Liberty Hall Theatre fans out like a clam, nestling listeners in their seats, with insulation and acoustics that enhance every minute detail of the live music experience, mistakes and triumphs alike.

Luckily for Conchúr White and Gemma Hayes, their flawless dulcet tones fell on appreciative ears, with what proved to be a warming night of music as a reprieve from Dublin's bitter November cold.

'I'm about to do something very headliner-y and ask for something', White says, 'Can someone please bring me some water?'.

Surely enough, within minutes there are three vessels of water at the performers feet, clearly, the audience think Conchúr White is worthy of a headliner's demands.

With his voice well lubricated, White delighted an audience with his sweet vocals and nimble guitar playing.

Conchúr White supporting Gemma Hayes at The Liberty Hall Theatre for the Dublin Folk Festival. Copyright Miguel Ruiz.

Particular audience favourites were White's performance of 'I Did Good Today', the lead single off the Armagh singer songwriter's debut album 'Swirling Violets' set for release January 2024. If Swirling Violets is anything like the performance given by White last night, the musician can expect to see himself back on stage in Liberty Hall soon, next time comfortably making headliner's requests.

After White left the theatre, it was not long before Hayes, looking steely and assured, stepped onto the Liberty Hall stage exuding a calm aura, a sense of it not being Haye's first time at the rodeo.

Indeed, it sort of was, as listeners found out at the halfway point that this was the first time Hayes and her band had played in this exact line-up. But this fact did not faze Hayes, who had an easy confident and slick demeanour that comes from knowing exactly what you are doing. And indeed, she does.

'Ran For Miles' was a gentle musical offering that had audience members leaning in, relishing in the rhythm of the song, swaying in their seats. The song felt like a private performance in the hushed theatre of Liberty Hall.

Gemma Hayes at The Liberty Hall Theatre for the Dublin Folk Festival. Copyright Miguel Ruiz.

Hayes slipped magnificently into a cover of Kate Bush's 'Cloudbusting' which she prefaced with a 'sorry it's not Running up That Hill'. In place of Bush's violin, she masterfully played guitar, creating the dramatic staccato sounds on 'Cloudbusting'. Hayes' instrumentality and skill is unquestionable, whether playing her own material or others and there was not a single audience member in Liberty Hall who was sorry it was not 'Running Up that Hill'.

In an ode to her her time in Dublin, Hayes played her first single '4.35 am', which details riding home in a cab in the wee hours after playing a session at Whelan's, on a night not dissimilar to last's weather wise. However, in the preface to the performance Hayes talked about a particularly painful memory as an emerging artist where she was CC'd in an email containing feedback from music critics and tastemakers. In this thread, an unnamed Irish music critic said she 'didn't sound Irish enough', to which a devout audience member shouted 'and where is he know?'.

This naturally led to uproarious cheers and whoops in support of Hayes. Clearly, the audience couldn't disagree more, and believe that Hayes embodies the heart and soul of Dublin. The crowd took pleasure in Hayes' gentle and serene guitar playing, a love letter to the city that shaped her early career.

Palomino, was another high point of the gig, a song about a horse, featuring technical guitar playing and rhythmic cadence, with audience members elbowing each other excitedly mouthing 'I love this song' (I saw it about three times). Truly a fan favourite.

Haye's Liberty Hall gig acted as warm homecoming- almost akin to a family affair, with an adoring audience, back and forth rapport between Hayes' and listeners, and songs that served as tributes to the City that shaped the artist's early career.