Less than two weeks after the release of their self-titled debut album, folk duo Lemoncello took over Whelan’s yesterday for an unforgettable, and highly emotional, gig.

When Laura Quirke, Claire Kinsella and their band walked onto the orange-illuminated stage, it felt like you had been transported directly into the warmth of their album cover.

Lemoncello at Whelans. Copyright Jason Doherty.

Opening with solo vocals from Laura on ‘Lagan Love’, quickly joined by Claire’s signature harmonies, the girls maintained eye-contact with each other for the whole first minute of the set, immediately demonstrating their unshakable chemistry.

Lemoncello formed almost 10 years ago in university, and it's that long-standing relationship that makes the band’s performance so intimate. You'd almost feel like you were intruding on a private moment, if they weren’t so visibly eager to offer a glimpse into their souls – all soft smiles as they addressed the audience for the first time: “Hello everybody,” Laura greeted. “Very good to see you.”

The depth of their friendship bled through every part of the show, from their entrancing harmonies to the way the acoustic guitar and cello organically swirled into each other, as if from the one mind. Whether on stage as a duo or with their extended band, Laura and Claire filled up the space with their mesmerising presence and their undeniable love for the craft – and each other.

Lemoncello at Whelans. Copyright Jason Doherty.

There was a traditional edge to aspects of their approach, particularly on the banjo-centred ‘All The Good Men’, described by Laura as a “cute little love song." But even when Lemoncello turned to more of a blues-informed sound on the likes of ‘Sunflower’, the energy stayed raw – with the song proving to be as haunting as it was transfixing.

With voices powerful and clear enough that you could make out every lyric, no matter the strength of the instrumentation, the show felt as much like a poetry reading as part of an album tour.

Lemoncello at Whelans. Copyright Jason Doherty.

The gig was a moving experience above all, the duo guiding the audience on a voyage through their own young adulthood, their doubts, their sacrifices and their perseverance – almost saying “come with me” as they traveled through both wide-open Irish landscapes and shadowy sceneries.

With the heightened emotion came a captivated audience, that looked up to the pair like they were deities of sorts. And maybe they were: with Laura’s soft gaze fixed on the ceiling while singing, as if in conversation with a higher spirit.

Lemoncello at Whelans. Copyright Jason Doherty.

Yet Lemoncello were so visibly happy to be there, baring their souls to a crowd of long-time fans that followed every shift into a more joyous song with contagious eagerness, spontaneous choirs bursting over and over again on ‘Mantlepiece’, ‘Dopamine’ and ‘Sunflower’.

The jump between absolute gentleness and heavy moodiness was the signature element of the show, some songs feeling like a sunny Sunday (‘Morning’), and others like a gut-wrenching cry (‘Harsh Truth').

Lemoncello at Whelans. Copyright Jason Doherty.

The easiest way to judge the quality of a show might be the audience’s reaction to the encore. When Lemoncello walked back on stage to perform ‘Old Friend’, and the crowd broke into soft, giggly waltzes among friends and strangers, you could tell that this was a special gig.

With delight taking over the room, the moment made everyone emotional – Laura and Claire incapable of wiping off their huge smiles at the sound of their spectators accompanying them on every last word of the song, and cheering for them long after they’d given their farewell salutes and walked off the stage.