitars, Michael Gerard Hogan-bass and Fergal Patrick Lawler-drums) totally rocked together. Dolores started the concert in a gorgeous short red dress (yes-I am a girl, I notice these things), joked around (about being a girl and having shopped as soon as she got to Istanbul) and performed brilliantly.

They played all the big ones: Salvation, Zombie, Animal Instinct, Ode to my Family, Ridiculous Thoughts, Free to Decide, Time’s Ticking Out, Linger, Promises, Dreams and a couple more that I am not sure I know the names of.

It was one hell of a concert. I loved how Dolores interacted with the audience. She also understated the scorching summer weather by calling it warm (but I do prefer Istanbul weather over Ireland’s any time). She took a poster prepared by the fans and danced with it (you know her dancing: part-robot, part -alien, part- girlie) and also took a flower-crown (I think it was a crown, I wasn’t that close to the stage despite my best efforts) made by the fans and wore it. And of course the red dress was really stylish (combined with Converse, of course). But without any on-stage theatrics, it wouldn’t be the Dolores we know, so she did come back  – after the frantic call-back to the stage-wearing a black dress and a weird hat, resembling the 30’s woman (she was still wearing the converse of course and as far as we could tell, she still wore the red dress underneath). And it amazes me how the band members haven’t aged as bit. OK, they are still young (not yet 40) but still, they looked like pretty much their earliest years. And how she managed to have 4 children and still have that body is way beyond me…

I had a great time. My friends had a great time. It would make it to my top 10 concerts ever (and the list includes some pretty big names). I can catch them live again, I’ll.