Dark, threatening skies covered Dublin on Friday night. It might have seemed like an omen – but really it was just the first warm-up act for Bell X1.

Next into the breach were The Academic, who delivered a solid 45 minute set. People were still arriving at the Iveagh Gardens throughout, but the Mullingar indie quartet played their hearts out – and they had certainly won the crowd over by the end.

When the main act took the stage, it was with songs like ‘The Great Defector’ that Paul Noonan & Co. brought the crowd – or at least some of them! – back to their early 2000s college heyday. “Did you bring your A game?” Noonan asked. The band had!

This wasn’t a dancing, jumping, screaming, OTT crowd, but they were attentive – and grooving. They were, that is, until the band paid tribute to the late Starman with a resounding cover of ‘Let’s Dance’ and they went wild. Put on your red shows and dance the blues? They did – and then some.

‘The End Is Nigh’ and ‘Rocky Took A Lover’ were both present and correct, alongside newer songs like ‘The Upswing’ and ‘Out of Love’. Live, the latter works extremely well, the jazzy keyboard solo lifting it beautifully.

There were minor technical issues that Noonan was visibly irritated by – but not enugh to dissipate the energy and the unmistakable joy in the band's performance.

At the end, there was a three song encore and Noonan called it “a most special night” – for good reason. It was a gig that reminded us why Bell X1 are among the standard bearers of Irish music. Long may they run.

*All our great photos from the night can be seen by clicking here.