I’m going to assume that most if not all of us were in bands at some point, and we all probably had that one moment where we dared to think, no matter how unrealistic that thought might have been, that maybe something might happen. The problem is that the vast majority of bands are just kinda shite, and the day you realise that you’re not one of God’s special creatures is a tough auld one. Now, imagine you were actually in a really great band, and it still didn’t go your way. Watch Shimmy Marcus’ movie Good Cake Bad Cake – The Story Of LiR and wonder, slack-jawed, why LiR didn’t “make it” while lesser bands like The Cranberries – you can send the letters to the usual address - took over the world. You can see the flabbergasted heads on them all on the screen, they still don’t know either. Management? Timing? Bad luck? Bronagh Gallagher gushingly compares them to Led Zep at Madison Square Garden in one of the filmed interviews, and while she might be getting a bit carried away to be fair, I was in the crowd more than a few times back in the nineties, she’s not that far off.

To add serious insult to outrageous injury, they then got legally crucified when it fell apart. My cousin Ado, who’s in tonight, reckons this gig is still part of that settlement payment plan, although I can’t confirm this. A fucking nightmare, frankly. I hope they’re showing this movie in the various “rock schools” about the town as a not-so-gentle nudge to some of the students who really should reconsider that CAO offer of accountancy. You better be all the way in or you better get out.

It only takes about ten seconds of ‘Dog Rhythms’ which the band open with after a film clip montage – look, there’s Smiley Bolger! Ha! They’ve edited LiR’s music into Wayne’s World! – to remind all here, and it’s as full as makes no difference, how great they were/are. Robbie Malone’s busy bass locks in with Johnny Boyle’s drums, forming a bond that’s tighter than a rusted nut. Ronan Byrne and the marvellously monikered Zamo Riffman – Eamonn Griffin to his Ma – who’s subbing for the missing Colm Quearney, trade guitar riffs like they’ve been playing together for years. Visually it is Riffman who has made the most effort, sporting a fetching Hawaiian shirt and pinstripe kacks combo. The others, including singer Dave McGuinness who can regularly be spotted with a load of gladioli sticking out of his arse as the front man with the very-good-indeed Smiths Tribute band These Charming Men, are rocking the cool Dad at the parent teacher meeting sports casual look, which is as good a comportment as any for gentleman of a certain vintage to aim at. Disappointingly, there’s not a Celtic filigreed white bell bottom (© Alan Corr) to be seen, although Johnny Boyle appears to have stolen Larry Mullen’s stage clothes from the War tour. Boyle’s been knocking around for a long time now – The Frames and PictureHouse, as well as LiR – so even a conservative estimate must put his age at around 107 but he still looks about 23. What a complete bastard he truly is.