The Windmill Quarter was abuzz with anticipation ahead of James Vincent McMorrow’s exclusive performance for the Hot Press Presents: Windmill Live series yesterday evening. The venue, was packed with eager fans, gathering on the eve of the release of the Dubliner’s seventh full-length outing, Wide Open, Horses.

The night kicked off with support act Niamh Regan, whose recent LP Come As You Are has been justifiably turning heads with its raw, self-examining lyrics and gorgeous arrangements. Introduced by Hot Press editor Niall Stokes, the Galway singer was in fine form. Her set turned into a masterclass in vulnerability and wit, her laid-back stage presence contrasting with the emotional depth of her songs. The sonorous 'Belly’, and the heavenly chorus of ‘Music’ had the audience enchanted.

A stand-out aspect of her sophomore album is the lush, full-band arrangements – songs like ‘Nice’, with its trippy bass loops and odd time signatures, are hard to imagine solo. And yet Regan’s ability to perform the track with just her guitar was extraordinary, with hammer-ons, pull-offs and vibrato underscoring her mesmerising voice – the whole adding up to a wonderfully effective stripped-back rendition of the track. Niamh Regan is a real star in the making.

Niamh Regan plays at James Vincent McMorrow’s Hot Press Windmill Live Series

Appetites well and truly whetted, the crowd’s anticipation was reaching boiling point, as James Vincent McMorrow was introduced. Emerging onstage clad in a beanie and flannel, his unassuming presence belied his illustrious, 15-year career, during which his songs have excited millions and amassed billions of streams.

He was in confessional mode, admitting to having fallen out of love with what he was doing musically. He even considered, he told the Windmill audience, dropping it all after what he thought was a lack-lustre Electric Picnic gig. But he was feeling happy now, back in the groove, fighting fit and ready for his upcoming live dates. 'Ready' would prove to be an understatement: James Vincent was in positively scintillating form.

His new record has been hailed by critics as a rekindling of his passion for songwriting, so it felt fitting when he began with a track from Wide Open, Horses, ‘White Out’.

McMorrow's voice soared and the crowd was immediately captivated, gasping audibly at the range and detail delivered with each note.

The gig was a brilliantly distilled voyage through his sonic evolution, with some throwback tunes accompanying his new releases. ‘Red Dust’ was soulful and husky, while the introspective ‘We Don't Eat’ provided a poignant reflection on masculinity, evoked through his childhood memories. It was during this song that the sun crept through the windows, casting a shadowy figure of his guitar stock on the tall brick walls, adding to the sense that this indeed was an enchanted evening.

James displayed humour too, self-deprecatingly joking about his need for audience approval. He was cheered on with fervent enthusiasm.

James Vincent McMorrow plays The Hot Press Windmill Live Series. Copyright Jason Doherty.

The crowd-performer connection peaked during ‘And If My Heart’, when McMorrow stepped away from the microphone to deliver it fully unplugged. The building's acoustics amplified his stunning falsetto, creating a moment of pure, unadulterated, musical magic.

‘Get Low,’ a dark, bluesy track, injected a fresh burst of energy.

The penultimate song was ‘Wicked Game’, a Chris Isaak cover which blew up after McMorrow’s version featured on a Game Of Thrones trailer.  There mightn’t have been any dragons or ice-zombies present, but – beautifully sung – it brought a haunting, otherworldly quality into play.

James Vincent McMorrow closed the evening with ‘Cavalier,’ a marvellous, epic seven-minute song which embodies the singer’s desire to defy pop conventions. It was a superb finale. As the final notes echoed through the venue, it was clear that we had just witnessed a wonderfully intimate, and nakedly honest, one-of-a-kind performance.

An unforgettable evening.