The Revenants

Never ones to busy the charts, make it onto the wondrous Tony Fenton's playlist or headline the fabtastic Beat On The Street, Dublin band The Revenants nevertheless remain one of this country's most important and significant bands. Carrying not so much baggage as cargo, songwriter Stephen Ryan once fronted the near-legendary Stars Of Heaven (who were doing "alt country" a good 10 years before the pack), and despite an on-off fractious relationship with the music industry, he's still doing what he does best: writing impossibly good songs.

With a new album to promote - Septober Nowonder (a real slow-burner of an affair) - the familiar faithful gathered once again to be beguiled by the sort of music that, while harking back to a previous time, has its gaze fixed firmly on the future. Sometimes sounding as delightfully scraggy as mid-era The Replacements, other times sounding like they're approaching the Nashville city limits, they sure blast it out with gusto, particularly when they delve into their back catalogue for tracks like Christmas Card and The Drinking Side Of Me.

With virtuoso guitarist Conor Brady (handy tip: sandals should never be seen on a rock 'n' roll stage) on hand for all eventualities and a thumping rhythm section, there was a fairly solid background for Ryan's expressive vocals. Having the physical appearance these days of one who could front an REM tribute band, Ryan brought new dimensions to the songs off the new album, injecting extra pace and vigour all over the place, but still managing to calm things down for the beautiful Sharpest Knife In The Drawer.

Lyrically, there were enough references to radio frequencies to keep your average trainspotter happy and there were even two covers (of The Lemonheads and Camper Van Beethoven) thrown in, just for the fun of it.

Ignoring the faux Aerosmith-style stage lighting (which threatened to scorch your retinas), this was a sharp reminder of just how good The Revenants are live, and just how excellent a songwriter Stephen Ryan is.