The Rubberbandits, live at The Button Factory

Given the recent hype surrounding Limerick hip hop comedy duo the Rubberbandits, tonight's Button Factory show (the first in a series of nationwide December dates) will prove whether or not these boys are just a one trick...um, horse.

Though they've been working the Irish comedy circuit for a few years now, it's latest single 'Horse Outside', teamed with a very entertaining stint on the Joe Duffy show, (won't somebody PLEASE think of the children?) that's earned them a massive new fanbase in the last couple of weeks. The crowd is eagerly awaiting the two pure shams' (yep, I speak Limerick) arrival on stage, with a few dedicated girls up the front even donning some of Centra's finest plastic bags on their heads as a mark of respect. Who knows, this could be THE look for Spring 2011...

Willie O'DJ is in fact the first to strut on stage, and as he takes his place at the decks, you know this is going to be a pretty unique live show. Blindboy and Chrome appear next, beers in hand, looking very fetching in tracksuits (Chrome goes topless) and both wear the trademark plastic bag.

Willie drops a beat (there's a sentence I never thought I'd type), and it's straight into a set which covers all the good stuff – drugs, horses, fighting your girlfriend's da, ridin' in nightclubs, the 'RA, and of course (Joe, you might want to cover your ears for this one) Eamon de Valera "double dropping yokes".

It could so easily not work, but it does, because a) the pair are genuinely musically talented and b) this is satire as the good Lord intended it. The boys' banter between songs is as hilarious as their lyrics – a constant social commentary on the stereotyped Limerick 'lad'. At one point Blindboy complains that the Dublin water is "too salty" - Chrome chirpily responds that he brought nine litres of Shannon water with him tonight. On his horse, of course.

Speaking of which, it's encore track and Christmas No. 1 contender 'Horse Outside' that brings the house down, but the Bandits' set is top quality even without it. 'Pure Awkward', 'Too Many Gee' and HP favourite 'Song for Willie O'Dea' are frickin' hilarious, while 'Up the 'RA' proves beyond doubt (listen up Duffy fans) that the the boys' tongues are placed firmly in their cheeks. Methinks the Christmas campaign is just the start of big things to come for these two Limerick leaders.