Duke Special vs. The Divine Comedy live at Vicar Street

Tonight, for one night only, and in aid of Amnesty International, Peter Wilson of Belfast and Neil Hannon of Fermanagh have come to Vicar Street for a duel. Hannon, surely one of the most charismatic musicians ever to grace a stage, strides on in shades and a three-piece suit, looking every inch a young Scott Walker. Special, meanwhile, danders meekly to his piano, in his clown-meets-ceremonial-soldier get-up. Make no mistake, ladies and gents, both performers are prepared to battle to the death – or at least till curfew.
Two such gargantuan talents sharing a stage, each other’s songs and a similar deprecating wit could only provide a superb evening’s entertainment, and the pair deliver charm by the bucketload. Whether it’s Hannon facetiously dedicating ‘Bath’ to Special’s hair, the mock sword-fighting/arm-wrestling/lightsaber skirmishes, the costume changes, or the sheer good-natured vibe that emanates from the Vicar Street stage, this is truly a one-off gig.
The non-musical interludes are so entertaining that the songs are almost an aside – but duets on ‘What Becomes of the Broken Hearted’ and ‘You’re So Vain’ (featuring Thomas Walsh of Pugwash on guitar) are particularly astounding, as are Hannon’s ‘The Plough’, and a joint effort on Special’s ‘Our Love Goes Deeper Than This’ and a crowd-pleasing ‘National Express’. It’s a tough one to call, but in the charitable nature of the evening, we settle on a draw as we amble elatedly into the brisk night air. I suppose a rematch is out of the question?