DUB SYNDICATE

Hothouse Flowers/ Aslan/The Dubliners (New Year’s Eve at The Point Depot, Dublin)

One ‘youth’ decorated the footpath with a spontaneous street mural of, presumably, the night’s intake just inches from my delicate tootsies as I ghosted past and as he soldiered onwards with his mates to the point of no return, while another poor sod of indeterminate sex was already being carted into the ambulance before the show had even begun. Nevertheless New Year’s Eve at The Point Depot was, thankfully, a surprisingly polite affair.

Still experiencing a mini-revival since their collaborations with Shane MacGowan’s Pogues, the perennial Dubliners didn’t blink an eyelid as they rifled through ‘The Marino Waltz’, ‘The Swallow’s Tail’, ‘Whiskey in the Jar’ and ‘The Irish Rover’, tunes which have transported The Dubliners all over the world as fitting ambassadors of The Fair City. Their never too-familiar set felt like a promise of more later and left you panting in anticipation. You could see they were pacing themselves for the night ahead.

By contrast, in what was an unashamedly celebratory exercise in self-gratification, Christy Dignam and his merry band of desperadoes went all out from the beginning and threw everything they had to offer into their hour-long performance. ‘Crazy World’ touched many a nostalgia-soddened heart, the forthcoming January single ‘Sweet Time’ was aired and all and sundry were generally rocked out of their senses by the time Liam O’ Maonlai and his botanical aberrations arrived at ten minutes to midnight, as recorded by the digital clock up in the rafters, to a resounding fanfare and an arena now lit up by a three-tiered candlelit chandelier with accompanying candelabra on the two white pianos that flanked the revolving stage. Rock ‘n Roll! Whew!

Predictably, Aslan and The Dubs joined The ‘Flowers for a rendition of some tune the name of which I can’t remember but it went something like “Should auld acquaintance be forgot . . .”

And after that interlude of jovial goodwill and handjobs to all men and women on earth, The Hothouse Flowers got down to demonstrating the fine art of concert continuity as they jived in and out of Sly Stone’s ‘Thank You (For letting Me Be Myself Again)’, ‘Don’t Go’, ‘I Can See Clearly Now’ and a ‘Love Don’t Work This Way’ medley which sampled bits of Dylan’s ‘You Gotta Serve Somebody’ amongst an array of other ditties. Of very few bands can you say that their marathon display sounded like one enormously long song and mean it as a compliment. It would be difficult to find a more professional outfit on these isles that’s for sure.

At around two o’ clock on the first morning of this new year, Ronnie Drew and his, by now, well-matured revellers returned to provide the highlight of the evening for me personally and add the substance of the street to The ‘ Flowers’ incubated soul with a moving ‘Auld Triangle’ though Liam and the Boys did manage to have the last word. Happy, we all went home a year older and none the wiser I assure you.

• Patrick Brennan.