Live Report: My Bloody Valentine triumph at 3Arena

Even in a year where Dublin has been treated to its share of special gigs, a homecoming show by My Bloody Valentine – and their first concert in seven years to boot – belongs in a special category. When this show was announced around a year ago, it unsurpisingly sold out instantly, with fans from around the world clamouring to attend.

All week, there's been an expectant build-up, with a small MBV warm-up date in the National Stadium adding to the buzz. The band's performance is teed up nicely by one of Irish music's rising stars, Maria Somerville, who plays a warmly received set that mixes elements of Sonic Youth and Cocteau Twins, with a soupcon of post-rock and slowcore also in the beguiling mix.

And then, it's time for Saturday night's main event. Never ones for elaborate showmanship – they did invent shoegaze after all – My Bloody Valetine stride on into the feverish dreamscape of 'I Only Said'. Throughout the evening, the music is accompanied by a huge backdrop of trippy visuals, variously mixing colour-tinted footage of flocks of birds, rolling cityscapes and sundry psychedelic effects.

Credit: Isaac Watson

Early in the set, after the irrestible psych jam 'New You', Kevin Shields – in one of his few comments of the evening – movingly dedicates the night to Mani, the late great Stone Roses bassist who, like Shields, was also a one-time member of Primal Scream. Highlights are plentiful, though particularly special mention should go to deep cut 'Cigarette In Your Bed', which brilliantly alternates between delicate acoustic rhythms and chainsaw guitar, and a barnstorming 'Only Shallow', so familiar as the opening tune on the group's 1991 masterpiece, Loveless.

Throughout the night, Shields' guitar tones are constantly entrancing, skipping between hypnotic riffs, psychedelic swirls and distortion-driven rock action. The apex of is reached on one of MBV's greatest tunes, 'Soon'. With Shields' guitar see-sawing between trancey grooves and abrasive riffing, Bilinda Butcher delivers otherwordly vocals, while behind them, bassist Debbie Googe and drummer Colm Ó Cíosóig conjure a thunderous dance rhythm.

For good measure, they're accompanied by a blitzkrieg of psychedelic lighting and visual effects. There's no getting around it – this is simply as good as music gets. Rounding out the show with the tradmemark apocalyptic noise assault of 'You Made Me Realise', My Bloody Valentine have delivered a stunning reminder of just why they are one of the most brilliant, innovative and influential Irish acts ever.

Credit: Isaac Watson