Tonight, for one night only, and in aid of Amnesty International, Peter Wilson of Belfast and Neil Hannon of Fermanagh have come to Vicar Street for a duel. Hannon, surely one of the most charismatic musicians ever to grace a stage, strides on in shades and a three-piece suit, looking every inch a young Scott Walker. Special, meanwhile, danders meekly to his piano, in his clown-meets-ceremonial-soldier get-up. Make no mistake, ladies and gents, both performers are prepared to battle to the death – or at least till curfew.
Two such gargantuan talents sharing a stage, each other’s songs and a similar deprecating wit could only provide a superb evening’s entertainment, and the pair deliver charm by the bucketload. Whether it’s Hannon facetiously dedicating ‘Bath’ to Special’s hair, the mock sword-fighting/arm-wrestling/lightsaber skirmishes, the costume changes, or the sheer good-natured vibe that emanates from the Vicar Street stage, this is truly a one-off gig.
The non-musical interludes are so entertaining that the songs are almost an aside – but duets on ‘What Becomes of the Broken Hearted’ and ‘You’re So Vain’ (featuring Thomas Walsh of Pugwash on guitar) are particularly astounding, as are Hannon’s ‘The Plough’, and a joint effort on Special’s ‘Our Love Goes Deeper Than This’ and a crowd-pleasing ‘National Express’. It’s a tough one to call, but in the charitable nature of the evening, we settle on a draw as we amble elatedly into the brisk night air. I suppose a rematch is out of the question?