Local Natives live at The Academy 2

Call me a hipster charmer, but I generally find good facial hair leads me to good music. Take for example the fuzzy chins of Fleet Foxes, Bon Iver and Band Of Horses; all of whom are evoked in some riff or another tonight by bluesy folksters Local Natives.

For all their touring in cold and cranky Europe, the LA quintet are very visibly neither locals nor natives to Dublin 1, so it’s odd how remarkably at home they are on the Academy 2 stage. They’ve easily sold out their second appearance at the small and sweaty venue and it seems positively made for the groovesome fivesome.

A seriously transformed cover of Talking Heads’ ‘Warning Sign’ and the impossibly huge ‘Wide Eyes’ are highlights, while fist-in-the-air percussion courtesy of drummer Matt Frazier deserves much of the kudos.

Serious props must also go to support act and soon to be blogger’s fave Peggy Sue, whose hypnotic accordion (you heard me) and perfectly melding vocals brought to mind the soulful rockabilly leanings of fellow Brits Kitty, Daisy and Lewis.

Local Natives finish up their 40-minute set with perpetual closer ‘Sun Hands’ (if it ain’t broke, eh?), which guitarist Taylor dedicates to two guys in the front row who “know the words to our album better than I do.” The mustached firecracker mustn’t have been paying attention - their awesome Indie barbershop has been well supported all night by a hopelessly charmed crowd, who turn four and five-part harmonies into seventeen-part chants.

‘Sun Hands’ is a tune with energy like you’ve never seen and while the boys’ vocals are clearly strained from several nights on the Guinness and indeed, several months of non-stop touring, the screeching chorus makes for almighty finish I would have paid all kinds of money for.

If ever there was a case for the termination of the front man, the Natives are it.

Celina Murphy