The Receipts: They Rocked The Blue Light

South Dublin outfit The Receipts have built up a loyal following at their weekly Blue Light residency – but tonight there is an extra air of excitement. This show marks the launch of the album that took over 25 years to record. Impressively, that self-titled debut recently entered the iTunes chart at No 1.

The anxious crowd nab seats as soon as the doors open. To get things in motion, they are treated to sterling sets from support acts Silver Fox and SP Mullen and the Feel. The mood is set. Now for the main event...

Tonight the music really does do the talking. The Receipts – Karl McDermott, Ronan Clinton, Paul McDonnell and James Brady – take to the stage. Frontman Karl McDermott delivers a brief greeting. "This is our new album,” he says – it must be a proud moment for all four of them – and then they're off. The perfect pop of ‘Coming Around Again’ with its infectious ‘She Takes Me Higher’ refrain grabs you by the scruff of the neck, and demands you dance – from the get-go the musicianship is eye-wateringly good.

The opening notes of The Beatles-esque single ‘No Greater Love’ are ushered in by whoops of delight and its majestic sweep unifies the crowd, who sway and sing along. Gears are switched again: ‘Shoot The Crows’ delights with its killer guitar line and ever so funky groove. The truth is that these guys really know their chops. The Receipts move effortlessly between tempos and styles and the variety and quality of fare on offer here marks them out as a singular collective talent, in which the whole is even greater than the sum of the excellent parts.

The playful swagger of ‘Rebecca Debutante’ make it feel like a forgotten Undertones track; ‘Like Me Too’ is a lost 90s indie anthem; and ‘All Day, All Night’ bubbles effusively with New Wave glamour. Tonight is all killer no filler.

The band’s enthusiasm is infectious. They save the talking for intra-band slagging – mostly directed at beleaguered drummer James Brady, who laughs it off like a pro.

With album business taken care of, the band round off the night with a collection of covers from The Kinks, The Beatles and Bowie. The stuff of dreams.

Overall, this was a marvellous show that should recommend The Receipts to smart festival organisers all over the country. Make no mistake: these guys know how to play a crowd!

J.D.